Because dental assisting is becoming a very popular career choice for people, there seems to be more and more schools popping up that offer certificates and degrees of some type. Before attending a dental assisting school, you need to make sure that your choice is indeed a certified institution whose certificate will land you a position out in the real world. Here are a few things to look out for:

Dental assisting school itself should not be a very long program. The education is meant to train you in the basics of being an assistant in the dental office. Tasks such as making x-rays, casting, and answering phones are all part of the everyday duties of a dental assistant. You can expect to be out in the real working world in less than a year with most programs.

In order for the school to be officially recognized, it will have to be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. If it does not have this accreditation, there is no sense to even considering attending. This accreditation can be checked via the CDAADA website.

To make yourself more attractive as a candidate to any dentistry practice, you should become certified after completing your studies. In order to become a CDA (Certified Dental Assistant), one must complete the Dental Assisting National Boards (DANB) successfully. The only way to be able to take these tests is to have completed a full course of study at an accredited institution.

Most respectable schools will also have a placement program to help their students land a position once they have completed their program. This help is instrumental in starting a career as even though the industry is hot right now, having an “in” can sometimes mean the difference between finding work right away versus trudging around from office to office to see who is hiring.