Dental assistants are integral parts of any team, tasked with essential responsibilities that aid the dentist and dental hygienists. But did you know that dental assistants can work in more environments than just a private dental office?
With the proper training and qualifications, dental assistants can work in several specialties, focusing on areas that interest them the most.
What Areas Can Dental Assistants Specialize In?
Throughout school, dental assistants become well versed in day-to-day administrative tasks, hone their people skills and absorb a wealth of knowledge. These dental assistants can use these abilities to provide specialized care to patients in various environments such as hospitals, private offices, public health facilities and group practices.
Dental assistant specialties include:
- Public Health: They will travel with dentists to low-income communities to educate and tend to those who struggle to get access to regular dental care.
- Oral Pathology: Assistants will work closely with pathologists focusing on treating diseases of the mouth, such as oral cancer.
- Pediatric Dentistry: Dental assistants will work closely with children, from babies to adults. They often help children feel comfortable in the chair, educate them and their parents on oral hygiene and help apply fluoride or sealants with the dentist.
- Cosmetic Dentistry: Cosmetic dental assistants work with various patients, assisting in procedures like teeth whitening, veneers, bonding, enameloplasty and more. They may also work on creating casts of teeth and taking oral pictures for study models.
- Orthodontics: As an orthodontic dental assistant, professionals aid the orthodontist in creating, placing, reconfiguring and removal of braces. They also work closely with the patient to help educate them on proper care and brushing.
- Endodontics: In an area focused on the care of dental pulp, cracked teeth and more, a dental assistant may find themselves providing the dentist with the necessary equipment during procedures, keeping the patient informed and preparing filling material.
- Prosthodontics: Dental assistants in this field are responsible for taking impressions crucial for creating permanent or removable dental prosthetics, most commonly in seniors.
- Periodontics: These professionals help care for gums, bones and tissue surrounding the teeth and assist in procedures like scaling and polishing.
- Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology or Surgery: These dental assistants help with clinical and administrative tasks necessary for oral surgery.
Find Your Specialty at the American Institute of Dental Assisting
Are you looking for a program that will prepare you to enter a specialized area of dental care? At the American Institute of Dental Assisting, you’ll gain all the skills and knowledge necessary to help you be successful in any dental assistant specialty that interests you.
To discover more about our 13-week programs, you can give us a call at 480-209-1392 or fill out our online contact form today!