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When it comes to oral health, there are many opportunities for employment as a great dental assistant. Whether it’s at a general dental office, or an endodontic, orthodontic or even periodontal practice, dental assistants, much like dentists and hygienists are in great demand.

What Dentists, Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants Do

Dentists typically spend their days fixing, extracting or replacing bad teeth and developing treatment plans for a patient’s oral health. Dental hygienists, on the other hand, remove tartar, stains, and plaque from teeth and apply sealants and fluorides to protect teeth while assessing a patient’s dental health and updating the dentist. And finally, dental assistants help schedule appointments, take X-rays, assist with dental procedures chairside and even clerical duties. All of these are valuable tasks that help make an oral health practice thrive!

Dental and Orthodontics Work

As we said, it’s not just dental practices. For example, orthodontic practices are experiencing a 14% growth in industry services over a two-year period, according to the published findings of the American Association of Orthodontists. Orthodontists don’t just fix the misalignment of teeth in teens and adolescents, now more than ever adults are turning to orthodontic treatments like braces and clear aligners to get the smile they’ve always wanted. And that’s just scratching the surface of the possibilities out there!

Earn Your Certificate

So if you are thinking about changing your career by getting certified without a mountain of student loan debt, our Dental Assisting Institute of Virginia in Colonial Heights, Virginia, is excited to help you! Our comprehensive dental assistant education program can get you ready for work in general dentistry clinics or specialty services like orthodontics. When you join our program, you’ll get a 78-hour lecture series and then a 50-hour industry-relevant internship. Upon completion of your diploma, you can work within the broad range of skills performed by any dental assistant. We welcome serious inquiries and invite you to call 804-526-0231 to speak with a member of our team and learn how to apply!