According to the following Web site, http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/, dental assistants

"work as team members along with dentists and dental hygienists and perform a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties. Assistants prepare patients for treatment and examinations and assure that dental records, supplies, and instruments are ready for the dentists to use. Assistants help the dentist at chair-side by handing instruments and materials to the dentists and keeping patients comfortable and relaxed. They also prepare patients for x-rays, take x-rays, process films, sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, take impressions, and instruct patients in post-treatment care."

Note: This description includes only back office dental assistant duties in-depth. The term "back office" is used to describe hands-on, patient care duties such as taking a dental x-ray or an impression, or sterilizing equipment. The term "front office" denotes administrative tasks such as billing, scheduling, records review, etc. Some dental assistants perform primarily back office or front office duties and may have an arrangement with their employer that limits crossover, but most dentists prefer to hire dental assistants that are trained in front office and back office procedures as a cost saving measure. Training programs cover back and front office procedures in their curriculum though back office procedures are explored in greater depth.

According to several individuals working in the field, dental assistants once worked alongside the dentist exclusively, but some are now also performing more ancillary duties such as pouring rinses and prepping trays for dental hygienists because hygienists' time has become increasingly more expensive.

Education and Training

Individuals interested in a career in Dental Assisting should complete training at a California State-approved program. Click here to view a list of all California State-approved programs. Click here to search for Dental Assisting programs on the ETPL.

Employers interviewed for the Healthcare Navigator project indicated that they preferred to hire graduates of community college programs in general. Community college Dental Assisting programs are available at Foothill College, City College of San Francisco, San Jose City College, and College of San Mateo.

Community college Dental Assisting programs are generally not impacted and the cost of these programs may be more manageable than private programs.Approximately 40-50 applicants applied to the Foothill Dental Assisting Program in 2007; 30 were accepted.

Community College Dental Assisting certificate programs are 10 months long (includes 1 month unpaid internship) and the associate degree in Dental Assisting program is 2 years long. According to individuals interviewed, having the associates degree in dental assisting does not appear to have given individuals a significant advantage in the job market in the past. As a result, most individuals pursuing a career in Dental Assisting elect to complete a 10-month certificate program.

Graduates of California State-approved Dental Assisting programs are eligible to take the licensing exam to become Registered Dental Assistants (RDA). It is highly recommended that eligible individuals pursue this credential. COMDA administers the Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) Practical and Written Examinations.  Click here for information on the current RDA examination and licensure process. Note that applicants for RDA licensure on and after January 1, 2008, will no longer by required to take a written examination or a practical examination. Since the licensing process is not considered to be as rigorous as most of the other allied health occupations and can be earned through training or work experience, attaining a California license (being licensed is the equivalent of being registered) is becoming the standard for individuals working as dental assistants.

Note: It is not against the law for an individual to become a dental assistant or even a Registered Dental Assistant (with documented work experience) without completing a training program though it is highly unlikely that s/he would be able to find a job or an employer willing to provide the level of on-the-job training that s/he would need to function well in the occupational role. (click here for more information from COMDA).

Career Ladder

Click here to view a sample dental occupations career ladder diagram designed by the Healthcare Navigator.

Some dental assistants may play a more active role in patient care by providing basic patient education. This can contribute to an increase in job satisfaction. Dental assistants may feel that they have more of a defined professional role in this capacity and this may give them a greater sense of pride.

Dental Assistants who are experienced in front office duties can become office managers or supervisors.

Regulations going into affect in January 2008 will create four specialty categories of dental assistants: Registered Orthodontic Assistant, Registered Surgery Assistant, Registered Restorative Assistant and Registered Restorative Assistant in Extended Functions. Click here for more information on these roles. Individuals pursuing these specialty license must take a Dental Board-approved course or courses and may collect multiple licenses. These individuals may receive slightly higher wages than conventional RDAs but no data is available at this time.

Many RDAs see dental assisting as a stepping stone to becoming a dental hygienist and take prerequisite courses for Dental Hygiene programs at night. Some Dental Hygiene programs value Dental Assisting experience and may give preference to candidates that have worked in dental occupations. Certain colleges that have both dental assistant and dental hygienist training programs may give admissions preference to their dental assistant graduates who return for Hygiene training to promote the career ladder model. Foothill College gives consideration in the admissions process to their dental assistant graduates.

Wages and Demand

Dental assistants typically earn $15 - $22 per hour. Click here for the Santa Clara County wage survey.

RDA job vacancies exist, though they do not appear to be as plentiful as they were five years ago when there was a slight boom in RDA hiring. According to Navigator project interviews in November 2007, the job market has slowed down and become competitive. The Employment Development Department-Labor Market Information Division predicts just under 150 annual opening for RDAs in San Jose. Individuals interviewed by the Healthcare Navigator believed this number to be inflated and indicated that the majority of openings in the San Jose area are still due to separation rather than new growth because the area is well saturated with established dental practices.

Significant Points

• Registered Dental Assistants (RDA) need to be comfortable working with blood, diseased mouth tissue, mouth injuries, bad breath, etc. RDA is considered to be an invasive job. This is difficult for some people and may be the reason that more people are not entering this occupation.
• Customer service and good interpersonal skills account for a lot in this occupation, largely because the RDA works so closely with the Dentist and other office members, and individuals with cheerful attitudes, significant work experience and training, and good clinical skills will be most in demand.
• It is widely known that many people dread having to go to the dentist - Dental Assisting may be perceived as a less desirable profession as a result.

• Times are tight in the dental industry-dental reimbursement is low, many employers are no longer offering dental insurance, better nutrition/flouridated water have led to less decay and dental problems which means fewer procedures to perform, and hygienists salaries have skyrocketed-many dentists are not making the salaries they had hoped for when they entered the profession. Individuals interviewed indicated that the political issues in the dental occupations are troubling many dentists and that creates some tension in the dental office.

• RDAs do not enjoy the high wages, prestige, autonomy or job flexibility that dental hygienists have and the individuals interviewed for the Healthcare Navigator project indicated that tension may exist between RDAs and hygienists in some Dental Offices. Tension levels in some offices may be elevated as a result of the change in the occupational duties-namely RDAs working more closely with hygienists in a supporting role-which may occur in part due to the spike in hygienists' wages.

• Dentists tend to establish strong working relationships with their dental assistants because they work closely with them. It gives many dental assistants a great sense of pride to be able to anticipate the dentist's need for instruments or assistance and many see working closely with the dentist as a great learning opportunity.

• Dental assistants usually see the same patients twice a year and can form relationships with them. Working with patients and establishing relationships is an important part of the job for many dental assistants.

• Though few people enjoy getting dental work, patients are generally not experiencing life threatening injuries when they visit the dentist. The stress and trauma many healthcare workers experience as a result of watching a patient expire is not an issue in the dental occupations.

• Risk of injury and exposure is lower for dental assistants than for dentists and dental hygienists.

• Dental Assistants usually work a 40-hour week and may occasionally be required to work on call to assist the dentist with dental emergencies.

Employment Resources

Dentists generally have a solo or joint practice and their client and hiring needs do not necessitate an independent Web site. Most Dentists surveyed indicated that they will hire an individual out of an internship, use a job search engine (Monster, Craig's list, etc) and/or rely on temp-to-permanent services to fill a vacancy in their staff.

Foothill College Dental Assistant Job Posting Board (highly recommended)

California Dental Assistant's Association

DentalTemps.com

DentalJobs.com

Additional Information Resources

UCLA Dental Workforce Report

California Dental Association

California Dental Assistant's Association

American Dental Assistant's Association

Dental Assisting National Board

American Dental Association