If you want to pursue a career in dental assistance, you can take a professional, accredited dental assisting course to land a good job. Becoming a dental assistant does not take too long for education, but it has to be from a formal institution.
Still, before you jump on the gun, take on a career as a dental assistant, and begin your formal education and training, here are some things you should consider:
1. Where You Are in Your Career
First, you need to assess what skills or experiences you have from your previous jobs, and more importantly, what led you to want a career in dental assisting. You need to determine your skills, strengths, and weaknesses and what you can bring with you in your new career.
Since dentistry is a profession that requires you to interact with people all day long, are you comfortable enough to communicate with different personalities daily? If you are not, then you should begin practicing. The main point of dentistry is to help people improve their oral health, and if that is the main reason you want to enter this career, you should go for it.
2. How You Will Reach Your Goals
Once you’re set on becoming a dental assistant, you need to decide which education you will take. Sadly, that might also depend on your time and finances. If there’s an opportunity for on-the-job training that trains and pays you at the same time, grab it! You might need to work for less pay, but you’ll be eligible to take the examination in two years.
On the other hand, taking the vocational school route would entail thousands of dollars to speed up your preparation for the examination. You might need to have a day job and take night courses to accomplish your goals.
3. Your Worth to Yourself and Your Employer
Is dental assisting something that will improve your self-worth and make you feel like you are making use of your potential? Dentistry is generally a small business that relies on proper management and service for profits. If you want to pursue a six-figure salary, dental assisting may not be for you.
Furthermore, your salary as a dental assistant might also depend on how well the dental practice is running. You should consider what salary you have in mind, what you can make in the current economic climate, your area’s living expenses, and other factors. Moreover, salary increases will also depend on the success of your employer’s dentistry, so you’ll have to prepare for that.
Conclusion
You’ll need to consider a lot of factors before taking on a career in dental assisting, but that is true for any career. What’s important is that you’ve set your heart into this profession before committing yourself to an education, so you know that this isn’t something you’ll back out of in the future.
So before you decide on anything, determine what you want and need in a job, as well as what your career goals are.
Northwest Suburban College in Rolling Meadows, IL offers career-focused health sciences education, including a dental assistant degree. We offer numerous health and medical programs that train and prepare students to pursue a rewarding career in just 32 weeks. We also provide hands-on training as part of our programs to ensure that our students are on their way to practice what they’ve learned. If you want to become a dental assistant, get in touch with us!
