Continuing Education For Dental Assistants

Dental assistants work alongside dentists, performing a variety of tasks throughout their working day. They do everything from advising patients on dental care and maintaining patient records to helping the dentist prepare for surgery. Working as a dental assistant requires specialized training, and often a professional certification which you must maintain.

If you’re considering pursuing a career as a dental assistant, read on to learn more about the requirements.

What Training is Required to be a Dental Assistant?

Dental assistants who wish to assist with X-rays or other advanced duties must be certified, and earning that certification requires both hands-on training and passing an examination. One effective way to earn the required certification is to study at a dental assistant school that offers a chance to not only practice skills in a school-based lab, but also earn a job placement along the way.

Dental assistant school will prepare you to work in a modern dental office, giving you chair-side experience in a variety of dental practices. You’ll learn about patient health safety, radiology, and common instruments and procedures, you’ll also earn vital certifications including:

CPR
X-Ray licensing
Infection control

The training includes everything you need to support a dentist or dental surgeon, from clinical skills to soft skills and office-related procedures. Many people who work as dental assistants choose to study part-time for higher-level qualifications that will eventually allow them to progress to other more skilled diagnostic or clinical roles, or even become a fully-qualified dentist. Others choose to move out of patient-facing roles and take on the administrative tasks associated with managing a dental office.

What Professional Certifications Are There for Dental Assistants?

While there’s no legal requirement for an entry-level dental assistant to have a certification in most states, it can be difficult to progress as a dental assistant without certification. Entry-level assistants are limited in the work they can do.

Most dental assistant jobs in Texas will require you to have the RDA (Registered Dental Assisting) certification. This is a recognized certification that ensures you’re capable of working with biohazards, assisting with X-rays, working with sealants, and handling potentially infectious waste. The RDA certification also covers CPR, which is an invaluable skill to have in a clinical setting.

Maintaining Dental Assistant Certification

Dental assistants are required to renew their DANB certification every year. As part of the renewal requirements, dental assistants must engage in continuing education and also maintain their CPR certificates with renewal fees.

Continuing education helps dental assistants keep their skills current and ensures they’re up-to-date on the latest changes in best practices or treatment protocols.

Start Your Dental Assisting Career With PCI

If you’re looking to pursue a career in this field, PCI Health Training Center can help. Our dental assisting program includes a mixture of classroom, lab, and externship experience that will prepare you to get certified and hit the ground running in a position at a dental practice. Contact us today for more information!