Showing posts with label Allied and Mid-Level Careers in Dentistry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Allied and Mid-Level Careers in Dentistry. Show all posts

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Allied and Mid-Level Careers in Dentistry


  • Dental Assistant: Dental assistants help dentists with a variety of tasks but are not qualified to do full cleanings and identify cavities as are dental hygienists. Dental assistants can obtain training at a technical school with a brief diploma program, or on-the-job.
  • Dental Hygienist: Dental hygienists can provide some basic dental care under the supervision of a licensed dentist. More education is required to become a hygienist than an assistant, and therefore hygienists earn about twice as much money as dental assistants.


  • Dental Lab Technician: Dental lab technicians play a non-clinical role, meaning they do not work directly with patients. Dental lab techs work in a lab, behind the scenes, manufacturing crowns and other dental prostheses which require custom specifications. Dentists uses molds and x-rays to provide the specifications to the lab for a custom fit.