Registered Dental Assistant – Advantages
Registered Dental Assistant
Registered dental assistant is what RDA means
A registered dental assistant is a well trained individual who also has the skills and knowledge to pass stringent licensing requirements in the particular state they intend to practice in.
Often dental assistants will get on-the-job training, where they learn essential skills from the dentist after being hired. In many states such as Texas, formal training which was once optional has now become necessary because the state dental board is requiring every dental assistant to become a registered dental assistant.
Duties of a registered dental assistant
Taking x-rays and controlling infection are the two primary reasons for this move by the Texas board. Without training, new inexperienced dental assistant candidates can not pass these registration exams and so this is one reason a registered dental assistant is currently in such high demand. The Texas state board of dental examiners will allow a new dental assistant to legally work up to one year before requiring the registered dental assistant credentials.
Each state may have registration or certification requirements that differ from the others. In some states, it is common and may be a requirement for a student to complete a year long accredited training program that grants a diploma or a certificate upon completion. In other states, such as Texas, certification may only be suggested or recommended.
The advantages of being a registered dental assistant include the following:
1. A registered dental assistant (RDA) must complete a comprehensive dental assistant training program. This type of training is done in both the classroom and an actual dental facility in order to give the students real world experience and practice in the procedures they can expect to perform every day.
2. Once the person successfully completes the dental assistant training he/she must complete a comprehensive state exam in both theoretical and clinical aspects of dental assisting. They must also maintain their licensed credentials as required by the state. This could include additional training and certifications as well as follow-up exams.
Registered dental assistants have shown that they have the skills and knowledge to perform the duties as a dental assistant very well. Some states do not require a dental assistant to have these kinds of credentials. However you will certainly find that you will be much more attractive to a potential employer if you already possess these kinds of qualifications.
In any case a registered dental assistant can confidently assist and support the dentist during procedures, he/she can also take dental impressions for restorative work, can take patients x-rays and develop the films, and understands many aspects of the office work including booking appointments, credit and collection issues, and ordering of materials and supplies.
To become a registered dental assistant it’s necessary to select a good dental assistant school. Students not only learn the profession but also become familiar with where to find jobs after they graduate.
A registered dental assistant will find that salaries are respectable in this profession due to the rapid growth of demand for qualified people.
The courses and hands-on training received in dental school not only will qualify a student to become a registered dental assistant, but will give the confidence necessary to excel in the profession. In only about 2 months, a student will become a registered dental assistant.
Registered Dental Assistant Jobs
Finding a job as a registered dental assistant will not be as difficult as other job searches because:
- There’s rapid growth in the registered dental assistant job market
- There are more people than ever seeking the assistance of dentists due to an increased awareness in the nation of the importance of this vital service.
- Population trends also indicate a larger percentage of middle aged to older aged people who will require more dental services than others.
- Younger dentists entering the profession now use a registered dental assistant more frequently than their older more traditional colleagues who are retiring.
- Parents have become increasingly aware of the importance of dental care for their children, thus further increasing the demand for dental assistants.
Registered Dental Assistant Involvement
A career as a registered dental assistant is rewarding because it is one of the helping professions, involving direct personal contact with patients in many vital ways.
Such personal care is why a career as a registered dental assistant is one of the professions that give people a sense of direct personal contact with people who truly appreciate the services they receive.
C. Mark Mann School of Dental Assisting is a Houston Dental Assistant School. Operating in Sugar Land, we offer a hands-on, 10-week, Saturdays-only, vocation education program for dental assisting jobs. We can be reached at (281) 794-7944 or MannDentalAssisting.com, so call or else go to see us right now. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Author: Dr. Mark Mann
In the state of Texas, all dental assistants who have been an active dental assistant for one year and are taking x-rays must become a registered dental assistant.
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