The time it takes to train as a dental assistant or dental hygienist will
depend on your career plans.
There are over 200 accredited dental assisting and dental hygiene programs
in the U.S., ranging from one year to a four-year bachelor's degree.
You can train to be a dental assistant in under a year. Debbie Hope
coordinates the dental assisting program at a community college. She says
her school's 10-month program combines classroom instruction with two three-week
practicums in dental clinics.
Classes include anatomy, microbiology, patient assessment, dental office
emergencies, preventive dentistry, radiography, restorative assisting, nutrition,
dental reception (including computers) and patient care procedures.
Applicants must have a high school diploma, says Hope, with a Grade
11 or 12 science course and Grade 12 English. Selection occurs on a "first
come, first served" basis.
Besides tuition, costs include uniforms, safety glasses and shoes.
Grads of dental assisting programs must become certified through
the Dental Assisting National Board. Some states also test dental assistants
in radiologic procedures and require certification in CPR.
Many dental assistants go on to complete a dental hygiene program.
There are two types of dental hygiene programs -- an associate's
degree program and a bachelor of science degree. The bachelor's programs are
often only open to those who are already hygienists and want further training.
Most two-year programs require applicants to have taken high school
courses in math, chemistry, biology and English. Some schools also require
students to have one or two years of post-secondary schooling.
Typical first-year courses include anatomy, physiology, oral biology,
microbiology and writing. As the program progresses, courses move on to
topics such as dental hygiene, radiology, periodontics, nutrition and wellness,
and community dental health, as well as sociology, communications and computers.
Costs in a dental hygiene program tend to be steep. You'll have
to pay for textbooks, supplies, dental store fees, uniforms and malpractice
insurance.
The malpractice insurance stems from the clinical component that concludes
all dental hygiene programs -- usually consisting of placements in an on-campus
dental clinic or in affiliated hospitals or offices.
All practicing dental hygienists must be licensed through the National
Board of Dental Hygiene.
Both dental assisting and dental hygiene programs in the U.S. are accredited
by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Links
Occupational Outlook Handbook
For more information related to this field of study, see: Dental
Assistants
American Dental Assistants Association
Check out the student section
American Dental Hygienists' Association
Lots of education resources here