|
Career Path Forecast
 Employment of
dental assistants is projected to grow 18 percent from 2014 to 2024, much
faster than the average for all occupations. Ongoing research linking oral
health and general health will likely continue to increase the demand for
preventive dental services. Dentists will continue to hire more dental
assistants to complete routine tasks, allowing the dentist to see more
patients in their practice and to spend their time on more complex procedures.
As dental practices grow, more dental assistants will be needed.
As the large
baby-boom population ages, and as people keep more of their original teeth
than did previous generations, the need to maintain and treat teeth will
continue to increase the need for dental care.
In addition, the
number of individuals who have access to health insurance is expected to
continue to increase because of federal health insurance reform. People
with new or expanded dental insurance coverage will be more likely to visit
a dentist than in the past. This will increase the demand for all dental
services, including those performed by dental assistants.
Overall, job
opportunities for dental assistants are expected to be good. Dental
assistants with advanced certification or training will likely have the
best job prospects.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
|
