Dental Therapists

There are many ways to learn more about a career in dental therapy. You can visit Web sites that feature information about the field. For example, Colgate (a manufacturer of toothpaste and other personal care products) offers What is a Dental Therapist? (https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/adult-oral-care/what-is-a-dental-therapist), and you can also view videos about dental therapists on YouTube.

The National Partnership for Dental Therapy offers a useful blog (https://www.dentaltherapy.org/blog) that will help you to learn more about the field.

Talk to dental therapists about their careers. Ask them how they trained for the field, what they like and dislike about their jobs, and for advice about becoming a therapist. Perhaps the therapist might agree to serve as a mentor and provide you with ongoing advice and encouragement as you navigate college and try to break into the field.

Participate in competitions in dental health, science, health care, and related fields to build your abilities. SkillsUSA (a national membership organization for middle school, high school, and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations) offers a Dental Assisting competition. Areas of competition include preparation of dental materials; chairside assisting; infection control; and emergency, laboratory, and office procedures. There are also competitions in Basic Health Care Skills, First Aid/CPR, Health Knowledge Bowl, Health Occupations Professional Portfolio, Job Interview, Medical Math, and Medical Terminology. Visit http://www.skillsusa.org for more information.

Consider joining HOSA-Future Health Professionals, a national membership organization for high school and college students who are interested in pursuing careers in health care. HOSA offers competitions for aspiring dental professionals, including a Dental Terminology competition and a Dental Science event. Learn more at https://hosa.org/competition.