Most people are accustomed to visit their dental office regularly for a professional cleaning and checkup with x-rays, as a part of maintaining good general health. Many may not consider, however, the wide variety of employment positions that make this type of healthcare possible. We might be biased, but our whole team thinks that the dental field is a great place to work. We’d like to share a little bit about our positions, in part because we are proud of them, but also in part to inspire young people to consider a career in dentistry.
Dental hygiene – The dental hygienist has been specially trained and licensed to do the procedures necessary to keep your gums healthy and to help you navigate your ongoing dental needs. Dental hygienists typically fulfill college requirements and then attend a two-year program for dental hygiene. In our area, DVC has a popular program. Dental hygienists work independently, choosing their own workdays and taking responsibility for the needs of their patients. In many offices, there is a need for dental hygienists who only work one, two, or three days per week. This flexibility appeals to many dental hygienists. If you have an aptitude for studying general sciences, love working with people, and are a hands-on type of person, this could be a career to consider.
Dental assisting – Commonly, dental assistants work chairside with the doctor to help facilitate a patient’s treatment, but they can also work behind the scenes in various capabilities. A dental assistant can function with varying levels of credentialing, starting with an entry-level assistant who is trained “on the job”; one example of initial credentialing is to become certified to take dental x-rays, which a beginner dental assistant can learn fairly easily. Becoming a “registered dental assistant” involves licensure allowing more complicated responsibilities, like making and cementing a temporary crown. At the highest end of dental assistant credentialing is the “registered dental assistant with extended functions.” With this credential, a dental assistant can be licensed to help on a more advanced level. For example, after the doctor removes any decay and gets a tooth ready for a filling, and RDA-EF2 is licensed to place the filling material, adjust the bite, and polish it. Many dental assistants enjoy the challenge of these higher responsibilities.
The administrative team – Helping to schedule appointments, managing patients’ accounts, and fielding questions are just some of the responsibilities of a dental administrator. If you love working with people and forming relationships with them, and if you enjoy multitasking and talking on the phone, this could be a good position for you. If your strength is more with numbers and computers, a behind the scenes administrative position like bookkeeping or payroll might suit you well.
Dental technician – Most of you have probably never seen or met a dental technician, but you may have benefited from their work. They make many of the restorations, like porcelain crowns, which are used to restore broken down teeth. They also make orthodontic appliances of various types. Dental technicians must be proficient with working with their hands and can often listen to music or podcasts while they work. Doesn’t that sound fun? For an introvert especially, this can be an enjoyable position, combining technical talents with artistic talents in a way that is very rewarding.
Doctors – Of all the positions in the dental office, becoming a doctor requires the most number of years of education: usually four years of college are followed by four years of dental school. An additional two or three years would be required for those who wish to specialize, i.e., limit their practice to only doing one type of dentistry: root canals, children’s dentistry, gum treatments, oral surgery, or orthodontics. But a general dentist can branch out into any of the specialties to the degree he or she wishes. The flexibility to do what you enjoy the most and what suits your strengths is one of the advantages of being a doctor. Dentists in private practice can combine many excellent things: being an entrepreneur and owning your own business, hiring and working with people you like, or (if you prefer) working just the days and hours you want and letting someone else run the business, using the artistic half of your brain by making beautiful smiles, using the technical side of your brain to work with so many instruments and materials that make up dentistry, and much more. It’s a wonderful way to serve other people and help them be healthy.
Each different team member plays an integral part in working together to provide excellent treatment for patients. Can you see yourself in any of these roles? Give us a call to ask about job shadowing, to come see in person if a career in the dental field might be for you!
By Brian J. Hockel, DDS, Life Dental & Orthodontics, Resident since 1964