There’s never been a better time to learn more about the dental assisting field. Job prospects in the healthcare industry are booming, and new career opportunities in dental assisting are near the top. It’s been projected that more than 90,000 new dental assistant jobs will be available this decade.*
In January 2014, Westwood College will add an associate degree in Dental Assisting to its healthcare portfolio of programs, which currenlty includes Medical Assisting, Health Information Technology, Medical Office Management and Medical Insurance Coding and Billing. At launch, the Dental Assisting Program will be available at the Denver North Campus in Colorado. Students will learn the skills necessary to assist dentists and provide quality chair-side dental care to patients.
What Do Dental Assistants Do?
Today’s dentists need assistants with a solid understanding of the clinical and administrative functions needed to keep a dentist’s office running smoothly. In addition to technical training, excellent verbal and written communication skills, along with the ability to think critically and quickly, are important when working in a team setting. And, as is the case in all healthcare careers, professionalism and a positive work ethic will help show patients that they are in capable hands. On the clinical side, assistants may complete lab duties like taking x-rays, making dental impressions, helping to make temporary crowns, reviewing dental records and setting up the instruments necessary for an upcoming procedure.
Administratively, dental assistants may be responsible for greeting patients, working with schedules and helping with patient billing.
Most importantly, all dental assistants must treat patients with compassion and empathy. It’s critical that the patient is comfortable during his or her procedure. Assistants must have a positive, supportive and comforting chair-side manner.
Hands-on Dental Assistant Training
At Westwood, students get hands-on experience and train with professionals from the dental field.
To help students become job-ready, the Westwood program offers not one, but two externships – helping students receive hands-on experience working with dentists and dental assistants at local offices/clinics. These experiences will help students improve their clinical and administrative skills, and allow for networking before beginning their search for a dental assistant career.
To support this new program, Westwood is investing in a new dental lab which will allow students to learn and practice their clinical skills in a hands-on environment. The lab features four operatories – complete with training devices, a professional dental chair, industry-standard tools and radiology equipment. Be sure to check back here or visit our Facebook page often to watch Westwood’s dental lab come to life!
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Dental Assistants,
on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm (visited November 21, 2013).