Dental Assistant School Dallas

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Dental Assistant Specialties

This two-part guide will cover the Dental Assistant Specialties including the expected salary for a registered dental assistant in Dallas, Texas. Seeking a career as a dental assistant in the Dallas area or Texas region but curious what that entails? Fortunately, there are many paths a Texas-certified dental assistant can take! A few of the most common dental assistant fields include:  Let’s take a dive into what specialties exist in the dental assistant world…

Pediatric Dental Assistant Outlook

Our first area of focus is pediatric dentistry. If you become a certified dental assistant in Dallas at our Dental Replacements Training Academy, you will be primed and ready for the additional work and certification testing required to enter a pediatric dentistry practice.

Pediatric Dentistry Overview

Pediatric dentistry has many wonderful benefits when compared with older clientele. First and foremost, if you love children, this may be the path for you. Kids of all ages bring endless energy, enthusiasm and joy to any room they’re in, making pediatric dentistry a positive and happy environment to work in each day. Sure, they can be a handful at times, and some of them may even be anxious or downright terrified of their dental appointment. This is where you come in!

Another wonderful benefit is you are more involved with each patient, as children tend to stick to the same dentist from early childhood through their teen years. You will see the same faces each year for a long time and develop relationships with each child, potentially seeing them grow from infancy to their teenage years! Compare this to adults, who change dentists fairly regularly. Children remain put to establish a comfort level so your patient base stays fairly constant with little turnover compared to more common adult establishments.

Pediatric Dental Assistant Salary

As far as salary is concerned, a pediatric dental assistant receives similar compensation to any other form of dental assistant. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a dental assistant’s median annual wage is $41,180 or $19.80 per hour. Employment is projected to grow 11% from 2020 to 2030.

In conclusion, pediatric dental assistant work can be exceptionally rewarding for the right candidate. Sign up for our program here at Dental Replacements Training Academy in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas, and we can guide you through your dental assistant certification process and place you on the road to a fulfilling career in pediatric dentistry!

Orthodontic Dental Assistant Outlook

Our second area of focus is orthodontic dentistry. If you become a certified dental assistant in Dallas at our Dental Replacements Training Academy, you will be primed and ready for the additional work and certification testing required to enter an orthodontic dentistry practice.

Orthodontic vs Dental Assistant Responsibilities

Many of the training requirements and job responsibilities for orthodontic dental assistants and traditional dental assistants are similar. Many people work as dental assistants before becoming orthodontic assistants, and some states even mandate that a professional work as a dental assistant for a particular amount of time before becoming an orthodontic assistant. In addition, dental programs or institutions frequently provide specialized orthodontic assistant training.

Orthodontic and dental assistants have different responsibilities depending on the goal of their medical care. While orthodontic assistants may examine and repair orthodontic devices such as braces, dental assistants typically clean teeth and gums. Dental assistants assist dentists, while orthodontic assistants assist orthodontists. Many of their other responsibilities, such as greeting patients and assisting with oral treatments, overlap.

The dental assistant will aid the orthodontist in the placement, adjustment, and removal of braces in orthodontics (the use of braces to help straighten crooked or misaligned teeth). They also take teeth impressions for the production of orthotic appliances and give patients instructions on how to brush and care for their braces while they are wearing them.

Orthodontic Dental Assistant Salary

Despite the fact that both dental and orthodontic assistants provide healthcare and cosmetic treatments, their goals can differ. Dental assistants primarily inspect and maintain the health of teeth and gums, ensuring that they are clean and disease-free. They may also clean teeth to make them look brighter or remove teeth to prevent infection. Orthodontic assistants work with dentists to correct the structure of teeth and jaws. Orthodontic assistants may adjust a patient’s jaw alignment to make chewing easier or place braces to improve a patient’s confidence in their smile.

Salary is determined by a variety of factors such as geographic location, company, education, and years of experience. The national average salary for an orthodontic assistant is $43,897 per year, according to Indeed Salaries.

For the proper applicant, orthodontic dental assistant work can be quite fulfilling. Sign up for our program at Dental Replacements Training Academy in the Richardson suburb of Dallas, Texas, and we’ll walk you through the process of becoming a dental assistant and putting you on the path to a rewarding career in pediatric dentistry!

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Periodontal Dental Assistant Outlook

Our third area of focus is periodontal dentistry. If you become a certified dental assistant in Dallas at our Dental Replacements Training Academy, you will be primed and ready for the additional work and certification testing required to enter a periodontal practice.

The Primary Focus of a Periodontal Dental Assistant

There are several types of specialists to treat the many aspects of a healthy mouth, just as there are many components to a healthy mouth. A periodontist, for example, is a dentist who focuses on the bones, gums, and tissues that surround a patient’s teeth. As a result, a periodontal dental assistant is in charge of a variety of tasks that enable the periodontist to do their best work. Learn about the role of a periodontal dental assistant and the significance of their work.

A periodontal dental assistant’s primary responsibility is to transport patients to the specialist section of the dentist’s office and make them comfortable. This keeps the patient from becoming disoriented and allows them to get any additional accommodations they may require during their stay. To promote optimal patient comfort, the assistant will make a note of these adjustments and ensure that they are satisfied.

Periodontal Dental Assistant Additional Responsibilities

The dental assistant’s job also entails gathering information from the patient about their previous dental history and documenting any new findings in their personal file. This procedure keeps the periodontist up to date on the patient’s oral hygiene and health, allowing them to make the best treatment decisions possible. This information is especially beneficial for first-time visitors since it allows the specialist to better understand and handle their specific situation.

Periodontal dental assistants are also responsible for cleaning and sanitizing the tools used during treatment between patient sessions. In order to minimize infection, medical operations need a clean environment. As a result, before a new patient may sit in that part, the assistant must carefully sanitize each piece of equipment. This includes the chair, tables, and each and every piece of equipment in the area.

After the periodontist has completed their process, the assistant will instruct the patient on how to properly care for their teeth. This usually entails providing them with basic oral hygiene instructions as well as instructions on how to care for any stitches they may have received. A periodontal dental assistant may also be in charge of removing prior sutures or putting dental dams for returning patients.

Dental Assistant Salary
How Much Do Dental Assistants Make?

Reports place dental assisting as the 20–25 best healthcare support jobs. Over the past few years, the salary of dental assistants increased considerably. For instance, the median salary in 2017 was around $37,160. Today, it’s over $45,000.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 64,600 jobs will be open between 2016 and 2026. That’s an employment growth of 19.5%.

Dental Assistant Career Salary by Experience
This chart demonstrates salary changes of dental assistants by experience.
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How Do You Become a Dental Assistant in Texas?

As you may expect, becoming a dental assistant requires a degree. This is a medical practice that involves aiding in complicated procedures and optimizing office functions.

What’s the first step to becoming a registered dental assistant? Well, enrolling in one of the best dental assistant schools in Texas. 

Our school, at Dental Replacements Training Academy, will ensure that you get a top-notch, personal, hands-on learning experience. You will learn all the necessary skills to excel in this field. You can also apply for online courses if you have a busy schedule. As we said earlier, you don’t have to leave your current job while training for a position in dental assisting.

Today, our online classes provide a high-quality teaching experience to let passionate people follow their dreams of joining the dentistry world.

Before you make this decision, however, let us cover the pros and cons of online dental assisting schools in Texas.

This concludes Part 1 our two part series on the most common dental assistant specialties. As you can see, there are countless routes and focuses with which a dental assistant certificate from our Dallas-based Dental Replacements Training Academy in the comfortable suburb of Richardson, Texas, can assist with.

We would love to hear from you! Please reach out in our contact us area for more information on your future career as a dental assistant!

Male dental assistant and dental teacher explaining treatment procedure to students group in dental assisting school

Our dental assistant program provides everything you need to start your new career as a Dental Assistant today!