If you’re passionate about dental assisting and love helping others succeed, becoming a dental assisting instructor could be the perfect next step in your career. But what exactly does the role involve, and how much experience do you need before you can confidently step into a teaching role? Here’s everything you need to know to help you make an informed and exciting decision!
What Are Dental Assisting Instructors Responsible For?
Dental assistant instructors play an important role in training up the next generation of dental assistants and ensuring that they’re well-equipped for anything they might face on the job, whether it’s a routine procedure or something completely out of the ordinary.
Their responsibilities go far beyond classroom lectures; they help students build both technical skills as well as foundational knowledge, both of which lead to more confidence in the dental setting. Some of their key duties include:
- Teaching clinical and administrative skills, ranging from chairside assisting and infection control to patient communication and scheduling.
- Providing hands-on training, in order to guide students through procedures so that they feel comfortable performing them in real-world settings.
- Mentoring and motivating students by offering encouragement, sharing personal experiences and anecdotes, and helping them overcome challenges, fears, and anxieties.
- Staying current with the field and ensuring that what students are learning reflects today’s best practices in dentistry.
What Experience & Credentials Are Needed to Become a Dental Assisting Instructor?
It goes without saying that work experience is very important for anyone who wants to become an instructor, regardless of their field—and dental assisting is no exception! While having a high school diploma or GED is essential, many programs also like to see an associate degree or higher.
You’ll also need to have a diploma in dental assisting; these programs generally take between one and two years to complete, and they can typically be found through community colleges or vocational-technical schools. Keep in mind that depending on where you teach, there may be other specific education and certification requirements. In addition to all of this, you’ll also need to have worked in a dental office or clinic for at least 3 to 5 years; this field experience is valuable, since it’s exactly what you’ll be preparing your future students for.
The bottom line is that if you’ve been enjoying your career as a dental assistant, but still want a change of pace, becoming an instructor is a logical and rewarding way of putting your best foot forward and helping to shape the future of dentistry!
About the Green Country School of Dental Assisting
Our team here at the Green Country School of Dental Assisting has been helping aspiring dental assistants in Claremore and the surrounding area for several years. If you’re ready to kick off your new career as a dental assistant, you can trust our program to fully prepare you and have you feeling confident about what the future holds! If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to get in touch with our staff to request additional enrollment information, please reach out online or call today for assistance. Telephone: (918) 343-7188.