Orthodontist assistant provides help in the care of patients and deal with dental problems. His professional work is very close to orthodontist. He prepares the patient for complete orthodontal treatment.
In this article, we review what is orthodontist assistant. How to become an orthodontist assistant? What are the responsibilities of an orthodontist assistant? and, many more.
What is an orthodontist assistant?
An orthodontist assistant works as a helper of an orthodontist in the care of the patient during a dental procedure.
He performs many minor tasks with an orthodontist to help him complete his larger tasks like straightening teeth, applying braces, and also mentally preparing the patient for treatment.
Sometimes an orthodontist assistant organizes the desk of an orthodontist, manages his appointments, and updates his patient’s charts.
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What does an orthodontist assistant do?
Orthodontists work in health care, private hospitals, and dental offices. He assists the orthodontist during dental surgery and operation procedures.
Mostly orthodontist assistants attend to the patient and use their communication skills to relax the patient, make them comfortable for treatment, and also educate them on proper oral hygiene.
Let’s take a look at some most common responsibilities of an orthodontist assistant.
- Taking x-rays of patient’s teeth
- Prepare the tools before and after the procedure
- Provide tools to the orthodontist.
- Keeping the patient comfortable before and after the procedure by answering their questions and explaining to them about treatment plan.
- Schedule the appointments and send reminders to the patients
- Help the orthodontist in fixing braces and taking teeth impressions
How to become an orthodontist assistant?
There are following steps to become an orthodontist assistant.
Get your high school diploma
An important requirement to enter an orthodontist assistant training program is to get your high school diploma. This diploma helps you to better understand the basics of the orthodontist training program.
Taking courses in chemistry and biology can help you a lot to prepare yourself for the duties of an orthodontist assistant.
Earn your associate degree
Most orthodontists require a candidate to earn an associate degree to enter the orthodontist training program. These opportunities also provide you with the best knowledge and qualifications to continue this program.
You can also earn your associate degree from this orthodontist program. These courses offer you both offline and online training.
You can take classes like how to clean the teeth and about dental anatomy. After this, you can learn how to polish the teeth and create the dental molds.
Obtain your certification
Depending on the stage you practiced, sometimes it may be need to earn your certification to get the license of an orthodontist assistant.
You can take this certificate after taking the examination by the dental assisting national board. Candidate must clear the two parts of the exams which are the infection control exam and the orthodontist assistant exam.
The first test has 210 multiple-choice questions and the second test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions.
Receive on-the-job training
After completing the requirements of education and earning the certification, now you can receive training. Apply to different hospitals and dental offices to find the best place according to your requirements.
You may start by searching about the current orthodontist assistant. This will help you to become more familiar with the dental office settings and requirements.
After this, you can complete your task independently.
How to advance as an orthodontist assistant
There are following steps that you can use to become advanced in the orthodontist assistant career field.
Consider the tasks you would like to complete
If you would like to grow in your field or get a promotion and high pay, you can choose other options within the dental health field. To find the other opportunities firstly find out your point of interest in your current position.
If you enjoy performing the clerical responsibilities then you can continue as office manager.
Advance your education
To become a dental hygienist you require an associate degree. if you have a dental assistant certificate, then it’s best to earn your associate degree.
If you have your associate degree then you have to attend the dental hygiene program to improve or polish your skills.
To become an orthodontist you have a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry then you can enroll in a dental school which takes three to four years to complete.
Pass state licensing examination
To receive the state license employers required both dental hygienists and orthodontist certificates. This requirement can be different according to your state.
So, research your state and try to know about the requirements. In most cases, dental hygienists take examinations in their state with the information related to the topics. Most orthodontists have to pass their state licensing exam to earn their Doctor of Dental Surgery.
After getting this certificate ortho dentist orthodontist select their specialty in their field.
Conclusion
Orthodontist assistants can achieve a bright career after getting the above-mentioned procedure. In this article, we cover all your queries about, how to become an orthodontist assistant.
What is an orthodontist assistant? And how does an orthodontist get a promotion in his relevant field? After reading this article if you want to be an orthodontist or orthodontist assistant you can start your career with great ambition.
