Like most "assistants," Teshema Evans' job description only offers a peek into what she does every day. The advanced dental assistant aids Dr. Roshan Parikh at Olympia Fields Dental Associates, but she would have to take off her latex gloves to count all the things she does.
"I don't just assist the doctor," said Evans, who lives on Chicago's South Side. "I take X-rays, make temporary crowns and veneers, prepare bleaching trays, make night guards, a lot of things."
She also helps train interns. When she went to school seven years ago at Wilbur Wright College in Chicago, the dental assistant program took about three months. It since has doubled. Evans performed 20 internship hours. The requirement now is 160.
If assistants want to expand their prospects, they can get specialized certificates. "At the job I had before, the dental director sent us to the UIC College of Dentists," Evans said. "I have certifications in corona polishing, and pit and sealants."
Her employer paid for the one-day certification course, something Evans said is common practice among offices. And the more you know, the more you get paid, she said.
Evans works full time at the office but said the profession offers full- and part-time positions. Her days are packed, seeing up to 20 patients and always moving between exam rooms.
"It's fast-paced," she said. "Sometimes we work 10 hours. Sometimes we don't leave on time," she said, noting the job can be unpredictable (source) |
