Registered Dental assistants make up nearly 50% of the oral health care workforce; issue predates COVID-19

It is time to begin your new career in dentistry.

Looking to make a career change? The dental assistant job market is growing.
Perhaps you are looking to raise your standard of living. Or maybe you have always been interested in working in the dental industry. Most importantly, people who train to become dental assistants will be able to find work in the years to come. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, dental assistant jobs are projected to grow by 18% from 2021 to 2029, which is rated as “much faster than average”. That’s close to 60,000 new jobs over that 10-year span.
When you spend money training for a new career path, the number one consideration to make is whether you will be able to get a job. At the Dental Staff School, we work even faster with our 10-14-week course and job placement assistance once completed. We also offer expanded functions and other continuing educational classes.

The Dental Staff School is no stranger in facing a shortage of dental assistants, a key part of our business.

 “We have had this shortage for probably the last six years,” Janet Waldron, founder of Dental Staff School for dental assisting, said Wednesday. “Facing shortages of skilled dental assistants has doctors begging for well-trained dental assistants to join their team.” The pay is good, the hours are excellent, and you work with a team of professionals.” It moves me to see the students come in and then see them graduate. Here for 10 weeks and boom — they are out in the world starting a career.”

Students learn theory and knowledge throughout the 12 weeks and hands-on clinical, with the latest advances in technology, on Saturdays. The Dental staff school strives to consistently help employers make the right hire every time.

Dr. Jonathan Waldron, of Waldron and Lee Dentistry, said “large practices employ multiple assistants, and they can hold such positions as float assistants or sterilization techs. The skills of dental assistants are valuable for assisting with CAD/CAM, whitening, and many other procedures that can help dentists produce more while leaving patients in the hands of a licensed oral health-care worker. There is no doubt that dental assistants contribute to the overall practice success.”

Kayla Nance went to school five years ago “she said “Then I started working as dental assistant in Turkey Creek, then went to the University of Tennessee in Memphis and got a certification in Expanded Functions. Now I work with Dr. Bible in Clinton and teach here.”   

Each 10-week program is held on consecutive Fridays or Saturdays and is open to men and women of all ages. The cost is $5,250: $4200 for tuition and $1050 for supplies. Many of the students get free training and supplies through Workers Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA) grants based on their income or circumstances. Students can also use military scholarships.

“There are job postings [for dental assistants] every single day,” Kayla said. “We have one of the highest placements. Most of the students have job offers or are interviewing before they finish the class.” She believes it is a career that the graduates will find satisfying. “People who’ve been in the dental profession for a long time still seem to have a passion for patient care,” she said.

Jonathan Waldron, DDS, and his wife, Janet, have conducted Dental Staff School Marietta, and Knoxville for more than 15 years and have trained thousands of dental assistants in the Southeast. “We’ve been doing the Dental Staff Schools since 2005,” he added. “We started in Georgia and expanded to Alabama and Tennessee. I went to Duke undergrad and the cost of education is out of control. I use the hands-on experience I learned in the Navy and bring that and visuals and group discussion here so students can quickly master the skills of working in the varied areas of dental practices. “Dentistry is a growth field for several reasons,” Dr. Waldron said. “Georgia and Tennessee are growing, and people want to look good. They want to keep their teeth — and many dental offices are understaffed. “Our goal is to provide careers instead of jobs by making education practical and affordable,” Janet said. “This allows them to have a professional environment, competitive pay and family-friendly hours. They can attend our program while they keep their day job.”

The next Saturday session begins January 8, 2022, and is nearly full.

For more information, call (678) 819-3919 or (865) 900-2250

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