SAN MATEO, Calif., Aug. 7, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Millions of new jobs in the health care industry will be created over the next eight years, and one- and two-year training programs are being offered by health education institutions across the U.S. to prepare students for a variety of health care occupations.
Eight of the top 20 occupations projected to grow the fastest by the U.S. Department of Labor are in health care, and, as the largest industry, health care provided 13.5 million jobs in 2004.
HealthCareers.net, http://www.healthcareers.net/, is an information portal designed to help students learn about a variety of health care occupations, potential earnings in health care, and educational institutions across the U.S. that offer accredited training programs. Dental Assistant is one of the health care occupations fully described and indexed for training programs on the website.
Dental Assistant programs are designed to prepare graduates for a rewarding career as a dental assistant. The demand for dental assistants is predicted to grow dramatically as dentists are expected to hire more dental assistants to perform routine tasks so that they may devote more time to complex procedures. (see Note)
Dental assistants perform a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties. Many dental assistants work chair-side as dentists work with patients. While most dental assistants learn on-the-job, the demand for highly qualified dental assistants is growing.
The Commission on Dental Accreditation with the American Dental Association (ADA) approved 265 dental-assisting training programs in 2005. Training programs include classroom, laboratory, and pre-clinical instruction in dental-assisting skills and related theory. Most programs take one year or less to complete and lead to a certificate or a diploma. Two-year programs lead to an associate degree.
Dental assistants held about 267,000 jobs in 2004, and job prospects for dental assistants are expected to be excellent in the upcoming decade. In fact, the field of dental assistants is expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the period of 2004-2014 (http://www.healthcareers.net/dental_assistant_employment_outlook.php).
In 2004, the median hourly earnings for dental assistants were $13.62. The middle 50 percent earned between $11.06 and $16.65 an hour. Benefits tend to vary from practice to practice and tend to depend upon full-time employment.
About HealthCareers.net
Healthcareers.net is an educational resource designed to appeal to secondary-school graduates contemplating entering the health care profession, current health care professionals wishing to improve their skills, and professionals considering switching to the health care field. Of the 20 occupations projected by the U.S. Department of Labor to grow the fastest through 2014, eight are in the health care industry. Being able to easily access information, educational resources, and training resources on health care careers will help meet the demand for health care workers.
The HealthCareers.net logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2659
Note: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos163.htm