Job Prospects Look Good for Dental Assistants

Prospects are good for qualified Dental Assistants entering the job market. And federal researchers say the career outlook for dental assistants will stay bright for years to come. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies job growth for this role as “much faster than average” compared to other types of work.

The ​Bureau​ predicts the demand for dental care will continue to grow for the next decade. A steadily increasing demand for dental services — fueled by a growing population of older adults and a new understanding of the benefits of oral health — will lead to the creation of nearly 40,000 new Dental Assistant jobs over the next several years. That’s in addition to the hundreds of thousands of Dental Assistant positions that are already out there.

Nearly all of those jobs are in private dental offices, but there are a small number of positions in hospitals and government settings as well, according to the bureau.

“The aging population and ongoing research linking oral health and general health will lead to continued increases in the demand for preventive dental services,” the bureau writes on its webpage.

And Dental Assistants will play a crucial role in meeting all that growth in demand because Dental Assistants are important members of a dental practice. Dentists and their patients depend on dental assistants every day.

Dental Assistants take x-rays, provide care, assist with dental procedures, maintain patient records, and organize the office schedule. They are often the first person a patient sees when they arrive and the last person they see when they leave.

Northwestern College offers a Dental Assisting certificate program that can prepare you for work in this growing and important field. The program can be completed in one year.

At Northwestern College, future dental assistants experience what it’s like to work side-by-side with a dentist, practicing skills like patient comfort, saliva control, and instrument transfer, so that when they graduate they’re ready to perform their roles smoothly, efficiently and comfortably. Dental Assistant students also study tooth restoration and hygiene techniques, and about using and caring for complex equipment.

Students also learn to greet patients, introduce them to the office and prepare them for their care.​ While studying at Northwestern College, ​future dental assistants also receive instruction on human anatomy. Coursework includes study of the structure of the head and neck of the various bones, muscles and nerves, as well as the circulatory system. Dental Assistants will come away knowing specific terms used when discussing general anatomy and physiology of the human body, particularly as it relates to dentistry.

If you’re thinking about a career in the growing field of dental care, consider the advantages of an education with Northwestern College. ​Click here​ for more information on Northwestern College’s Dental Assistant programs.