Dental Assistant School: Reach Your Career Goals
Get the right degree for your dental assistant career.
Dental Assistant School Options for Career Training
Choosing a dental assistant school is a personal choice. For many prospective students, that choice involves a balance between wants and needs. Will you need to work to support your family while you attend school part-time, or are you a recent high school graduate who is ready for the life of a full-time student? Are you willing to relocate to attend dental assistant school? How quickly do you want to enter the workforce? These are just a few of the questions you'll have to answer as you begin training for a dental assistant career.
Your Degree Options
Fortunately, there are a variety of paths to becoming a dental assistant, so you'll be able to find one that suits your schedule and financial situation:
- Dental Assisting Certificate or Diploma: Certificate and diploma programs generally prepare you to start your dental assistant career after about nine to 11 months of study. You'll find these programs at career colleges and community colleges. If you want to enter the job field quickly, career college programs often have a faster time to completion.
- Associate's Degree: Associate's degree programs in dental assisting last two years and provide other general education curriculum. Both career colleges and community colleges offer associate's degree programs. If you're planning on advancing your education later in your career, the credits you earn while in your associate's program will count toward earning a bachelor's or master's degree.
What You'll Study in Dental Assistant School
Dental assistants need to know everything from office administration to chairside assisting. A good school will give you all the necessary skills you will need to begin your dental assistant career. You can also find programs that will provide you some practical experience before entering the workforce. Some typical courses you'd find in most dental assistant schools are:
- Dental Laboratory Procedures
- Dental Radiology
- Dental Science
- Dental Office Management
- Dental Assisting Applications
- Emergency Management in the Dental Office
- Chairside Assisting
Education Guide
Training & Certification
Time to completion and testing breakdown
School Accreditation
How important is accreditation?
Dental Assistant Degree Types
Certificate or associate's degree?
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Many schools and organizations offer financial aid.
Student Interview
What dental assisting courses are like.
Dental Assistant Schools
Compare schools.
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Career Guide
About the Profession
Dental assisting job description.
Salary Information
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Work Environment
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Professional Interview
First-hand account of what it's like to be a dental assistant.
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