Baker College student sitting chairside with faculty during a dental exam.

It is Dental Assistant Recognition Week, which may leave some of you wondering, “Why might someone choose to be a Dental Assistant?”  We’re so glad you asked!

Working as a Dental Assistant has more benefits than many people may realize, especially as the role of dentistry in the health care continuum continues to grow in importance.  Here are just five of the many reasons to smile about a career as a Dental Assistant:

#1 – Smile, You Can Have a New Career in Just 12 Months

That’s right, completing Baker College’s Dental Assistant program takes only one year.  This includes all classroom requirements and 300 hours of externship work in the field. For those that are interested in a patient-centered health care career, the opportunity to be job-ready in just 12 months is indeed something to smile about.

#2 – Smile, a Job is Waiting for You

Baker College’s Dental Assistant program has a 100 percent employment rate for its graduates.  Dental offices are chomping at the bit (no pun intended) for qualified candidates to fill this important role in their practices.  In fact, Licensed Dental Assistants are so in demand locally that the Michigan Dental Association started a taskforce to implement solutions to combat the shortage of employees.  Most Baker graduates have jobs locked in before their graduation date…definitely a reason to smile.

#3 – Smile, You Can Work Traditional Hours

One of the most difficult things associated with many careers in the health care field is the challenging hours…whether that means working weekends, overnight shifts, early starts, double shifts, etc.  As you’ve likely realized from making appointments to see your own dentist, most offices tend to be open only during “traditional” business hours…. like 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. No weekends.  No evenings. No obnoxiously early starts, or late ends. So, if working regular hours is something you desire, it’s just one more reason to smile about a career as a Dental Assistant.

#4 – Smile, Your Work Atmosphere is Serene

Think about your dentist’s office…is there soft music playing in the lobby and exam rooms?  Perhaps there’s a soothing fish tank, or tranquil water feature or interesting decorative art on the walls?  Are there likely just a few patients in and out at the same time? Is it quiet and calm? Doesn’t that sound like a wonderful place to work?!  When compared with the chaotic pace of a hospital emergency room, for example, or the long lines of patients practically out the door at a walk-in clinic, or the screaming babies at a pediatrician’s office, the thought of a health care work environment as serene as a dentist’s office certainly should make you smile.

#5 – Smile, You Have Options

Dental Assistants have a variety of options in their career choices.  Some work at a traditional dentist’s office. Some work in orthodontics.  Some work with oral surgeons. Some work exclusively in pediatric dentistry.  Some work in mobile clinics. Some in cosmetic dentistry. Wherever your interests lie, once you are ready to pursue a career as a Dental Assistant, there is opportunity to follow your passion…just one more of the many reasons to smile.

If the thought of becoming a Dental Assistant makes you smile, and you’d like to learn more about Baker College’s Dental Assistant program, please contact an enrollment specialist today at 855-487-7888 or [email protected].  Applications are still being accepted now for fall 2019.