Medical, Dental Assistant Career Training

With demand for healthcare services rising, medical and dental assistants can expect bright career prospects. Doctors and dental professionals in all specialties--pediatricians, ophthalmologists, orthodontists, and more--rely on trained assistants for clinical and administrative support.

Online medical assistant classes and dental assistant courses offer an entry point into the medical or dental field. Programs generally take a year or two to complete, depending on the course level: you can either pursue a one-year certificate or a two-year associate degree. Look for an accredited program at a community college, vocational school, and online institution; the Commission on Dental Accreditation, for example, accredited 281 training programs in 2009, including some dental assistant schools online.

Assistant programs cover clinical, laboratory, and administrative skills such as:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Business computing
• Medical transcription, billing, and insurance processing
• Clinical, diagnostic, and laboratory techniques
• Pharmaceutical principles and administration

The two-year associate degree adds core coursework in areas such as science and math, writing, and critical thinking. Both certificate and degree programs qualify you for an assistant career, but the degree is likely to open more doors to advancement.

Professional certification is required in some states for dental assistants, and available for both medical and dental assistants throughout the U.S. Dental assistants may seek the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential, and medical assistants can pursue certification through the Americal Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) or Association of Medical Technologists (AMT).

Medical, Dental Assistant Job Descriptions

With their training in clinical care, laboratory procedures, and administrative responsibilities, medical and dental assistants do whatever it takes to keep a medical office running smoothly. Common job responsibilities include:

• Advising patients about proper dental or medical self-care
• Sterilizing medical or dental instruments
• Assisting the doctor or dentist during a patient exam
• Performing laboratory functions
• Helping with administrative tasks

In addition, medical assistants may administer medication or perform basic clinical tasks such as removing sutures.

Career Outlook for Medical and Dental Assistants

A medical or dental assisting credential leads to a career in the growing healthcare sector. Most graduates of dental assistant courses go on to careers as dental assistants; 93 percent work in a dental practice, either for a dentist, orthodontist, or oral surgeon. Learn more about these careers on our dental assistant programs page.

A little over half of medical assistants--62 percent--work in physician private practices, and the remainder work in hospitals and outpatient clinics, specialty practices such as chiropractor or optometrist offices, and nursing facilities. You can get more information about medical assisting careers and training on our medical assistant programs page.

Medical and dental assistants face a bright career future. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts excellent job prospects in both fields, with an estimated 34 percent job growth for medical assistants and 36 percent for dental assistants from 2008 to 2018. Medical assistants earned mean annual wages of $29,450 in 2009, while dental assistants earned $34,000.

The Road to a Medical or Dental Career

A stable career in the medical or dental field is well within your reach. Online dental assistant classes or medical assistant courses get you started in your professional training, with flexible programs you can pursue as you work. In a year or two, you could complete a certificate or degree and be well on your way to a career in healthcare. Learn more about your medical or dental assistant training options today.

• Health & Medical