How to take your dental assisting career to the next level

wooden sign that reads "next level"

Dental assisting has many different career paths, which is exciting! In this profession, there are many opportunities to grow and advance — and to earn more income and benefits, in the process.

What are some of the best ways for dental assistants to grow in their career?

Enroll in a formal dental assisting educational program

Knowledge is key to success as a dental assistant. To perform at their highest level, dental assistants must seek out opportunities to learn. One way to do this is to attend a dental assisting program. While it’s not required that dental assistants graduate from a formal program before entering the profession, many do attend school for training.

How can a dental assistant select the best school for them? The first step is to research your dental assisting state requirements to determine what education is required. Requirements vary from state to state, so familiarizing yourself with them will benefit you even beyond dental assisting school.

There are a few types of dental assisting programs, including those that are:

Learn more: How to pick a dental assistant school

Complete continuing education

Whether you complete a formal dental assistant program or not, it’s essential to keep a finger on the pulse of the latest dental research and information. There are always new developments in dental terminology, protocols and procedures — particularly in the areas of technology and dental infection control.

By completing continuing education (CE), dental assistants can make more valuable contributions to the dental practice and provide the best patient care. There are many ways to earn CE — and many options are online, such as those available through the DALE Foundation.

Earn DANB certification

Many dental assistants also take their career to the next level by way of earning and maintaining DANB certification. DANB certification is a great source of pride and a sign of commitment to lifelong learning. Dental assistants who pursue DANB certification are often viewed as leaders in the dental office by their colleagues, supervisors and patients.

There are many benefits to holding DANB certification, such as a higher income and overall career satisfaction. According to DANB’s most recent Dental Assistants Salary and Satisfaction Survey, Certified Dental Assistants (CDAs) earn 15% more per hour than dental assistants who are not certified. Plus, CDAs also reported higher job satisfaction than those who are not certified.

Earning and maintaining DANB certification can help a dental assistant advance in their career since it can qualify you to perform expanded functions and additional duties where allowed.

By holding DANB certification, dental assistants can also move into other roles, such as office management, or find the right practice for them. In fact, many employers prefer to hire job candidates with DANB certification, and recruiters often seek out certificants to fill dental assisting positions.

Expand your duties in the dental office

Dental assistants can also advance their careers by taking on more duties in the dental office as their state allows. These duties can include applying sealants, taking impressions, performing coronal polishing, applying topical anesthetic or applying topical fluoride, to name a few.

For dental assistants whose goal is to be able to perform expanded functions, the first step is exploring their state requirements. Dental assistants who are interested in becoming EFDAs also might consider earning DANB certification since this is often one of the steps to be able to perform expanded functions.

If you’re preparing for an exam that covers expanded functions or looking to brush up on your knowledge, the DALE Foundation’s EFDA Practice Test offers more than 500 practice questions that cover a variety of topics, including coronal polishing, sealants, topical fluoride, restorative functions, and more.

Ask about cross-training in the dental office

You may also be interested in exploring other areas that could be a strong fit for someone with a dental assisting background. For example, some assistants choose to transition into working in office management. Those who are interested in learning more might consider asking about cross-training as a dental office manager.

If this is your goal, consider dental office management courses. These courses cover important dental office management topics and also are one of the requirements for earning Fellowship through the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM).

Another area that dental assistants can grow into is in infection control. Sterilization and disinfection duties are often delegated to dental assistants in the practice, with some assistants even serving as the practice’s infection control coordinator.

Those dental assistants whose sights are set on a bigger role in infection control should talk with their employer about any opportunities to advance in this critical area. One option to help you reach this goal is to explore the Dental Infection Prevention and Control Certificate, which is intended for everyone in dentistry or anyone who wants to learn more about dental infection prevention and control.​

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