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About Dental Assistant
You'll become
Average Salaries
Dental Assistant workers may earn between $22,000 and $54,000 per year
Take a bite out of one of these Dental Assistant courses so you can develop all the skills and experience needed to become a Dental Assistant. These Dental Assistant courses will look at all aspects of dental assistance and may include subjects such as: how to use and maintain dental instruments, how to clean and sterilise dental instruments and treatment rooms, OH&S procedures, dental practice administration (such as managing appointments and managing client records) and most excitingly, how to assist a dental professional with oral procedures. Most importantly, students of these courses will develop the necessary skills needed to provide a high level of patient care.
Take on a critical role in the health care industry and build in-demand professional skills by studying a dental assistant course.
If you’re proactive and people-focused, and have an interest in health, a career as a dental assistant is for you. Providing both the clinical experience relevant for those seeking employment in the health sector, and the professional skill-building opportunities for those seeking a dynamic career, a dental assistant course provides you with the skills and opportunities to build a rewarding career.
Dental assistants usually seek employment in private dental clinics, working closely with dental operators to ensure the best possible treatment of all patients. Day-to-day work involves assisting dentists during procedures, sterilising and managing tools and instruments, advising patients on oral hygiene, scheduling appointments and performing general administrative and customer service duties. The diverse range of tasks performed by dental assistants offer myriad opportunities to build professional skills in addition to the technical skills students are trained in. You’ll enhance your ability to think proactively, to manage time effectively, to organise schedules and databases, and to plan ahead.
Dental assistants usually study a Certificate III or Certificate IV in Dental Assisting, which is comprised of both academic study and practical workplace learning. Career opportunities after graduating include work as a dental assistant, dental nurse or dental hygienist, as well as in a variety of administrative roles relating to the management of dental practices.
What do dental assistant graduates do?
Dental assistants work closely with dental operators to ensure the best treatment and care of all patients. A dental assistant can expect to perform tasks like assisting dentists and surgeons with oral cleaning and procedures, assisting with dental radiography, using water and suction, managing and sterilising dental tools, preparing for dental procedures, advising patients on oral hygiene, managing and organising the dental clinic, interacting with patients, and scheduling and managing appointments.
Due to the small-scale nature of private practice, dental assistants may find themselves taking on a broad range of management and administrative duties in addition to the technical requirements of assisting the dental operator. With this experience, you’ll enjoy the opportunity to build skills in administration, customer service, scheduling, and database management, and develop the ability to work effectively in both teams and in independent work. You may choose to move into a practice management role after working in dental assisting, due to the broad experience and opportunities this qualification offers.
By studying a dental assistant course, you’ll open yourself up to a challenging but exciting professional opportunity.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
Graduates of dental assistant courses usually pursue employment in private dental practises
Is dental assistant right for you?
You’ll enjoy studying dental assisting if you:
- Enjoy working in small teams
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Can take initiative
- Have a mind for details
- Are organised and focused
- Work well with people
Job opportunities
As an essential role in the growing dental industry, qualified dental assistants are in moderate employment demand. PayScale projects a 4 per cent growth in employment for dental assistants to 2020, after a small contraction in growth over the past decade. The Australian Government’s Job Outlook predicts careers in dentistry may become more specialised, indicating more employment potential exists for dental assistants with specialised skillsets, in areas such as radiology or dental prosthetics.
Average Salaries
A dental assistant in Australia can expect to earn between $22,000 and $54,000 per year, with most earning around $40,000, according to PayScale. After working in dental assisting for several years, a proportion of dental assistants move into practice management roles, according to PayScale, indicating a range of employment opportunities at varying salary levels exist for skilled dental assistants.
Learn how to become a
Industry Bodies
- Dental Assistants Professional Association