ADA Dental Team Careers

ADHA: Career as a Dental Hygienist

N.C.  Community College System, Education Catalog

 

Careers in Dental Health

The Facts

The field of dentistry offers many opportunities for rewarding careers in North Carolina (PDF, 416KB). Professional oral health care requires a team effort to ensure success. The core of the oral health care team is comprised of dentists, hygienists, assistants, and laboratory technicians.

• Dentist: The dentist is responsible and accountable for everything that goes on in the dental office or clinic. Only a licensed dentist is educated and trained to diagnose dental problems, plan treatment or prescribe medication or refer to dental specialists. As long as the licensed dentist supervises, certain phases of dental treatment may be delegated to other members of the dental team. Dentists can be either general practitioners or specialists. The American Dental Association recognizes nine professional dental specialties.
• Dental Hygienist: The dental hygienist cleans teeth and performs other functions under the direction and supervision of a licensed dentist. North Carolina dental hygienists must be licensed. Their title is Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH).
• Dental Assistant: Under the supervision of a licensed dentist, the job of the dental assistant is to help the dentist at chair-side, take x-rays and perform other support functions. There are two categories of dental assistants working in North Carolina: Dental Assistant (DA) and Certified Dental Assistant (CDA).
• Dental Laboratory Technician: The dental laboratory technician, with a prescription from a licensed dentist, uses models and measurements to fabricate dentures, crowns and other dental prosthetic devices.

These team members provide the services necessary for total oral health care. Dental professionals treat people, not just teeth, gums and mouths. Good oral health is an essential component of the total health of a person. Dental professionals interact with people of all ages and personalities from a wide range of cultures. Their skills in working with people can have a lifelong positive impact on the total health of the people who use their services.

Many other career paths, other than traditional private dental practice, are open to trained dental professionals. These include careers in community health departments and other public health agencies, hospitals, military, dental education, dental research, and in industry, such as dental product development and sales.  Dentistry is a challenging and rewarding career.

There are training opportunities in North Carolina for all specialties in the oral health profession. North Carolina colleges and universities throughout the state (see below) provide training for dentists, dental assistants, dental hygienists, and dental laboratory technicians.

The North Carolina Area Health Education (AHEC) Program provides guidance for planning a career in health services.
Another excellent resource for specific dental health careers in North Carolina is NC Health Careers@CFNC.org sponsored by the College Foundation of North Carolina . Additional information on North Carolina health careers can be found at the North Carolina Health Careers Access Program.

Educational Programs for Dental Careers in N.C.

College Location	Phone	Programs
Alamance Community College PO Box 8000 Graham, N.C. 27253-8000	(336) 578-2002	Dental Assisting
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College 340 Victoria Road Asheville, N.C. 28801-4816	(828) 254-1921	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Cape Fear Community College 411 N. Front Street Wilmington, N.C. 28401-3910	(910) 362-7000	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Catawba Valley Community College 2550 US Highway 70 SE Hickory, NC • 28602-8302	(828) 327.7000	Dental Hygiene
Central Carolina Community College 900 S. Vance Street #220 Sanford, NC 27330	(919) 775-2122	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Central Piedmont Community College PO Box 35009 Charlotte, N.C. 28235-5009	(704) 330-2722	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Coastal Carolina Community College 444 Western Blvd. Jacksonville, N.C. 28546-6816	(910) 455-1221	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Durham Technical Community College 1637 Lawson Street Durham, N.C. 27703-5023	(919) 563-7200	Dental Laboratory Technology
East Carolina University 2516 Health Sciences Building Greenville, N.C. 27834	(252) 737-7000	Dentistry
Fayetteville Technical Community College PO Box 35236 Fayetteville, N.C. 28303-0236	(910) 678-8400	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Forsyth Technical Community College 2100 Silas Creek Parkway Winston-Salem, N.C. 27103-5197	(336) 723-0371	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Guilford Technical Community College PO Box 309 Jamestown, N.C. 27282-0309	(336) 334-4822	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Halifax Community College P.O. Drawer 809 100 College Drive Weldon, N.C. 27890-1121	(252) 536-4221	Dental Hygiene
Martin Community College 1161 Kehukee Park Road Williamston, N.C. 27892-4425	(252) 792-1521	Dental Assisting
Miller-Motte College 3901 Capital Boulevard Raleigh, NC 27604 1021 WH Smith Blvd. Ste. 102 Greenville, NC 27834 5000 Market Street Wilmington, NC 28405	(919) 723-2820 (252) 215-2000 (910) 392-4660	Dental Assisting
Montgomery Community College 1011 Page Street Troy, N.C. 27371-8387	(910) 576-6222	Dental Assisting
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College PO Box 1595 Salisbury, N.C. 28145-1594	(704) 216-3726	Dental Assisting
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Campus Box 7450 Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-7450	(919) 966-1161	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Dental Hygiene, EducationDentistry
Wake Technical Community College 101 Fayetteville Road Raleigh, N.C. 27603-5655	(919) 866-5000	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Wayne Community College 3000 Wayne Memorial Drive Goldsboro, N.C. 27534-8212	(919) 735-5151	Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene
Western Piedmont Community College 1001 Burkemont Avenue Morganton, N.C. 28655-4504	(828) 438-6000	Dental Assisting
Wilkes Community College PO Box 120 Wilkesboro, N.C. 28697-0120	(336) 838-6100	Dental Assisting

 

 

 

Updated: May 22, 2019