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Career & Miscellaneous

Career: Dentist

Dentists are licensed health care professionals who are trained in diagnosis, prevention and treatment of oral disease. This includes treating soft and hard oral tissues, restoring teeth, making cosmetic improvements and performing oral surgery.

EDUCATION
Requirements include a high school diploma, three or four years of pre-dental courses at an accredited college or university and four years of dental education at an accredited dental school. Two to six additional years of training are required for dental specialties, including orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery and oral pathology.

DEGREE
Dentists may receive a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. Dentists who complete required training in recognized specialty fields receive post-graduate certificates.

AVAILABILITIY OF PROGRAMS
The two dental schools in Florida are the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville and Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine in Fort Lauderdale. There are 54 accredited dental schools in the United States.

COST OF EDUCATION
The cost to attend four years of dental school, including tuition, books, instruments and room and board, averages $80,000 for Florida residents at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. Yearly tuition at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine is about $25,000.

FINANCIAL AID
There are several private, state and federal loans available to help qualified applicants with dental school expenses. The Florida Dental Association has a student-loan program for Florida residents who are sophomores or above in dental school.

Licensure Requirements
Licensure requires graduating from an accredited U.S. dental school and passing the national board written exam and a state or regional written and/or clinical board exam.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES
After meeting state licensure requirements, dentists may practice anywhere in the state. They may practice by themselves or as associates, partners or members of a group practice. They also may practice in dental clinics or franchises, in the military, at public health facilities, at correctional institutions and at hospitals.

SALARY
Salaries vary depending on the type of practice and geographic location. Dentists in private practice earn up to $125,000 for general practice and $197,000 for specialty practice.


Career: Dental Assistant

Dental assistants are responsible for working directly with dentists while patients receive treatment. They review and maintain patients’ charts, pass instruments to the dentist during procedures, sterilize instruments, make temporary crowns and impressions of teeth for study models, polish patients’ teeth, and take and develop X-rays. They also assist with tasks such as scheduling appointments and ordering supplies.

EDUCATION
A high school diploma is required. Formal training includes an average of 1200 hours of study in an approved dental assisting program, or on-the-job training and certification in radiography and expanded functions.

CERTIFICATION
A dental assistant who is trained in an accredited dental assisting program receives a certificate. A dental assistant who is trained on the job may become certified in expanded duties and radiography by taking approved courses. Qualified dental assistants may receive national certification (CDA) by passing the dental assisting national board examination.

AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAMS
Florida has 19 accredited dental assisting programs at community colleges and technical centers.

COST OF EDUCATION
The average cost to complete an accredited dental assisting training program is $2,000.

FINANCIAL AID
Private, state and federal loans and scholarships are available to qualified applicants.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Florida has a shortage of dental assistants. Local dental societies have placement services that help dentists find dental assistants.

SALARY
The starting salary for a dental assistant varies by geographic region. The average salary is $9.50 per hour. Dental assistants who have more than five years of experience average about $12 per hour.

BENEFITS
Benefits vary in each dental office. The most commonly offered benefits are paid vacation, paid holidays, paid sick leave, dental insurance or care, reimbursement for attending continuing education courses, medical insurance and pension plans. Other benefits may include reimbursement of membership fees, profit sharing, bonuses, life insurance, percentage of production and individual malpractice insurance.

For dental assisting program information:

Charlotte Technical Center – (941)-255-7500

Traviss Technical Center – website address: www.travisstech.org

Hillsborough Community College – CGore@hccfl.edu

Manatee Technical Institute – www.manateetechnicalinstitute.org

South Florida Community College – www.southflorida.edu

Erwin Technical – http://www.erwintech.org/CourseDetail.aspx?CourseId=68
hunter_d@firn.edu   vilaret_m@firn.edu   (813) 231-1800

Pinellas Technical Education Center, St. Petersburg Campus – www.Myptec.org

IDEA CURRICULUM
Florida is one of the few states that offers distance education – a non-traditional method of training-for dental assisting careers. Florida has offered Independent Dental Education for Assistants (IDEA), a non-traditional dental assisting program, since 1993. Community colleges and vocational education centers from Fort Walton Beach to Miami offer the IDEA curriculum. The success of distance education is seen in the success of its graduates. Ninety-one percent of graduates from non-traditional dental assisting programs passed the Dental Assisting National Board exam. More than 100 students have graduated from IDEA since it became available in Florida. Students who graduate from distance-education programs must successfully complete the same training as students in traditional dental assisting programs. They pay the same fees as traditional students. They purchase textbooks from campus bookstores and borrow lecture and demonstration videotapes from school or local libraries. A curriculum syllabus guides distance-education students through course work. They schedule pre-clinical and clinical training on-campus or at extended campus facilities. This training maybe completed in the evening or on weekends as approved by the program administrator. All Florida students should soon have access to dental assisting distance-education programs. By the year 2001, it is expected that there will be distance-education programs for careers in dental hygiene and dental laboratory technology.

DENTAL AIDE PROGRAM
Dental aide programs provide high school students with the opportunity to get credit and training in dental assisting. After graduating from this program, students may receive advanced placement in accredited dental assisting programs. Dental aides assist dentists with a variety of operative and specialty procedures. Employment opportunities range from positions in general dental offices to specialty practices.


Career: Dental Laboratory Technician

Dental laboratory technicians are independent members of the dental team who work in laboratories. They make all types of dental restorations, prostheses and appliances. Dental lab technicians use laboratory techniques to make crowns and bridges, veneers, mouthguards, orthodontic retainers, complete dentures and removable partial dentures.

EDUCATION
A high school diploma is required. Formal training includes two years of education in an accredited dental laboratory technology program at a college or vocational-technical center.

DEGREE
Graduates of an accredited dental laboratory technology program receive a certificate or associate degree (AS). After graduation or sufficient, on-the-job training (apprenticeship), the student is qualified to take the national board examination for certification in dental laboratory technology. After passing the certification exam, the student becomes a certified dental technician (CDT).

AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAMS
There are four accredited dental laboratory technology programs in Florida. They are located at community colleges, vocational-technical centers and private institutions.

COST OF EDUCATION
The cost to complete a dental laboratory technology program ranges from $1,200 to $3,500 in a public program and up to $15,000 in a private program.

FINANCIAL AID
There are several private, state, and federal loans available for qualified applicants.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES
There are more than 1,000 private registered dental laboratories in Florida. Also, many dentists employ dental laboratory technicians who work directly for their offices.

SALARY
Dental technician salaries start at $6 to $8 per hour depending on geographic area. A technician can become certified in crown and bridge, ceramics, full dentures, partial dentures or orthodontics. A fully trained technician’s salary can range from $26,000 to $48,000 yearly.

BENEFITS
Benefits vary depending upon the policies of individual dental laboratories or dental offices.


Career: Dental Hygienist

Dental hygienists are licensed members of the dental team who are responsible for preventive care and education. They remove calculus and plaque from teeth, apply fluoride and sealants, perform deep cleanings to prevent and treat gum disease and assist the dentist in providing oral health treatment. They also educate patients about proper nutrition and oral hygiene, review and maintain patients’ charts and take and develop X-rays.

EDUCATION
A high school diploma is required. Formal training includes a minimum of two years of study in an accredited dental hygiene program.

DEGREE
Associate of Science {AS)

AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAMS
There are 13 accredited dental hygiene programs at community colleges in Florida.

COST OF EDUCATION
The average cost of two years of dental hygiene education is $4,300.

FINANCIAL AID
Private, state and federal loans and scholarships are available to assist qualified applicants with dental hygiene education costs.

LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS
To get a dental hygiene license, students must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene program. They also must pass the national dental hygiene written board and the Florida dental hygiene clinical board. After passing the state board, the student becomes, a registered dental hygienist (RDH).

JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Job opportunities are available throughout the state. There is a higher demand for dental hygienists in some areas than in others.

SALARY
Salaries or commissions for dental hygienists vary by geographic region. The average salary is $125-$185 per day.

BENEFITS
Benefits vary in each dental office. The most commonly offered benefits are paid vacation, paid holidays, paid sick leave, dental insurance or care, reimbursement for attending continuing education courses, medical insurance and pension plans.

For dental hygentist program information:

Edison State College Program
Hillsborough Community College
Manatee Community College
Pasco-Hernando Community College
St. Petersburg College

Hygiene Program Links:
Manatee Community College Dental Hygiene Program
Hillsborough Community College Dental Hygiene

St. Petersburg Community College Dental Hygiene


Career Resources

For more information about careers in the dental field, contact:

Florida Dental Assistants Association
800 Carlton Court
Winter Haven, FL 33884

(863) 499-2715 Ext. 286

Florida Dental Hygiene Association
P.0. Box 30938
West Palm Beach, FL 33420
(860) 896-0603

Florida Dental Laboratory Association
325 John Knox Road L103
Tallahassee, FL 32303

(850) 224-0711

Florida Dental Association
1111 E. Tennessee St.
Tallahassee, FL 32308
(850) 681-3629

Dental Careers in Florida
http://www.flahec.org/hlthcareers/dentist.htm