Question for dental professionals?

I am currently working towards a dental hygiene degree. I would like to begin working in the dental field now. I have been told by a few different hygienists that it's possible to get hired as a dental assistant without going to school for it. They said that the dentist can train me. Is this true? Can I work as an assistant while I complete my degree? If not, are there any other kinds of jobs I can get working in a dental office?

Question for dental professionals?
Some of the listings that I have been finding are related to benefits coordinator, treatment consultant, scheduler and front desk. I too am looking at getting into a dental hygienists program where I live- actually have applied and waiting to hear back to see if I was accepted. (My situation is a little different, as I already have my BA in Business Admin and Accounting- the dental offices think that I will be bored and asking for too much in the compensation area.)





Your luck will depend on if the office will train you without an assistant background and if the office is open to you going to school.





I still had prerequisites to finish the first time I checked into jobs at a dental office. Now, I have applied to the program and since I should hear back in a little over a month, I figured that I would try my search again. It can't hurt.





Good Luck with your choice.
Reply:Yes you can work as a dental assistant without going to school. Depending on which state you live in you may or may not be able to take x-rays. In California you can work as dental assistant without going to school but you have to have a x-ray license if you plan on taking x-rays.
Reply:It would certainly be great if you got your foot in the door doing anything in a dental office. The only problem you may encounter is that the hours of dental hygiene school may become so demanding, that you will not be able to do both. The good thing is, most hygiene schools have a waiting list, so you can work while you wait to get into the clinical portion of you schooling. Good Luck to you, the Dental Hygiene field is truly rewarding!
Reply:Yes, it is possible for you to work in a Dental office as an assistant without obtaining a certification for it. While the hours may be difficult to fit into your schedule it always helps to have your foot in the door. In my experience, someone who has worked as an assistant does not necessarily have any kind of an advantage over someone who has not worked in an office at all.


Personally, I was never an assistant before I went to Hygiene School. While in school I realized that this was a bit to my advantage because I didn't have any "bad habits" that I needed to break.


However I did work at the front desk of a Dental Office for a few years while I was in high school. This knowledge came in very handy because I learned the Computer program that was used at the office I was applying for after I graduated (Dentrix). This impressed my new boss and made me stand a little higher than the other Hygienists interviewing for the job.





Either way, its GREAT that you want to work in an office while in school. It really shows how much you like the field of dentistry. School is not easy, but I promise you that it is such a rewarding choice. It really is a great profession! Good luck, study hard, it really pays off!