I want to go for dental assistant before I go to dental school. Is this a good idea?

Is this a good idea to increase the chance for admission and mean while gain experience in this field. If not what are the best ways to increase your qualification...

I want to go for dental assistant before I go to dental school. Is this a good idea?
I don't know if being a dental assistant increases one's chances of being accepted into Dental school but it seems like it would be a waste of your time and money. Go for the real thing.





Overall, seems like dental schools don't place a lot of emphasis on prior experience in the field of dental health. Some schools may wish to see a letter of recommendation from a dentist or other healthcare professional as one of the 3 letters required. One school actually gives more consideration to those who wish to change careers and go into dentistry.





I suggest you look at websites for dental schools in your state or wherever you might want to go, and examine the admissions requirements very carefully. Things like high DAT scores are more important than having been a dental assistant. Most schools want to see a well rounded college education with a decent GPA.
Reply:I think that's a great idea. I wanted to be an RN Which I am now but I started as a CNA then I went to an LVN and now I am a RN. Good luck with your endeavours
Reply:I don't really think that it will increase your chances for admission but the experience will help you better understand what you will learn in school. I would start with being a dental assistant to make sure that you want to become a dentist. At least then if you decide that you are really not that interested in the profession then you have not wasted too much money. I have been a dental assistant for 6 years and I love it but it is not a job for just anybody. Good Luck on whatever you decide to do with your life.
Reply:I don't think it's a good idea from a time standpoint. If you know what you want to do, then set your sights on it and go for it. If you are unsure if dentistry is where you want to be, then it's okay to start out as a dental assistant, I guess, but to tell you the truth, you could spend a little more time in school to be a dental hygienist and go on to dental school from there. The pay is better and you just have more autonomy and responsibility.