How to become a Dental Assistant

Written by Max Stein


Becoming a dental assistant offers one ofrepparttar fastest educational paths to enteringrepparttar 109323 rapidly expanding healthcare field.

Dental Assistant Job Description

Dental assistants provide support functions for dentists including assisting with dental procedures, lab work and office functions.

When helping with patient’s dental procedures, a dental assistant may be involved with:

Preparing dental instruments Gathering patient’s dental records Handing instruments to dentist during patient procedures Keepingrepparttar 109324 patient’s mouth dry during procedures Instructing patients on proper oral healthcare Taking and preparing x-rays Applying anesthetics

Lab duties of dental assistants include making casts of teeth, creating temporary crowns and cleaning dental prosthetics.

Office support includes scheduling appointments, receiving patients inrepparttar 109325 office, billing, ordering supplies and keeping patient records.

Most dental assistants work in dentist’s offices. A small portion may work in hospitals or doctor’s offices. Similar to dental hygienists, up to one third of dental assistants work part-time.

Salary Ranges / Job Outlook for Dental Assistants

Like many healthcare fields,repparttar 109326 demand for dental assistants is expected to grow faster than average overrepparttar 109327 next decade.

The median hourly pay rate for dental assistants is $13.10 andrepparttar 109328 high and low range ofrepparttar 109329 scale is $8.45 atrepparttar 109330 low end and $19.41 atrepparttar 109331 high end.

Seeing Purple: On Pens and Paying Attention

Written by Maya Talisman Frost


It's back-to-school time once again, and purple is IN. I'm not talking about fashion trends--thoughrepparttar September issues of most magazines are singingrepparttar 109322 praises of plum and berry shades. No, I'm referring torepparttar 109323 hottest item at Office Depot, Staples, and other school supply meccas.

Purple pens.

According to a recent article in The Boston Globe, many teachers are giving up their infamous red pens and turning to purple. Although some stalwarts are gripping their crimson felt tips, others are embracingrepparttar 109324 royal shade in all its jewel tones.

Red is aggressive. It suggests danger. It makes us stop. A returned assignment covered with red corrections is a hallmark of humiliation. If "seeing red" is a euphemism for rage, seeing red marks is a sign of failure.

Bring onrepparttar 109325 purple. Purple is friendlier. Violet checks aren't as likely to cause cringing. Lavender circles are easier onrepparttar 109326 eyes. Purple gets your attention without increasing your heart rate, and according to color psychologists, it is therapeutic for those suffering from nervous tension or mental anguish.

I feel like dancing inrepparttar 109327 streets in my orchid boots, tossing my lilac beret inrepparttar 109328 air and twirling my dozen iris scarves. You see, I am known asrepparttar 109329 "woman who wears purple" and I make it a big part of my work.

I use purple to make a statement, but I'm borrowingrepparttar 109330 idea from Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, who said: "I think it pisses God off if you walk byrepparttar 109331 color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."

Purple makes perfect sense as my color of choice. There's nothing woo-woo about it for me. It's not favored by my guru (I don't have one). It isn't about connecting with my chakras. It happens to be in style this season, but believe me, if I am considered a fashionista, it is purely by accident.

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