Dental Assistant?? Are you a dental asst.?? Tell me about your job? How long where you in college?

I will be Graduating this spring with a associates Degree in Information Systems.....but I do want to go back to school to be a Dental Hygienist or Assistant?? What the differences?? How about the Assistant do you still have to take the state/regional exam?? If you do.... is it hard???? thanks!!

Dental Assistant?? Are you a dental asst.?? Tell me about your job? How long where you in college?
My husband is a dental assistant. It takes roughly 2 years of college, but some dentists will train you without a degree. Dental hygienists need a bit more schooling, but their job pays a lot more. Hygienists are the ones who clean your teeth at the dentist. The assistants are the ones who seat you, take your x-rays, hand the dentist instruments, stuff like that. There is a state exam for assistants, but you can work without one. My husband's co-workers all passed it on the first try. My husband hasn't taken it yet. As an assistant you can get between $8 and $20 an hour, depending on experience, education and location. But a hygienist gets twice that. Many dentists themselves started out as hygienists. If you're going for a permanent career, I would say hygienist. If you just need some more cash to supplement your IS work, go assistant. Best of luck to you.
Reply:Hey! I'm an assistant..been one for 6 1/2 years and I LOVE IT! I went to school for 2 years and was hired while I was still in school. I want to go back to get certification to be a hygienist, but that will take a couple of years. You do have state requirements and yearly requirements.A hygienist basically cleans the teeth and is more on the hygiene side of dentistry while an assistant works their *** off helping the doctor. In my case, I'm a floater. There's only me and one other person in the office besides the doc so I float from front office to the ops. It's very fun. I have always had a mouth and teeth thing so I am in heaven. Oh yeah and if you study for the tests, they are not hard.Good luck.