Dental Assistant

Duties and Responsibilities:

Dental assistants perform many tasks, ranging from providing patient care and taking x-rays to record keeping and scheduling appointments. Their duties vary by state and by the dentists’ offices where they work.

Salary:

$35,980

Education:

Some states require assistants to graduate from an accredited program and pass the test. Receiving a post secondary non-degree is sometimes needed to become a more competitive dental assistant. Other than that there is no education needed to enter a career pathway of a dental assistant.

Demand Profession:

The field of dental assistant is projected to grow 25 percent from a 10 year period as of 2012.

Reflection:

Being a dental assistant requires less study, but even so I think i  would like to be a dental assistant because every time i go to the dentist I find their job very appealing but there is some parts to it that makes me not want to focus on that career.

     Dentist

Duties and Responsibilities:

    Dentists prevent and treat problems affecting the mouth and teeth, including dental and oral diseases. They also treat injuries and correct dental issues. As a dentist, your work will include:

• Educating patients on oral health care

• Examine teeth and diagnose patients' dental conditions by using tools such as x-rays
• Assess treatment options and agreeing treatment plans with patients;
• Carry out agreed clinical treatments such as restoring teeth affected by decay and treating gum disease
• Maintain patient's' dental records

Salary:

$149,310

Education:

Bachelor’s degree prior to admission to dental school; doctoral degree in dental medicine or dental surgery; some dental specializations require completion of residency. In addition dentists should be licenced in the state they work.  

Demand of profession:

Employment of dentist is projected to grow 18% as of 2014 to 2024.

   

Reflection:  

I would personally not like to be a dentist, because of the fact the have to take out teeth and see infections. Sometimes even look at very gross things when people don’t brush their teeth.