When you’re talking about your future, you probably think things are pretty wide open. Between you and me, you might want to start thinking they’re “open wide.” That’s because dentists are hiring. And unless bright smiles go out of style, you can probably expect this trend to continue. 
Are there jobs out there? Employment of dental assistants is expected to grow 25% from 2012 to 2022.1 Dental Hygienists? Try a 33% hiring increase over the same period.2 Smiling yet? Thought so! So what do you do? Hopefully, you’ve been to see a dental assistant or a dental hygienist. And if you haven’t you should make an appointment for a cleaning and check-up immediately because your mouth probably isn’t in the best shape. These experts will clean your teeth and check you out for signs of any oral disease and give you some tips on how to keep that million-dollar smile of yours shiny and bright. After you rinse, why not ask them how they like their job? Where do you do it? Sure, being a dental hygienist or a dental assistant is a pretty cool gig. Both of these careers tend to work in general dentist offices but there could be other opportunities with orthodontists, periodontitis or oral surgeon’s offices. Did we mention, you get to wear scrubs to work? And let’s be honest – we can’t think of a work uniform that looks more comfortable. Sure, you’ll need to get over putting your hands in people’s mouths. But you get to wear gloves for that. Problem solved. Plus, as a dental hygienist, you might even be able to set your own hours or even work part time. More than half do – that’s just the nature of the job.2 Pretty sweet, right? Especially, if you’re also taking care of your family too. How do I get there? There’s just one catch. To land one of these awesome careers, you’ll need education and some hands on training. Why? Maybe because people generally don’t want unqualified people putting sharp instruments in their mouths. Plus, there is an off chance that power tools may be involved at some point. So there it is. And, in many cases, you could be ready for a new career as a dental assistant in less than a year or as a dental hygienist in less than two years. Bam! If these are the kind of careers that makes you say “ahh” then read up on Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting programs at Carrington College and see if it’s something to sink your teeth into. If not, be sure to visit your dentist’s office twice a year anyway. Your teeth will thank you.
- http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm
- http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm
