Description
Dental assistants assist dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists during the examination and treatment of patients and perform clerical functions. Dental laboratory assistants assist dental technologists and technicians in preparing and fabricating dentures and other dental devices. Dental assistants work in dentists’ offices, community health centres, clinics and in educational institutions. Dental laboratory assistants are employed in dental laboratories.
Job Titles
- Certified dental assistant
- Certified intra-oral dental assistant
- Dental assistant
Main Duties
- Prepare patients for dental examination and assist the dentist during examinations and dental treatments
- Sterilize and maintain instruments and equipment
- Prepare dental instruments, fillings, compounds and various dental materials
- Take and develop X-rays
- Polish teeth and clinical crowns and apply fluoride and sealant
- Take preliminary impressions for diagnostic casts
- Educate patients concerning oral hygiene
- Perform clerical duties such as prepare invoices, process payments, schedule patient appointments, record dental procedures performed and order dental and office supplies
- May perform intra-oral duties such as remove sutures, take and record vital signs, apply desensitizing agents, topical anaesthetic, anticariogenic agents and coronal whitening, fabricate, place, and remove temporary crowns and restorations, and apply and remove rubber dams
- May also perform pulp vitality testing as well as periodontal screening and recording.
Workplaces
- Clinics
- Community health centres
- Dentists’ offices
- Education institutions
Skills
- Oral Communication: Active Listening
- Coordinating
- Critical Thinking
- Decision Making
- Digital Literacy
Abilities
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Control of Settings
- Finger Dexterity
- Finger-Hand-Wrist Motion
- Manual Dexterity
Personal Attributes
- Attention to Detail
- Concern for Others
- Adaptability
- Collaboration
- Independence
Similar Occupations
Source: OaSIS
Employment Outlook
The employment outlook will be good for Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants (33100) in Prince Edward Island for the 2022-2024 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
- Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
- Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
- There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
As the federal government rolls out the Canadian Dental Care Plan (to be fully implemented by 2025), its effectiveness may be hampered by a shortage of dental staff. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, dentist offices in the province (and across the country) have had to contend with staffing shortages and appointment backlogs. As a result, the prospect for employment in this occupation is favourable over the forecast period.
Employment growth in this field is dependent on the demand for dental services. Over the past decade, a growing and ageing provincial population and increasing public awareness of the importance of oral hygiene has increased the demand for dental services, supporting job prospects in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants in Prince Edward Island:
- Approximately 250 people work in this occupation.
- Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants mainly work in the following sectors:
- Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): more than 95%
- The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
- Full-time workers: 90% compared to 84% for all occupations
- Part-time workers: 10% compared to 16% for all occupations
- 31% of dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants work all year, while 69% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 38 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
- The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
- Men: 9% compared to 51% for all occupations
- Women: 91% compared to 49% for all occupations
- The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
- no high school diploma: n/a
- high school diploma or equivalent: 11% compared to 28% for all occupations
- apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 11% compared to 11% for all occupations
- college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 75% compared to 25% for all occupations
- bachelor’s degree: n/a
- university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
Source: Job Bank
Prevailing Wages
| AREA | LOW | MEDIAN | HIGH |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $17.00 | $21.50 | $25.00 |
| Canada | $20.00 | $25.44 | $33.00 |
Training
| TRAINING PROGRAM | INSTITUTION | CREDENTIAL |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Assisting | Holland College | Certificate |
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