Saturday, September 22, 2012

Comparing Dental Assistants and Dental Hygienists

By Ashlyn Koh


In a general sense, most people will find little distinction between a dental assistant and the dental hygienist. Looking at the difference in job titles, it is simple to find that hygienist is a more specific term as compared to the general reference of assistant. Where the dental assistant is accountable for more generalized duties inside of the private or group practice, or perhaps in specialized practices, for example oral surgery and orthodontics, the hygienist will actually perform procedures on patients with very little oversight.

While the dental assistant will conduct four-handed dentistry, there are other office duties which require their attention, for instance putting patients at ease at the office, booking appointments, tracking the medical history of patients, coaching patients on appropriate dental practices, billing, inventory, phones and various administrative functions.

A lot of the dental hygienist's time is spent with patients. They're executing procedures and reporting their outcomes to the supervising dentist. This one on one work comes with a significantly greater potential to involve legal ramifications, which is why the training is a lot more challenging, regulation is much tighter, then again, the pay is approximately double that of an assistant.

Even though the dental assistant is compensated less, they often get health benefits through the dentist employing them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, at least 86 percent of dental assistants reported receiving benefits where only 1 / 2 of all dental hygienists were getting benefits.

In high school, dental assistants and hygienists have different demands with regard to classes. Students interested in either position have to have at the least a high school diploma. The high school student interested in either career is smart to take the college preparatory courses, most notably health, biology and chemistry.

The dental assistant can complete a minimal program averaging 12 months in order to obtain their accreditation. With over 250 accredited courses available, it is essential to be assured that the course undertaken is approved by the American Dental Association (ADA).

The dental hygienist goes through more training, no less than a 2-year associate's degree or a 4-year bachelor's degree, which would accommodate opportunities to advance to higher positions in accordance with experience and educational requirements. This is the position most would go after who have objectives of progressively advancing.

A dental hygienist is a governed positions, and a license is required. There aren't many professional prerequisites for a dental assistant to start out working in the field. A license usually won't be required unless the duties involve performing dental x-rays. Otherwise, a state exam approved by the ADA Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations will result in certification upon successful completion. On-the-job instruction and further specific training will make the dental assistant position one through which advancement may also occur.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment