If you’ve reached a point in life wherein you have commitments, it can be hard to launch a new career. This is especially true for many working women, who often have to balance motherhood with their job prospects. If you’re tired of the jobs you’ve been working or feel that you’ve hit a wall, you may think that you don’t have many other options. With that being said, there is a viable prospect — becoming a dental assistant.
Some are intimidated by the idea of even that, because becoming a dental assistant does require attending dental school. However, practical dental assistant training is available. You don’t have to cut corners in order to attain flexible programs — many dental school clinics and dental colleges allow students to train, while at the same time accommodating their personal schedules and earning the real-world experience that they need. With that being said, let’s look into some of the main reasons why women looking to balance their careers with their lives should become dental assistants.
1.On The Job Training
Practical dental assistant training doesn’t just allow you to get the on the job training that you’ll need. It also allows you to work while learning, which will condense the schooling experience and allow you to learn faster. Practical dental assistant training means that you’ll be able to learn through doing — which, for many people, is the only truly effective way to learn. You’ll feel much more confident about taking your exams when you’ve actually done the procedures you’re being quizzed on. This means that you can be confident about your education, and be more likely to finish your training on time. Practical dental assistant training will also make it easier for you to enter the workforce, and get a job that you can progress within.
2. Salary
Dental assistant schooling is not as financially taxing as a four-year degree would be; and certainly, it does not require the commitment that is asked of those that want to become fully qualified dentists. Furthermore, many potential students may be eligible for financial assistance. With the average annual wage of Arizona dental assistants in 2017 being $39,580, dental assistants typically get to start out making more money than they would at comparable jobs. For that matter, if you view dental assisting as a career, not just a job — with 95% of DANB CDA Certificants do — you’ll likely be able to make more money over time. An estimated 70% of dental assistants that hold DANB’s CDA certification have received raises within their current positions.
3. The Working Environment
One of the major reasons why people lean towards becoming dental assistants is the environment that it offers. Dental assistants work in comfortable offices — they don’t need to worry about the outside climate, nor are they competing to hit certain stressful quotas, the way sales professionals must. For that matter, dental assistants get to work on a specific clock, and rarely need to work overtime. Though dental assistants do need to spend some time in front of a computer, they won’t get bored — they get to work with different patients every day as well.
4. Job Security
The fact is that dental assistants can work anywhere. Any dental office requires the help of dental assistants. Assistants can also work for cosmetic dentists, as well as dentists that work in other specialties. Larger dental hospitals can also offer fast-paced work environments, often with larger salaries to match. Dental assistant jobs can be found in every state, in big cities and small towns. Ultimately, committing to a dental assistant career allows you a variety of different options in terms of where you wish to work, and you don’t need to worry about the job disappearing.
Becoming a dental assistant isn’t for everyone — but for a lot of women, it could be the best possible option. Look into dental assistant schooling, and see if it might be right for you. It could offer the start for a brand new career!
