Dental Assistant Positions

[carlfusco]

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Hey Folks,

I'm wondering if any of you have gotten a dental assistant position without any formal schooling? I've done about 30 hours of shadowing, and would like to work in the field while I finish up my pre-reqs this coming fall and spring. Is it unheard of to score these jobs without the official license? My goal in doing this would be experience and money, simply put, but I'm not sure if I'm wasting my time applying to these positions without any "formal" training.

Thanks!

 

[MikeDiggity]

It's definitely possible, at least where I live. There are probably different requirements varying from state to state. Some likely require a certificate while others don't. I've had friends that have made good relationships with dentists and have received training from them. So check about requirements where you live and try to use any existing dental contacts to get you started.

 

[Fondue]

I was offered a position for dental assisting and I would've been trained from scratch. From my understanding, it's not extremely common, though. But there are accelerated 10-12 week (once a week on Saturday) programs you can take for training, but expect to spend $2000 to $3000 on them. That could be worth it to you, if you really want to work as an assistant.

My recommendation: Go into dental offices and drop off your resume. Introduce yourself if a dentist is available. Tell them you want to go to dental school someday. Corporate dental places might be your best bets, since they tend to have extended hours that most experienced dentals assistants don't feel like working.

Also, I should mention my state doesn't require da's to be licensed or certified. But most "nicer" dental places want da's that are certified.

 

[findingnemo13]

I was hired in a private dental practice as an assistant for endodontists. It's been tremendous experience and really exposed me to the profession. I was trained on the job for two weeks and then set free. Also, you have to obtain a dental radiography license to take x-rays. Other than that you should be all set.