Dental Assistants: Support with a Smile
Dental assistants perform a number of functions that aid dentists in all aspects of their work. The tasks of an assistant are not to be confused with those of a dental hygienist, whose work is usually more clinical in nature.

As an assistant, you have a variety of administrative and clinical duties for which you're responsible. Typical administrative duties include scheduling appointments, keeping records, ordering supplies, and billing patients. In a clinical setting, you might prepare and sterilize the dentist's tools, seat the patient in the dental chair, and even take X-rays. During standard dental procedures, you might administer anesthetic and apply cavity-fighting polish to teeth. More complicated procedures might require you to provide the dentist with tools and/or perform other surgery-specific tasks. At the end of a patient's visit, you might also be called on to answer any questions that he or she could have and give advice about how they should care for their teeth and gums in the future.

Dental Assistants In-Demand
Dental assisting schools offer specific training to help you acquire the skills you need to work in this high-demand field. In addition to learning the scientific basis behind the clinical tasks you'll perform as an assistant, dental assistant programs can also teach you how to use the latest dental technology. One-year programs award certification while two-year programs offer associate's degrees. Dental assistant positions are one of the fastest growing jobs in the United States, with a projected 29% growth over the period from 2006-2016.