How To Become a Dental Assistant
Reviewed by: Celeste Yeik, RDH
Update March 2023
Have you ever considered being a dental assistant? Dental assisting can be a fulfilling career path, and one you can train for in under a year! Becoming a dental assistant doesn’t require complicated prerequisites or a background in the medical field. In fact, the only requirement for most dental assistant training programs is a high school diploma or GED. That, plus a willingness to study hard and learn new things, might just be all you need!
As a dental assistant, you will work alongside dentists and dental hygienists to take care of patients as they visit a dental practice. Dental assistants are highly trained to be a part of the medical care team. They can perform tasks in the office like:
- Dental X rays
- Scheduling patient visits
- Sterilizing exam rooms and equipment
- Keeping records
The path to becoming a dental assistant may look different depending on your state regulations, certification requirements, and your interest level in different specialties. There are many ways to prepare for a job as a dental assistant!
Dental Assisting Training Programs
Accredited dental assisting programs will require you to have a high school diploma or GED. Having a diploma or GED will help open doors for you, wherever your path leads, so starting with that will be beneficial in many ways.
Dental assisting school usually takes around one year to complete through an accredited program. There may be programs that take up to two years, while others are online and can be completed much faster, but the average length of time a student is in a program tends to be between ten and twelve months.
An accredited program will give you the knowledge you need to not only take and pass a certification exam, it will also give you the foundation necessary to do an in person training portion. Most job openings for dental assistants require some hands-on training. That can happen via a lab section of the training program, an externship, or through an in-office training procedure.
If you’re thinking about applying for a job as a dental assistant, remember that potential employers will want to see the highest level of qualifications. Having certifications and experience that go above and beyond your state’s required minimums will help you access more job opportunities!
5 Steps to Becoming a Dental Assistant
- Have a GED or diploma.You will need to complete one of these two things before you can start classes in a dental assisting program. If you don’t have your GED or diploma, consider an online high school diploma program!
- Enroll in a dental assisting program. This may be local or online, ten months or two years, with or without a formal externship program. It can be your decision based on your budget and desired outcome.
- Finish classes and externship or hands-on training segment. Having on the job training will help you stand out and will give you the opportunity to learn the specific skills you will need as a dental assistant.
- Complete your certification or licensing requirements. There are a number of certifying bodies when it comes to the exams for dental assisting school, like the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), or the American Medical Technologists (AMT). Getting certified or licensed through one of these will help you in your job search.
- Apply for (and get!) the dental assistant job you’ve been training for!
