You would fulfill a very important role if you become a dental assistant in Delaware.
This career demonstrates how you do not have to go to school for several years to make a decent living wage.
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Licensing Requirements to Become a Dental Assistant in Delaware
The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) website does not have any schools for Delaware approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) listed on it.
Training at a CODA-approved school is usually the standard.
However, Delaware educational centers and colleges still provide training that satisfies the state’s DANB requirements.
Schools also take the Infections Control requirement seriously.
For instance, at least one of them follows the OSHA Bloodborne And Airborne Pathogens Certificate protocol.
Radiation And Health Safety (RHS)
5 Dental Assistant Schools in Delaware
1. Dawn Career Institute
Dawn Career Institute is one of the institutions that take the OSHA infection control standards seriously.
So, you can feel confident about preparing for that certification at this school.
This training center also abides by the RHS state certification requirements managed by DANB.
This training, which includes 36 weeks of daytime and 48 weeks of evening times, covers both clinical and office aspects of dental assisting.
You will spend 160 hours of your training in an externship on the job in a medical facility with certified staff overseeing you.
2. Delaware Technical Community College (Delaware Tech)
Delaware Tech provides a 180-hour dental assistant certificate program.
This school includes the cost of the certification exam background check drug screening uniforms and textbooks.
The tuition also covers the costs of CPR certification.
Your hands-on training would start at the Delaware Tech Dental Center.
Then you will have the chance to continue your hands-on training under the supervision of a local dentist.
3. The DALE Foundation
DALE provides Continuing education course offerings on specific subjects for anyone requiring continuing education (CE) hours.
For instance, you could review the correct ways to sterilize instruments to make sure they do not get contaminated.
Maybe you also want to brush up on pediatric dentistry if you plan to work for a children’s dentist.
If you take these courses just make sure they line up with Delaware’s requirements.
They do have offerings for different states and sometimes a free Infection Control class.
4. Adult Education Division (AED)
AED provides 144 hours of Dental Assistant training.
This includes safe dental instrument handling and correct usage of X-ray equipment.
Concerning X-rays, the training lines up with the requirements set by the state of Delaware and the DANB.
This course also covers infection control.
What is more, it provides you with hands-on experience.
It is an entry-level training program.
However, aspects of it may apply to license renewals.
5. Elite Learning
The state of Delaware provides information on how to verify if the continuing education hours of a school that claims to offer them are legitimate.
Follow those guidelines first when seeking continuing education options.
Otherwise, try the school that you went to previously.
Elite Learning does provide continuing education packages.
Some options include a 20-hour course, and others include 10 hours of coursework.
There is also a two-hour class on infection control cross-contamination and instrument sterilization.
Those are just some examples of the offerings that Elite Learning has.
Make sure you double-check with not only the state but also DANB and CODA.
Dental Assistant Schools in Delaware – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Delaware
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Dawn Career Institute | 252 Chapman Rd, Newark, DE 19702 |
| Delaware Technical Community College | 400 Stanton Christiana Rd, Newark, DE 19713 |
| The DALE Foundation | |
| Adult Education Division (AED) | 1703 School Ln, Wilmington, DE 19808 |
| Elite Learning | 26 N Beach St suite a, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 |
Salary
A salary update occurred in April 2022 that revealed a figure of $42,850.
That is how much a dental assistant working in Delaware makes on average.
Incomes for the year range from $38,004 to $47, 545.
You can earn an income of more than $51,820, however, if you continue to seek new educational opportunities and certifications.
Gain as much work experience as you can too.
Look for jobs and bear, Dover, Newcastle, and Wilmington or Newark.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Dental Assistants in Delaware
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Wilmington | $43,503 |
| Dover | $43,431 |
| Newark | $43,470 |
| Milford | $43,535 |
| Seaford | $42,641 |
| Middletown | $43,354 |
| Bear | $43,535 |
| Smyrna | $43,384 |
| New Castle | $43,503 |
| Georgetown | $43,535 |
Regional Salary in Delaware
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | 180 | $45,620 | $21.93 | $48,700 | $34,600 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a dental assistant?
It will take you about as long as required for the certification exam.
You also need time to study all aspects such as the RHS and the Infection Control units of certification.
Your entry-level certification might only take you a few months or less.
However, advanced training such as an associate degree in a related dental field such as dental hygiene could take you longer.
Is a dental assistant the same thing as a dental hygienist?
You might find some similarities between the clinical dental assistant and the dental hygienist.
The clinical dental assistant does perform more chairside assisting than would a dental assistant who just wants to work in the office.
What career advancement opportunities are open to a dental assistant?
It depends on your career goals.
You should plan ahead and think about whether you want to be a dental hygienist someday, for instance.
If you aspire to become a dentist, you will have to choose your coursework even more carefully.
You can start out as a dental assistant no matter what dentistry career you pursue.
How much do certification exams cost?
It depends on the test.
The Infection Control tests could cost you $250-$500.
The Certified Dental Assistant exam may cost you around $450.
Some schools include the cost of the exam in the tuition.
What does a Delaware dental assistant do all day?
It depends on the day, and it depends on the interests and background of the person working in that position.
It also depends on the needs of the facility.
You could work up front in the office answering phones and scheduling appointments all day.
Alternatively, you could concentrate on clinical dental assisting and work with a dentist or a dental hygienist all day.
If working directly under a dentist, you will spend quite a bit of time consoling patients and preparing instrument trays when you first start out.
