To become an orthodontic assistant, one must have a high school diploma, an associate’s degree in dental care, and practical work experience. They work alongside orthodontists to help patients achieve proper tooth alignment, performing tasks such as taking dental impressions and adjusting braces. Professional certification is also available through the National Council on Dental Assisting.
An orthodontic assistant works closely with an orthodontist to help patients achieve proper tooth alignment. To become an orthodontic assistant, you must first obtain a high school diploma or equivalent. You’ll likely need to earn an associate’s degree in dental care as well. After completing your formal education, you should also gain some practical work experience to become an orthodontic assistant. You can also become professionally certified after working in this field for a period of time.
The practice of orthodontics is a specialized field of dentistry dedicated exclusively to problems with the alignment of teeth and jaws. Orthodontic patients are typically children who require long-term dental care to straighten their teeth. Orthodontic assistants typically work alongside an orthodontist during tooth alignment procedures. They perform functions such as taking dental impressions, adjusting braces and taking X-rays. Orthodontic assistants may also clean and set up equipment, prepare patients for dental procedures, or obtain dental records.
This dental assistant specialty is acquired largely through on-the-job training, but some formal education is also required. To become an orthodontic assistant, you must have a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma. It may be helpful to complete courses in health sciences and biology during high school. Many employers also require that you earn an associate degree in dental care before beginning any hands-on training.
An Associate of Applied Science in Dental Care degree can be earned at a two-year community college, trade school, or technical institute. That degree is usually enough to start receiving the in-service training needed to become an orthodontic assistant. Courses in radiology, oral anatomy, infection prevention, and dental materials are typically taught during this program. Dental procedures such as creating dental impressions, polishing teeth and building rubber dams are also taught. Internships are available in some programs to provide students with relevant work experience.
In addition to a college degree, a certain amount of practical work experience must be gained before you can become an orthodontic assistant. Employers typically require you to complete extensive on-the-job training before working in this specialized field. The field of orthodontics requires precision skills that must be developed over time. Some orthodontists prefer to teach orthodontic assistants important people skills first to help reassure patients during delicate dental procedures. So you can start your career in a regular dental office or assistant and gradually progress to a specialty in orthodontics.
After receiving a sufficient amount of on-the-job training, you may want to earn a professional certification in that field. A professional certification can significantly increase your income and employment opportunities. In the US, the National Council on Dental Assisting issues professional certifications for orthodontic assistants. Applicants must possess a high school diploma and sufficient work experience or a university degree in this field. They must also take and pass two separate exams to be certified as an orthodontic assistant.
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