You do not need a four-year degree to find a well-paying job.
Sometimes, all it takes is less than a year, such as when you start out as an Entry-Level Dental Assistant in Vermont.
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- Licensing Requirement to Become a Dental Assistant in Vermont
- 5 Dental Assistant Schools in Vermont
- Salary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What steps do I need to take to become a certified dental assistant in Vermont?
- How long does it take to become a dental assistant?
- What kind of setting does a Vermont dental assistant usually work in?
- How many hours does a dental assistant work per week?
- Do dental assistants get to pick their own hours?
Licensing Requirement to Become a Dental Assistant in Vermont
The first step you would take in Vermont is probably to sign up as a traditional dental assistant.
For this position, you must register with the Vermont Board Of Examiners within 30 days of hire.
In addition, you will need to complete emergency certifications such as CPR within your first six months of employment in a dental office.
To use an X-ray machine and perform radiology scans, you will need to either have an Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) or a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certificate.
You will earn this certificate after you attend a training program approved by the Commission On Dental Accreditation (CODA).
Upon completion of CODA approved program, you will need to take the CDA exam hosted by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).
Make sure you also fulfill Virginia Infection Control (ICE) and Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) certification exam requirements also earned through DANB.
5 Dental Assistant Schools in Vermont
1. Center for Technology, Essex (CTE)
In Essex, students in 11th and 12th grade, as well as adults, can participate in the CTE.
You will spend most of your time in a work-study program that takes place at a dental lab.
It will start you off as a dental assistant and that may fuel you to also pursue a dental hygienist or dentist career.
You will learn communication skills, particularly those you need when helping anxious patients receive proper dental care. In addition, you will prepare yourself for radiology and CPR certifications.
Even if you are still in high school, you can earn college credit in this program.
Additional skills you will learn would include making teeth whitening trays and taking dental impressions for tooth forming.
You also will find out how to keep a dental office running smoothly.
You may also have to schedule appointments or answer your phones.
Your CTE training prepares you for that.
2. Vermont Tech
Vermont tech will allow you to enroll in their online clinical dental assistant program.
This training will prepare you to take the CDA exam. In addition, this coursework equips you with the knowledge that you need to pass your ICE and RHS requirements.
One popular option at Vermont tech is to take the clinical dental assisting certificate program.
As a clinical dental assistant, you would focus more on working with the dentist in the exam room and communicating with the patients.
In this type of DA position, you would not spend much time scheduling appointments or taking phone calls, although you might. It depends on where you end up working.
3. Vermont Adult Career And Technical Education Association
This Vermont training center has a program for dental assistants that is ideal for continuing education students who already have some background.
It is job-specific training that includes a paid dental assisting training position with a practice that has an affiliation with the Vermont State Dental Society.
This coursework has all the certification training components required by the state of Vermont concerning infection control, radiology, and other health and safety training.
It is an ongoing hybrid class the participants can start at any time.
4. The Dale foundation
On the Dale Foundation website, you can find access to a variety of continuing education courses for dental assistants.
It is a convenient way to earn your continuing education (CE) If you’re already working full time.
Some classes cover specific topics such as the anxiety of special needs children who need dental care.
Other classes will cover different ways to protect yourself from Covid-19 and how to it from contaminating your dental instruments.
5. Vermont Dental Assistants Association (CE)
This association offers a four-hour course approved by the Vermont board of dental examiners.
It is a free infection control continuing education class.
This website offers training for people who need to keep up their CE hours, especially when re-certifying.
Dental Assistant Schools in Vermont – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Vermont
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Center for Technology, Essex (CTE) | 2 Educational Dr, Essex Junction, VT 05452 |
| Vermont Tech | 124 Admin Dr, Randolph Center, VT 05061 |
| Vermont Adult Career And Technical Education Association | Southwest VT Regional Tech School Dist, 321 Park St; Bennington; 05201; VT |
| The Dale foundation | |
| Vermont Dental Assistants Association | 1 Kennedy Dr # L3, South Burlington, VT 05403 |
Salary
The average income earned by a Vermont dental assistant as reported in April 2022 totals $39,299.
Salaries for the state range between $34,855 and $43,606.
You can look for jobs in Barre, Berlin Corners, Brattleboro, Burlington, or Essex.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Dental Assistants in Vermont
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Burlington | $40,184 |
| Essex | $40,184 |
| Rutland | $40,546 |
| Colchester | $40,184 |
| South Burlington | $40,184 |
| Bennington | $41,244 |
| Brattleboro | $41,368 |
| Hartford | $41,829 |
| Milton | $40,160 |
| Barre | $39,817 |
Regional Salary in Vermont
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 250 | $54,050 | $25.99 | $61,630 | $39,430 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What steps do I need to take to become a certified dental assistant in Vermont?
Explore Vermont’s local and online dental assisting programs available to you.
Make sure that the training you receive from your school of choice will match up with the certifications that you want to earn.
It is wise to stick with a CODA-approved association that also is familiar with the available DANB certification exams.
How long does it take to become a dental assistant?
You can start out becoming a dental assistant in one year or less.
In some cases, you can take an initial eight-week class and start with that.
However, DANB and state requirements may call for enough training hours to take the most current certification exam that you qualify for.
What kind of setting does a Vermont dental assistant usually work in?
Most dental assistants will work in a private office for one or more dentists.
However, you can find opportunities at some launch long-term care facilities, and maybe even some hospitals have them on staff.
Universities and high schools and local clinics also have dentists on duty.
Alternatively, you could pursue a specialized dental assisting position in an orthodontist or pediatric dentist’s office.
Otherwise, find work in any specialty environment where they would need a dental assistant.
How many hours does a dental assistant work per week?
Dental assistant jobs are usually full-time.
However, you might start out part-time if you are still enrolled in college.
Even if you are still going to school full time, there is a good chance you will transition into a paid Dental Assistant position.
When this happens, you could end up working full-time before you complete your certification training.
Do dental assistants get to pick their own hours?
You will get some paid time off, but you will need to schedule vacations and other days away from the office in advance.
Sometimes, you may not get your requests granted unless you submit them before everyone else does, such as for a particular weekend or holiday.
