• Medical Training Institute of New York

Dental Assistant

Dental Assistants, or Certified Dental Assistants, are responsible for providing hands-on support to Dentists and completing prep work so they can more efficiently care for patients. Their duties include completing intake paperwork and updating patient records, sterilizing and organizing dental tools and assisting during dental procedures

Overview

The Dental Assistant program at the Medical Training Institute of New York provides students with the essential skills and practical training to work as an entry-level dental assistant. Students will learn to prepare examination rooms, sterilize instruments, assist dentists during procedures, and manage clinic administrative tasks. They also handle patient care, recordkeeping, and appointment scheduling.

Dental assistants typically ensure patient comfort, prepare treatment areas, sterilize tools, assist with procedures, take X-rays, process lab tasks, and instruct patients on oral hygiene. They may also manage billing and schedule follow-up appointments. Some assistants are trained to take X-rays and handle lab tasks under the dentist's direction.

What Dental Assistants Do

Dental assistants have many tasks, including patient care, recordkeeping, and appointment scheduling. Their duties vary by state and by the dentists’ offices in which they work.

Dental assistants typically do the following:

  • Ensure that patients are comfortable in the dental chair
  • Prepare patients and the work area for treatments and procedures
  • Sterilize dental instruments
  • Hand instruments to dentists during procedures
  • Dry patients’ mouths using suction hoses and other equipment
  • Instruct patients in proper oral hygiene
  • Process x-rays and complete lab tasks under the direction of a dentist
  • Keep records of dental treatments
  • Schedule patient appointments
  • Work with patients on billing and payment

Dental assistants often spend much of their day working closely with patients and dentists. Dental assistants might take a patient’s medical history, blood pressure, and pulse before a procedure, explain what will be done, and talk to patients about oral care. They help dentists during an operation by passing instruments and holding equipment such as suction hoses, matrix bands, and dental curing lights. Other tasks include preparing the treatment room and ensuring sterile tools and equipment. Dental assistants also may document the procedure and schedule follow-up appointments.

Some dental assistants are trained to take x-rays of teeth and the surrounding areas. They place a protective apron over patients’ chest and lap, position the x-ray machine, place the x-ray sensor or film in patients’ mouths, and take the x-rays. Afterward, dental assistants ensure that the images are clear.

Assistants who perform lab tasks, such as taking impressions of a patient’s teeth, work under the direction of a dentist. They may prepare materials for dental impressions or temporary crowns.

Program Summary

Admission Requirement: GED/High School Diploma

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

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  • Introduction to Dentistry and Dental Assistant
  • Dental Terminology and Anatomy
  • Preventive Dentistry and Nutrition
  • Cavity Classification and Charting
  • Dental Law and Ethics
  • Dental Operator: Instrumentation, Moisture Control
  • Disease Transmission, Pathology, and Dental Emergencies
  • Infection Control
  • Sterilization procedures
  • OSHA Regulations
  • Radiology I & II
  • Radiography Technique
  • Pharmacology and Anesthesiology
  • Dental Materials, Part I &II
  • Communicating in the Dental Office
  • Business Administration for the Dental Assistant
  • Dental Specialties: Endodontics/Periodontics, Pediatric Dentistry/ Orthodontics, Prosthodontics/Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

WHO WILL BENEFIT

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Those Considering Dental School

If your goal is to become a Dentist, starting out as a Dental Assistant is a great opportunity to explore Dentistry. You'll get the chance to work alongside Dentist in a variety of healthcare settings, earning invaluable experience and skills along the way

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Aspiring Medical Professionals

Working as a Dental Assistant gives many of us our first taste of working in the medical field. You might gain inspiration to continue that career path and get a more in-depth understanding of the medical world. It's okay to share this desire with your interviewer. It shows your dedication to the field and a willingness to learn

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Job Stability

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of a clinical dental assistant is currently just under $38,000 per year.

Employment is projected to grow by 19% through 2026, which is considered much faster than average. Job demand for dental assistants is projected to grow 10% over the next decade.

Schedule of Sessions Options

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Morning Classes

The day program is 35 weeks long. Students attend classes 20 hours a week attending classes Monday through Friday.

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Evening Classes

The evening program is 35 weeks long. Students complete 20 hours a week attending classes Monday through Friday.

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Weekend Classes

The weekend program is 44 weeks long, where students complete 16 hours a week attending classes on Saturday and Sunday.