Get a Career to Smile About With Dental Assistant Courses Online

Job opportunities in the medical industry are growing rapidly, and that includes the dental field. Strong population growth combined with better dental hygiene (which is to say, more people are keeping their teeth as they age) ensures that dental offices will be busy over the next 10 years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the need for dental assistants is going to grow by 43% by 2014. Completing a distance learning program in dental assisting is a great way to get in on an interesting and growing career opportunity.

Your Dental Assistant Education Online

To be a successful dental assistant you need to be compassionate, organized and interested in science. Your distance learning program will include courses like chairside assisting, where you'll learn how to take a patient's vitals, how to fill out a medical chart, and infection control. You'll also learn how to run a dental office.

Career Paths in Dental Assisting

Once you finish your distance learning program, you will have your choice of career paths. Most states require that you become a Certified Dental Assistant by taking the Dental Assisting National Board Exam. After you're certified, you may want to work as an infection control specialist, making sure a dental practice complies with all safety procedures, or as a chairside assistant in a dental practice, or at a dental school, working with dental students.

Take Dental Assistant Courses Online

If you are working full or part-time, a distance learning program will allow you take your time to complete valuable training. While you will need some hands-on experience, the bulk of an online dental assistant course will allow you to study where and when you want, without disrupting your current life.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Labor--Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Elizabeth Armentor is a writer and editor living in San Marcos, Texas.