Online dental assistant schools are committed to provide in-depth knowledge to students in dental practices, methodology and techniques. Such students must develop necessary skills to assist a dentist, oral surgeon or orthodontist. Students who undergo online dental assistant certificate program will also be able to do tasks such as X-rays, administering medicines, cleaning teeth, interacting with patients, etc. The duration of these programs is one year and the students are required to take both theory and practical classes.
Courses offered by online dental assistant schools are:
* Pre-clinical Dental Assisting
* Basic Clinical Dental Assisting Practice
* Dental Assisting Clinical Experience
Pre-clinical Dental Assisting
This is the primary classes for students who undergo online dental assistant programs. This course covers subjects such as history of dental field, introduction to dentistry techniques and methodology and dentistry ethics.
Basic Clinical Dental Assisting Practice
Students for online dental assistant certificate programs need to study this course during the middle of their course. This course is meant for empowering students with critical dental assisting skills and its practical application.
Dental Assisting Clinical Experience
Dental assisting clinical experience is a must for students who seek online dental assisting diploma course. During this period, students need to work under a professional dentist for a few months. This is the time for implementing the skills they have learned during their online dental assistant certification program.
Job prospects
After the successful completion of courses in online dental assistant schools, students can work as dental assistants, dental office managers, medical office managers, medical assistants and medical billers. However, some students prefer to continue their education in dental colleges for getting higher salaries. A certified and experienced dental assistant can earn up to $1,065,634 per year.
Accredited Online Dental Assisting Programs
Lots of colleges are providing accredited online dental assistant degree in dental assisting. It includes dental radiography, preventive dentistry, pre-clinical dental hygiene, orofacial anatomy, physiology, microbiology, etc. The students should also undergo healthcare training such as anatomy, nutrition, health administration, accounting, etc. Dental health, dental practices, preventive dentistry, Dental X ray, etc are also coming under accredited online dental assisting course.
Online dental assistant schools also train students in administrative and clinical skills as well. Clinical tasks include exposing and processing x-rays, taking vital signs, preparing students for conducting oral inspections and treatment, etc. Administrative responsibilities include send bills, confirm and schedule appointments, receive patients, order dental equipment and supplies, receive payments, keep treatment records, etc.
Dental assistants must also be responsible for applying anesthetics for gums, removing sutures, putting rubber dams on teeth, removal of extra cements used in filling process, etc. They should also do laboratory duties such as cleaning and polishing dental instruments, constructing casts of mouth, teeth and temporary crowns.
Attending courses through online dental assistant schools are highly convenient. However you should select a program, which has been accredited by a recognized agency. The commission on Dental Accreditation of American Dental Association is providing recognized accreditation to online schools and colleges.
Prominent Online Dental Assistant Schools
Students can learn dental assistant courses from the comfort of their homes if they choose online dental assistant schools.
This is one of the highest ranked colleges offering online Dental Assistant and Intra Oral Dental Assistant courses. Students will study oral treatment, asepsis oral diseases, lesions, pharmacology, oral anatomy and hygiene as a part of their course. The course also covers occupational health, first aid, pedodontics, orthodontics, operative dentistry and dental safety. In order to complete dental assistance program offered by CDI College, students must participate in 90 hours of practicum.
Dental Assistant Programs at Penn Foster Career School
Penn Foster Career School is the other educational institution which offers high quality online dental assistant programs to students. Penn Foster Career School Dental Assistant Program course include records management, radiology, infection control, law and ethics, anatomy, dental terminology and dental insurance. After the completion of this course, you will be able to handle patient records, schedule appointments, understand dental procedure and terminology, manage office operations, etc.
The other online dental assistant schools, which offer accredited certification courses in dentistry are:
* University of Southern California,
* New York University,
* University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
* University of Minnesota Twin Cities,
* Boston University,
* Ohio State University (Main Campus),
* Northeastern University,
* Howard University,
* Virginia Commonwealth University,
* Northern Arizona University,
* University of the Pacific,
* University of Hawaii at Manoa,
* University of South Dakota,
* Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences,
* Vermont Technical College,
* Texas Women’s University,
* Eastern Washington University,
* University of New Haven,
* University of Alaska Fairbanks, etc.
These are some of the universities which offer high quality courses in online dental assistant training.