A Career As A Dental Assistant

My whole life, it has been apparent to those around me that I would be a dentist. I am highly inquisitive, passionate, compassionate, experienced, and I love teeth. I remember getting so excited to have my teeth cleaned as a child because my trips to the dentist were so much fun! At a young age, my mother instilled the importance of oral hygiene care. To this day, I wonder if it was the dentist, dental hygienist, or just the dental office ambiance that had me engaged as a young child. Almost immediately after graduating high school, I went to school to become a registered dental assistant and at that point, I figured out that I possess good manual dexterity, which is a fundamental skill to be efficient in the dental field. At the same time, I unlocked the key to my calling, passion. Six years later, I realized I had the potential to

For my senior project I have explored the career of a Dental Hygienist, who is a licensed dental professional who is registered with a dental care association within their country of practice. Their duty is to clean teeth, examine patients for signs and symptoms of oral diseases such as gingivitis, and provide other preventive dental care. They also educate patients on ways to improve and maintain good oral cavity health. Dental hygienist occupation has many important aspects to their job, which makes it a very rewarding occupation. According to my research dental hygienists is one of the top career choices in America, being so, over the years the career has evolved into a high demanding occupation.

Dental hygienists play an important role in the dental care facilities since they apply their knowledge on every case by removing tartar, stains, and plaque from teeth. They are in charge of applying sealants and fluorides to the teeth in order to protect them, they take and develop x-rays which helps them determine the patient 's vocal health and then present all this information through a report for the dentists to see. Once they have documented the patient 's care, they begin a treatment plan for each patient. They also educate their patients about the oral health and techniques they should apply and how to brush and floss the teeth accurately. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016-17, p.2) Dental hygienists apply critical thinking, compassion towards their patients, interpersonal skills, and dexterity while on their jobs and are supposed to be very detail oriented since they work on small parts of the body and need precise use of the tolls. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016-17, p.4).

Ever since I was in middle school, I would tell everyone that I was going to become a dentist. That was my career plan until the summer of my junior year. During that summer, I had the opportunity to do an internship and job shadow Dr. Bradshaw at his private dental office. While observing and talking to the doctor, I realized that I would not enjoy working as a dentist. I still wanted to pursue a career in the dental field so I decided to job shadow the dental hygienists. Watching the dental hygienists perform their duties and interact with patients made me want to pursue a career in dental hygiene. I knew very little about dental hygienists besides the fact that they clean teeth. As I spent time with the dental hygienists, I learned more each day. While researching for this paper, I became knowledgeable on even more information. From reading The Occupational Outlook Handbook and A Career as a Dental

Being a dental hygienist was not the career I grew up believing I would pursue. At a young age, up to my Junior year in high school, I had my goals set on being a veterinarian. Going into high school I widened that plan into any job dealing with animal science. However, taking classes like zoology, botany, equine science, veterinary technology and advanced animal science, made me realize that I would not have as much direct contact or personal connections with the animals as I had hoped. However I found that being a dental hygienist gives me the opportunity to have that direct contact and personal connections with my patients.

“ Every tooth in a man's head is more valuable than a diamond.” Being a dental hygienist and helping others and their hygiene is very important. Showing compassion in your patients and working hard is all that counts. I have always valued the dentist and how they keep my smile great and my teeth very clean. Helping others in the future and making them feel better about themselves is why I have chosen this career. This career offers many great things and I could not of chosen a better career.

A dental assistant must be able to work well with others because they are the second pair of hands for the dentist. A dental assistant must be able to understand the dentist and communicate with the dentist to provide proper tools and assistance. Assistants must be very reliable and have excellent manual dexterity so that they can provide the best service to the dentist and to the patient that they are working with. Dental assistants will also have to be knowledgeable on how to properly sterilize and disinfect equipment and instruments and how to set up and lay out instruments and materials for each patient. They must obtain and update patients records as needed and ensure that their patients are comfortable at all times.

Dental hygienists are part of the Health Science career cluster under the pathway of therapeutic services. The health science cluster deals with jobs that involve planning and providing basic health care services. The pathways in this cluster are Supportive Services, Information and Communication Services, Diagnostic Services, Therapeutic Services, and Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Services. Though there are many jobs in this cluster that require different certifications, they all help provide medical care to everyone in the world.

One option for dental hygienist is to work at a dental office assisting the dental with cleaning of the teeth and educating the patient about oral hygiene. “ Dental hygiene programs are commonly found in community colleges, technical schools, and universities. In 2015, the Commission on Dental Accreditation, part of the American Dental Association, accredited more than 300 dental hygiene programs”. (collegegrad.com)

My dream job is to be a dental hygienist and has been the same since I was a little girl. I have an interest in how health can affect one’s body. I would like to educate others how important it is to keep your body, including teeth, healthy and clean. To see people who have not cleaned their teeth in years compared to people who are able to see the dentist every six months, is a drastic difference. Some people may think it does not matter, but lack of dental care actually takes a toll on your health. I want to peruse this career to help other’s think. I will enjoy helping other people by showing them the importance of keeping their teeth cleaned. Contrary to popular belief, a tooth brush does not do all the work, that is also why it is so important to have a dentist to make sure you are getting the cleaning you need to stay healthy. Another reason why I want to pursue this career is I work best in an oriented atmosphere. Making sure people are comfortable with where they are and make sure the patients are taken care of. Creates a very friendly environment. That is why my passion is a dental hygienist.

Hygienists are in high demand in general dental practices and in specialty practices such as periodontics or pediatric dentistry(American). Since dental hygienists are in such high demand it make the job outlook grow. The job outlook is projected to grow 19% from 2014 to 2024. Which is much faster than average(“Dental Hygienist”. Occupational).

typically work in close proximity with patients, dentists, and other office staff. Being responsible and loyal to organization, family and relationships, I match perfectly in this career. Technical skills: Dental hygienists must understand how to operate complex machinery, including x-ray machines and powered instruments. According to the Myers-Briggs Indicator results, I like to

I originally chose the Dental Hygiene profession but then I realized it wasn 't my calling. The normal office day consists of perio charting, bitewing and periapical x rays, and a general prophylaxis. Sometimes Dental Hygienist will perform pediatric sealant procedures on 6 year molars. I

Immediately after high school, I attended Concorde Career College with the goal of obtaining a dental assistant degree. Dental assistants help dental operators such as dentists and dental hygienists with providing more efficient dental treatment. We also prepare patients for treatments, sterilize instruments, handle instruments, operate dental equipment, process dental radiographs, and take dental impressions (“Dental Assistant”).

Pediatric dentistry is an excellent fit for me, because I want to teach children that the dentist is a great place to get their teeth freshened up, and as a result, they will have a