Review Our Top 10 Opportunities for You to Explore Your Options as You Enter Your New Career!
Earning your dental assistant certification is just the beginning of an exciting and fulfilling career. Here are several career paths and advancement opportunities available to certified dental assistants.
1. Dental Office Manager With experience and additional training, dental assistants can advance to become dental office managers. In this role, you’ll oversee the administrative operations of a dental practice, including scheduling, billing, and patient management.
2. Dental Hygienist Many dental assistants choose to further their education and become dental hygienists. This requires additional schooling, but it offers higher earning potential and more responsibilities, such as conducting cleanings and providing preventive care.
3. Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) Some states offer certifications for Expanded Functions Dental Assistants, allowing you to perform additional tasks such as placing fillings, applying sealants, and making temporary crowns. This certification can increase your responsibilities and salary.
4. Dental Sales Representative If you have a knack for sales and enjoy interacting with people, a career as a dental sales representative might be a good fit. Dental sales reps work for companies that sell dental equipment and supplies, visiting dental offices and promoting products.
5. Dental Lab Technician Dental assistants with a passion for working with their hands may consider becoming dental lab technicians. In this role, you’ll create dental prosthetics, such as crowns, bridges, and dentures, working closely with dentists to ensure quality and fit.
6. Educator or Trainer Experienced dental assistants can transition into education, training future dental assistants. This can involve working at a dental assistant school, like Houston Dental Assistant School, or conducting continuing education workshops for practicing dental assistants.
7. Public Health Dental Assistant Working in public health can be a rewarding way to give back to the community. Public health dental assistants work in community clinics, schools, and public health organizations, providing dental care and education to underserved populations.
8. Specialty Dental Assistant Dental assistants can specialize in specific areas of dentistry, such as orthodontics, periodontics, or oral surgery. Specializing often requires additional training but can lead to more focused and higher-paying positions.
9. Research Assistant For those interested in the scientific aspect of dentistry, becoming a research assistant can be an exciting career path. Research assistants work in dental schools, research institutions, or for dental product manufacturers, contributing to advancements in dental science and technology.
10. Practice Ownership With significant experience and entrepreneurial spirit, some dental assistants choose to open their own dental practices. While this path requires extensive knowledge and investment, it offers the highest level of independence and potential for financial success.
At Houston Dental Assistant School, we’re committed to helping our students explore and achieve their career goals. Our comprehensive program provides the foundation you need to start your career and the support to help you advance. Click here or contact us today to learn more about our dental assistant certification program and the exciting career opportunities that await you.
