A School for Dental Assistants Discusses Some Commonly Asked Questions

 

If you have ever thought about working in the dental field, this is the perfect place to start. Dental Assisting Institute, located in Pinellas Park, FL, offers many courses, including a 10 week dental assisting program as well as Florida X-RAY and EDFA certification classes and CPR certification classes. Since many people have questions about our courses, we will be answering some of the most frequently asked questions and giving more information below.  


  1. What is the difference between a dental assistant and a dental hygienist?  

Most people think that being a dental assistant and a dental hygienist is pretty much the same thing. Truthfully, it is not! A dental assistant must go through an accredited program that has a mixture of classwork and clinical skills. These programs typically do not take much time, and, in the end, a dental assistant is presented with two Florida dental assistant certificates; X-RAY and EFDA.  


On the other hand, a dental hygienist needs to achieve a two-year degree and a license to be able to practice. In terms of day-to-day work, a dental assistant does more to increase the efficacy of the dentist by assisting with preparation of dental procedure trays, taking x-rays, health history, blood pressure, patient comfort, oral health instruction and acting infections control officer, all while performing chairside dental assisting tasksA dental hygienist offers more in the way of patient care and education. A dental hygienist's job is to scale and polish patient’s teeth and may or may not be required to take x-rays for dental. Also, a dental hygienist is expected to record patient treatments, document care plans, and provide these details to the dentist. While both roles are certainly important, they are not interchangeable.  


  1. How can I become a dental assistant? Does the Dental Assisting Institute have a program to help me?  

Lots of people come to the Dental Assisting Institute asking if they can easily become dental assistants using our program. The answer is absolutely, yes! We offer a great 10-week program that prepares anyone for an entry-level position in the dental field. This program is in a blended format, which means you will be working online to study and test, coming to our clinical facilities for practiceYou will complete eight hours of clinical a week 


During this course, students are required to complete 40 hours of practicum in a local dentist’s office. After the completion of the course and practicum, the student will be required to complete 200 hours of on the job training by a Florida licensed dentist to receive their certifications. After completing the program and training, a student will receive an X-RAY and EFDA State of Florida certifications. Also, students will receive a 2-year American Heart Association CPR certification with the completion of the program. You must have a high school diploma or GED prior to signing up for this course.  


Hopefully, this was able to answer some questions about working in the dental field and some of our educational services. If you have any more questions or if you would like to register for our 10-week program, please give us a call or visit our website!  


Dental Assisting Institute has served Central Florida since 2000. We offer a 10-week entry-level dental assistant training programs, or for those dental assistants who already have on-the-job training, we offer CPR classes, Florida X-ray & EFDA certification classes in just one day! 


Dental Assisting Institute Inc. 

4326 Park Blvd. N.  

Suite C-West  

Pinellas Park, Florida 33781 

(727) 547-4899 

 

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