Considering going to school to be a dental assistant, but want to know how hard it will be? Like all secondary education, you’ll need to commit to your studies. From being attentive in class to asking questions and completing your homework. Let’s explore the rewarding challenges ahead.
How Hard Is Dental Assisting School?
Unlike some areas of study, most who enter the dental field are likely to be completely new to the healthcare industry. This means that there are a lot of new tools, technology, and terminology to learn. With so much new to learn, it may feel overwhelming at first.
This includes learning:
- CRP
- To use dental instruments
- Sterilization and infection control
- How to take X-rays
- Dental software
You’ll also have to pass the RHS Radiation Safety and Infectious Control Exam after you complete your training, and before you begin applying for jobs. AIDA’s program is strategically designed to help you prepare for this exam.
Is Learning to Use Dental Instruments Hard?
You might not have considered it before, but the mouth is small! So, dexterity is required to succeed in your new career.
One of the many reasons AIDA provides both classroom and hands-on training with real patients is to ensure you’re prepared for your new career. You don’t want the first day of your new job to be the first time you use your new instruments on a live patient.
Our hands-on training takes your job duties from concept to reality. You’ll receive meaningful feedback from our dentist on your areas of opportunity. We know you’re new, and so do our patients, making your clinic hours the perfect place to practice your new skill set!
What Is the Most Challenging Part of Dental Assisting School?
What’s most challenging will be unique to you. For many, it will be juggling work and school. Most AIDA students continue to work full-time while enrolled in our 13 week Dental Assisting Program. This requires exceptional time management skills. We make it as easy as possible by offering evening and weekend classes and clinic hours. Since you’ll be working and studying, you probably won’t have as much free time in your schedule as you do now.
For others, the biggest challenge is adjusting to the fast-paced, detail-oriented healthcare profession. Follow the dental hygienist and dentist’s lead, and you’ll get into a rhythm as a team.
What Administrative Duties Do You Need to Learn?
In most dental offices, you’ll also be assisting the office manager and receptionist. So, in addition to updating patient charts, you may spend some of your time answering phones, confirming appointments, and completing other administrative tasks.
Is Dental Assisting a Stable Career Path?
Yes! One of the many reasons to consider a career as a dental assistant is because job security is high. In addition to the fact that dental practices will always require dental assistants, your entry-level salary is higher than many professions.
According to Indeed, in Colorado, the starting salary for dental assistants in June of 2024 is $17.62 per hour. The median salary rises to $22.68 per hour, and the top end of the pay scale is $29.18 per hour.
How Do You Make More Money as a Dental Assistant?
To reach the top end of the dental assisting pay scale, you’ll need a combination of tenure and Expanded Duties Dental Assisting (EDDA) training. EDDA training at AIDA is 7 weeks long. Once complete, you’ll be able to perform a wider range of job duties. This frees up your dental hygienist and dentist, allowing you to command a higher salary.
You can take your EDDA training at any time. If you take it directly after your initial training in our dental assisting school, you’ll still generate an entry-level salary—maybe around $1 or so more per hour. Either way, your pay scale will accelerate faster with your EDDA skill set.
Want to Learn More About Being a Dental Assistant?
If the answers above have piqued your interest in pursuing a career as a dental assistant, we invite you to schedule a tour, of the AIDA campus! During your tour, you can see our classroom and clinic and ask additional questions. Schedule your tour now!