| Careers in Georgia Dentistry |
Dentists provide vital health services as part of a highly respected profession, operate as independent business owners, and enjoy
incomes that provide a good living. Dentists perform a variety of professional duties. They can check patients' mouths for signs of
diseases such as oral cancer. They diagnose and treat problems
with the teeth, gums, tongue, lips and jaws. Dentists can help
people have more attractive smiles through cosmetic dental
procedures. Dentists sometimes perform surgery to repair teeth,
gums, and oral tissues. They educate patients about good oral health.
Many dentists volunteer to treat patients with little or no funds, or
go to churches or schools to educate the community about good
oral health. Dentists can practice as general dentists or they can
take more educational training and become specialists. There |
are nine recognized dental specialties, including pediatric dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, public health dentists, periodontists, endodontists, and oral pathologists.
For more information about becoming a dentist and applying to dental school, visit www.ada.org (the American Dental Association) and www.mcg.edu (Medical College of Georgia, the only dental school
in the state of Georgia). |
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| Careers in Georgia Dental Hygiene |
Dental hygienists help patients maintain good oral health and
prevent dental disease. Dental hygiene is a fast growing and stable profession.
Dental hygienists have many roles in the dental office. Most dental hygienists are employed by general dentists. Although regulations vary
by state, some dental hygiene tasks are: Taking and recording dental
and medical histories; performing cleanings and tooth polishing; applying topical fluoride; preparing diagnostic casts; performing root planing; exposing and processing x-rays; applying sealants; and implementing patient education.
There are two types of dental hygiene education programs. The
two-year associate degree program consists of courses in basic
sciences, dental sciences, and liberal arts as well as clinical
experience. Most associate degree courses allow transfer credits
for a bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degree programs four years of
college level work. Below is a listing of dental hygiene education
programs in Georgia. |
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Georgia Dental Hygiene
Educational Programs |
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The following schools or colleges have been recognized by the
Georgia Board of Dentistry and accredited by the Commission on
Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. The
GDA does not endorse any program listed on this site. The guidelines
for obtaining a licensure to practice as a dental hygienist in Georgia
can be found in Board Rule 150-5, posted at:
www.sos.state.ga.us/acrobat/PLB/Rules/chapt150.pdf. |
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Armstrong Atlantic State University (Savannah)
(912) 344-2585
www.armstrong.edu |
Athens Technical College
(Athens)
(706) 355-5142
www.athenstech.edu |
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Central Georgia Technical
College (Macon)
(478) 757-3487
www.centralgatech.edu |
Clayton State University
(Morrow)
(678) 466-4905
www.clayton.edu |
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Columbus Technical College
(706) 649-1977
www.columbustech.edu |
Darton College (Albany)
(229) 317-6840
www.darton.edu |
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Georgia Highlands College
(Rome)
(706) 204-2250
www.highlands.edu |
Georgia Perimeter College (Dunwoody)
(770) 274-5131
www.gpc.edu |
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Lanier Technical College
(Oakwood / Gainesville)
(770) 535-6905
www.laniertech.edu |
Medical College of Georgia (Augusta)
(706) 721-2938
www.mcg.edu |
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Medix College (Smyrna)
(678) 486-8401
www.medixschool.edu |
Middle Georgia Technical
College (Warner Robins)
(478) 988-6800 x-4024
www.middlegatech.edu |
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Southeastern Technical College
(Vidalia)
(912) 538-3210
www.southeasterntech.edu |
Valdosta Technical College
(Valdosta)
(229) 259-5534
www.valdostatech.edu |
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West Central Technical College (Newnan Campus)
(770) 947-7220
www.westgatech.edu |
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| Careers in Georgia Dental Assisting |
Dental assistants perform a variety of tasks and duties. Assisting
can serve as a bridge to other dental careers, such as dental hygiene. Being an assistant lets you work in a dental office and see if oral
health care is for you before investing years of education and training.
The dental office provides an excellent work environment with lots of interaction with different people. You also receive satisfaction in working with patients and knowing that you have helped to provide a valuable service. Most dental assistants are employed by general dentists. However, specialists also employ assistants. There are also
opportunities in public health dentistry.
Although regulations vary by state, some dental assisting tasks include: taking the patient’s medical history; taking impressions for study casts (models); placing and developing x-rays; serving as an infection control officer, preparing and sterilizing instruments and equipment; providing patients with after-care instructions; performing office management tasks, and assisting the dentist during treatment procedures.
Dental assistants can receive their education and training through academic programs at community colleges or technical schools as well
as on the job training by a dentist. The majority of academic programs take nine to eleven months to complete. Below is a listing of dental assisting education programs in Georgia. |
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Georgia Dental Assisting
Educational Programs |
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The following programs for dental assistants have been accredited
by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. The GDA does not endorse any dental assisting program. Additional information on dental assisting careers can be found at www.ada.org. The guidelines for practicing as a dental assistant in Georgia can be found at the Georgia Board of Dentistry Web site: www.sos.state.ga.us/acrobat/PLB/Rules/chapt150.pdf. See Board Rule 150-9. |
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Albany Technical College
(229) 430-3543
www.albanytech.edu |
Athens Technical College
(706) 355-5142
www.athenstech.edu |
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Atlanta Technical College
(404) 225-4557
www.atlantatech.edu |
Augusta Technical College
(706) 771-4178
www.augustatech.edu |
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Columbus Technical College
(706) 649-1979
www.columbustech.edu |
Georgia Northwestern Technical College (770) 684-3128
www.gntc.edu |
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Griffin Technical College
(770) 229-3136
www.griffintech.edu |
Gwinnett Technical College
(770) 962-7580
www.gwinnetttech.edu |
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Lanier Technical College (Oakwood) (770) 531-6370
www.laniertech.edu |
Medix College (Smyrna)
(770) 980-0002
www.medixschool.edu |
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Middle Georgia Technical College (Warner Robins)
(478) 988-6800 x-4026
www.middlegatech.edu |
Ogeechee Technical College (Statesboro) (912) 486-7700
www.ogeecheetech.edu |
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Savannah Technical College
(912) 443-5812
www.savannahtech.edu |
Valdosta Technical College
(229) 259-5533
www.valdostatech.edu |
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West Central Technical College
(678) 423-2000 x-248
www.westgatech.edu |
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| Private Georgia Assisting Programs |
| The following programs are not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, and are listed here for information only. You should investigate any program prior to investing in the program. The listing of these programs on the GDA web site does NOT imply any endorsement or approval of the program. |
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Academy of Orthodontic Assisting
(Kennesaw and Athens Locations)
(877) 976-4536
www.orthoassisting.net
Dental Careers of Marietta
(770) 973-0496
www.mydentalcareers.com
Dental Staff School, Inc. (Marietta)
(678) 907-7907
www.dentalstaffschool.com
Georgia Academy of Dental Learning (Alpharetta)
Located in the office of North Point Dental Associates
(770) 777-2245
www.georgiadentalassisting.com
Gwinnett Dental Career Academy (Suwanee)
(678) 730-0779
www.gdcaweb.com |
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