The typical dental assistant qualifications include a high school level education or an equivalency diploma. Many dentists provide on-the-job training, but some prefer to hire candidates who have received formal training through a dental assistant program, such as through a community college or tech school. Successful dental assistants usually need a range of skills as well, including those that involve communication and manual dexterity. Additionally, some jurisdictions and employers require successful candidates to be licensed or certified.
A high school education is usually required of a person who wants to become a dental assistant, but a General Educational Development® (GED®) may prove sufficient as well. Though employers do not set requirements for the classes a person takes in high school, there are some courses that can help a person build knowledge helpful for this job. For example, high school biology, chemistry, and health classes will likely benefit a person interested in this type of job. If an individual has an opportunity to take a class that teaches business or office skills, he may benefit from this type of instruction as well.
Pre-employment training programs may or may not be among the typical dental assistant qualifications. Many employers do not require new hires to have previous training, as they often provide on-the-job training to new assistants. Some employers, however, do prefer to hire job candidates who have completed dental training programs. Such a program usually lasts for about a year or two and ends with the receipt of a diploma, certificate, or associate's degree. Typically, this type of training program includes classroom-based and laboratory studies as well as a clinical component.
Other common dental assistant qualifications involve skills and qualities a person develops through life or other types of jobs. For instance, a candidate usually needs good communication skills for interaction with the dentist he serves, patients, and other dental office staff. He also must pay attention to detail in order to follow directions well and make file notations when necessary. Since dental assistants are often called on to pass dental equipment and perform other tasks with their hands, good manual dexterity is commonly required as well. Additionally, a dentist needs to know that his assistant will show up for work consistently and perform his duties as expected, so reliability is generally important.
Sometimes licensing, registration, or certification are among the dental assistant qualifications one must meet for this job. Some jurisdictions require licensing or certification, and even if they don't, some dentists prefer to hire employees with such credentials. Usually, a person must pass an examination to become registered or secure licensing or certification.
