Pursuing a career in dental assisting offers plenty of remarkable opportunities and variations in environment, duties, and responsibilities.
A good dental assistant is critical to the dental team’s success, they are valued members of the dental team due to their abilities to reassure the patient, anticipate the needs of the practitioner and perform to the highest standards.
The question is how to become a dental assistant? If you are eager to know about the requirements to start working on your goal of becoming a dental assistant, then keep reading.
Qualification Requirements to Become a Dental Assistant
If you have finished school and want to work as an entry-level dental assistant, you begin straight away as you do not require any formal qualifications. Most dental assistants acquire their basic dental assisting skills on-the-job with no prior experience. Yet, completing a vocational training qualification is vital if you are looking to improve employability and compensation opportunities, in addition to developing the skills required of the role. There are multiple certificates which are applicable to dental assisting which can be acquired and are recognised throughout Australia.
The recommended course for all dental assistants beginning their career is the Certificate III in Dental Assisting, a more advanced course is the Certificate IV in Dental Assisting. Once completed, the Certificate IV course provides a more experienced dental assistant with the opportunity to either operate dental radiation equipment or participate in oral health promotion together with the other primary responsibilities. This course is most suitable for more senior dental assistants or those who have been in the profession for a number of years.
How to Work as a Dental Assistant
When becoming a dental assistant, you are required to work within the scope of your role, this includes ensuring that at no time do you individually perform any activity which may be considered dentistry, your role is to assist the practitioner only. As a dental assistant you are not eligible to be registered with the Dental Board of Australia.
However, Dental Assistants who have completed the Certificate IV in Dental Assisting and chosen the radiography elective units are able to apply for a dental radiation use licence in their state or territory. This licence allows the dental assistant to operate dental radiation equipment under the supervision of a dental practitioner.
Completing qualifications such as the current Certificate III or Certificate IV in Dental Assisting will assist in providing the dental assistant with the knowledge to work with Dentists, Dental Hygienists, and other dental professionals as a valued member of the team.
Skills Required to Become a Dental Assistant
Dental assistants perform a wide variety of duties depending on the needs of the practice. The skills needed to become a dental assistant include:
- Building good relationships with patients and other dental staff
- Team player
- Effective communication skills
- Empathy
- Well-organised
- Adaptable
- Time management skills and multitasking
- Flexible dexterity
- Being a fast learner
These skills will help dental assistant effectively and efficiently work alongside a dentist, dental hygienist or dental therapists while treating patients.
As a dental assistant you may be working in the government sector, private dental practice general dental practice or specialist dental surgery.
A dental assistant may also choose to continue their education with formal training to progress their careers to become a dentist, specialising in dental hygiene or dental therapy.
Immunisation Requirements for a Dental Assistant
As health workers, immunisations may not be currently mandated but are strongly recommended for all members of the dental practice team. All members of the team should have a record of current vaccination for Hepatitis B, Tetanus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Pertussis, Polio and Influenza as set out in the Australian Immunisation Handbook (AIH). This is due to the higher risk of infectious disease transmission when working in healthcare.
Completing qualifications such as the current Certificate III or Certificate IV in Dental Assisting will assist in providing the dental assistant with the knowledge to work with Dentists, Dental Hygienists, and other dental professionals as a valued member of the team.
References
- https://www.ada.org.au/Careers/Dental-Team/Assistant
- https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/dental-assistant
- https://training.gov.au/training/details/HLT35015