Welcome to eDentalAssistant.com! Here you will find everything you need to kick start your career as a dental assistant.
Online Dental Assistant Training & Education Center
We have state specific work & education requirements, a database of dental assistant schools in your area, and plenty of other helpful dental assisting guides & articles.
Whether you’re just gathering information about dental assistant careers, looking for a school, or you’re hunting for dental assistant jobs, we’ve got you covered.
Note regarding school listings: Our website feature schools that are our clients and from whom we may receive compensation (“Sponsored Schools”). Our websites are not intended to provide a comprehensive list of all schools in the United States or of all schools located in a specific geographic area or of all schools that offer a particular program of study.
Click your state to find more information on how to become a dental assistant, including information on dental assistant schools, work & certification requirements, salaries & more.
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How To Become A Dental Assistant
There are several different paths through which one can become a dental assistant. The requirements in terms of education, certification, and licensing vary significantly from state to state.
In some states, individuals can work as a dental assistant with no formal educational requirements other than a high school diploma, while other states will require training and education through an accredited dental assistant school. Still other states will require state or national level certification. Use the site map found above to locate your state and find out the requirements in your jurisdiction.
State specific requirements not only dictate whether an individual is qualified to work as a dental assistant, but they may also restrict the scope of a dental assistant’s permitted duties once on the job. Certain states require that dental assistants undergo additional training in order to perform designated expanded functions, or to operate x-ray equipment.
On the job training frequently comes into play in dental assistant training, especially in states where there are no formal educational requirements. In these states, supervising dentists and more senior dental assistants will show new dental assistants everything how to perform daily tasks, how to deal with patients, standard office procedures, and anything else they need to know in order to become an effective member of the team.