St. Paul's School of Nursing Programs

Dental Assisting Training Program at St. Paul's

Are you looking for a dental assistant training school so you can begin on an exciting career path in the field of dentistry? Then consider SPSON’s dental assistant training program available at our Staten Island campus.

Our dental assisting classes are specifically designed to help you quickly gain proficiency in the dental procedures and techniques you will need to obtain an entry-level position as a dental assistant and have a successful, rewarding career.

Dental Assistant Careers

Dentists employ dental assistants as support personnel who perform a wide range of roles that are critical to providing quality dental care and excellent patient education. Duties of a dental assistant are among the most comprehensive and varied in the dental office, as they perform a variety of patient care, office and laboratory duties, helping to improve the efficiency of the dentist in delivering quality oral health care. The combination of their interpersonal skills and technical skills makes them highly valuable members of the dental care team.

Although state regulations vary, some typical duties of dental assistants may include:

  • Preparing patients for treatments, exams, and teeth cleanings
  • Assisting dentists during examinations and procedures
  • Performing various on-site laboratory duties
  • Operating and maintaining dental equipment
  • Administering periodontal dressings
  • Applying topical anesthetics and sealants
  • Taking tooth impressions
  • Assisting in patient care and instruction
  • Scheduling patient appointments
  • Sterilizing instruments and equipment
  • Preparing materials
  • Instructing patients in proper dental hygiene
  • Preparing the work area for patient treatment
  • Processing x-rays and doing lab tasks under the direction of a dentist
  • Keeping records of dental treatments
  • Working with patients on billing and payment

Dental assistants can work in private and group dental practices, specialty dental practices, mobile dental units, insurance companies, hospitals, nursing homes, dental school clinics, and public and private health facilities.

Job Opportunities for Dental Assistants

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job opportunities for dental assistants are expected to increase over the next several years. The employment growth for this field will be much faster than the average for all professions.

If you choose to pursue a career as a dental assistant, you should have many employment opportunities across a variety of practice settings. The training and experience you receive in our program qualifies you to obtain an entry-level position in the various settings above. You may also be interested in working in general dentistry, or in one of the more specific dental specialty areas, such as the ones listed below:

  • Pediatric dentistry
  • Orthodontic dentistry
  • Oral pathology
  • Oral and maxillofacial surgery

Dental Assisting Program

Our dental assisting program will provide you with hands-on strategies and techniques that will enable you to work directly with dentists in both treatment and examination rooms. You will learn how to provide educational, preventative and clinical therapeutic services to the public as a promoter of healthy dental hygiene. You will also be taught best practices for working chair-side while dentists examine and treat patients, and be exposed to the different dental specialty practices.

Our dental assisting program combines classroom lectures and laboratory instruction, as well as hands-on clinical experience. Below are some of topics covered in the dental assisting courses in our program:

  • Dental Office Emergencies
  • Dental Radiography
  • Dental Specialties
  • Operatory Dentistry
  • Laboratory Procedures
  • Dental Anatomy and Orthodontics
  • Dental Pharmacology
  • Restorative Dentistry
  • Preventative Dentistry

In our dental assisting courses, you will receive valuable training in clinical, radiographic, and administrative procedures. You will learn how to operate the clinic and diagnostic equipment found in most modern dental offices, including dental units and chairs, oral evacuation equipment, oxygen tanks, personal computers, ultrasonic units and x-ray units.

Upon completion of the dental assisting training program, students are awarded with a diploma and are prepared for entry-level employment opportunities as a dental assistant in a variety of work environments.

Take the Next Step Today

Ready to begin your dental assistant training? Contact usIS today to learn more about our dental assisting program in NY. Reach out to us by phone, email or live online chat!

Offered in the following locations