The Dental Team
At a glance:
- California has over 40,000 dentists, 60,000 dental assistants and 20,000 hygienists
- A license unique to California is the registered dental hygienists in alternative practice (RDHAP)
- Another advanced area of practice is the registered dental assistant in extended functions (RDAEF)
Dental team areas of expertise
Interested in a career in oral health? Explore four of the primary roles and find next steps for learning more about education and employment.
The dentist is the head of the dental team — responsible and accountable for everything that goes on in the dental office.
Primary role:
- Diagnose, plan treatment and prescribe medication
- Provide treatment for diseases and conditions of, and associated with, the mouth, jaws, and teeth
Skills and education:
- Bachelor’s degree plus 3-4 years at an accredited dental school
- Receives extensive training in diagnosis and treatment planning and in clinical restorative and surgical care
- Degree obtained: Doctor of dental surgery (DDS) or doctor of medicine in dentistry (DMD)
Specialties:
Dental specialists obtain additional post-doctoral education in one of 10 areas:
- Dental anesthesiology
- Dental public health
- Endodontics
- Oral and maxillofacial pathology
- Oral and maxillofacial radiology
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics
- Pediatric dentistry
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
Dental programs and resources:
- Dental Board of California
- Loma Linda University (LLU) – School of Dentistry
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – School of Dentistry
- University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) – School of Dentistry
- University of the Pacific (UOP) – School of Dentistry
- University of Southern California (USC) – School of Dentistry
- Western University of Health Sciences – School of Dental Medicine
The role of a dental assistant ranges from providing office support, to providing basic supportive dental procedures, to working chairside to assist dentists in providing advanced restorative care.
Primary role:
- Collecting patient data, including taking and processing X-rays, for dentist diagnosis
- Assisting the dentist with the delivery of instruments and preparation of dental materials
- Counseling patients about dental disease prevention
Skills and education:
- On-the-job training
- Vocational or technical schools
- Regional Occupational programs
- Community college
License and permit categories:
- Dental assistants (DA) have no licensing requirements
- Registered dental assistants (RDA) are licensed professionals
- Registered dental assistants in extended functions (RDAEF) receive an additional license after advanced training
- Orthodontic assistants and dental sedation assistants receive permits after successfully completing specialized training
Dental assistant resources
Dental hygienists work with dentists to provide comprehensive dental care to patients.
Primary role:
- Dental disease prevention, including fluoride applications and dental sealants
- Clean teeth and provide nonsurgical treatments for periodontal health
- Counsel patients in daily oral hygiene care
Skills and education:
- Minimum of two years of college education, which includes basic science and dental specific courses
- Longer programs can lead to a bachelor’s degree
- Additional, specialized education required for an alternative practice license or additional options for care, such as stabilizing teeth with active dental decay
License categories:
- Registered dental hygienist (RDH)
- Registered dental hygienist in extended functions (RDHEF)
- Registered dental hygienist in alternative practice (RDHAP)
Dental hygienist resources
A dental laboratory technician rarely works directly with patients, but receives instruction from dentists for making dental prostheses, which are replacements for natural teeth.
Primary role:
- Create full dentures, crowns, bridges, or orthodontic appliances
- Fabricates fixed bridges, partials, dentures, veneers and crowns
- Create orthodontic appliances and splints to help straighten and protect teeth
Skills and education:
- Community college/ course work
- Vocational/technical school/ education and training
- Apprenticeships and on-the-job training
- Aptitude for detailed and precise work
- Manual dexterity in using small hand instruments
Laboratory technician resources