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For one reason or another, many Americans end up changing careers at some point in their lives. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey, about 6.2 million workers (4 percent of the total workforce) transferred from one occupational group to another between 2015 and 2016. Despite those numbers, changing careers remains confusing and challenging for many people. It can be hard to determine what steps to take when seeking a new job or exploring all of the adult education options available.
If choosing a new career is looking too complicated, read our simple tips on how to make your occupation change easier. We’ve also done a little premature job searching for you; did you know that the healthcare industry is projected to add more jobs — more than 4 million — than any other industry between 2012 and 2022? Dental assisting, in particular, has excellent career projections. Keep reading to find out why we recommend it for your adult job search.
What are your interests? If you left your old job, what caused you to step back? If you’re not sure which direction your sails are taking you, seek out some guidance from personality and career tests. Many interest assessments are available online for a range of costs – some are even free. However, according to Forbes, it’s important to remember that these assessments are only offering advice. While personality and career tests make excellent tools, you should base your occupational choices on more than just an online quiz.
Worrying about finding a new career isn’t going to ease the process; it will probably just make it harder. Remember that careers are a lifelong pursuit and that no matter your age or ability, it’s okay to start anew far after you first graduated from high school or college. While finding the right job can be a tricky and time-consuming task, it is still something you can achieve, so long as you remain determined and focused.
What occupations are growing right now? Which ones aren’t? It’s important to do your research before jumping into a new industry after paying for expensive adult education classes. Seeking out a job that isn’t hiring will only leave you frustrated.
Many adult job seekers struggle with a career change because they don’t have the time or money to invest in more education. If you need to further your education to switch jobs, consider affordable continuing education programs that offer flexible learning times. While that might sound limiting, more schools are offering different times to meet the demand for adults who want to change careers.
If you want to find an occupation with favorable growth prospects and an above-median paycheck, consider a career in dental assisting. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental assisting is projected to add more than 64,000 jobs within the 2016-2026 decade; the career ranked sixth on their “Most New Jobs” list for occupations typically requiring an associate’s degree or postsecondary nondegree award.
If a stable, promising career in dental assisting appeals to you, contact us today!
Cari Jones March 28, 2024Sunrise school is a great program to start if you want to get into the dental field. My instructors were very helpful and truthful. I felt like they cared very much about our success. I was referred to this program from a friend who went there as well and I would certainly recommend it to one of my friends! Thank you for helping me get started on my journey into this career field!
Meredith K January 24, 2023I just recently graduated from the Sunrise Dental program at the Raleigh location and honestly it was a great learning experience. I not only met classmates that turned out to be friends of mine, but the new instructors there are so patient, kind, and truly care about educating students. They took their time to make sure we succeeded and I couldn’t of asked for more. It is a fast paced course but you certainly know the basic tools you need for entering an office with confidence. This also fit perfectly with my schedule as I work a full time job during the day. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in Dental Assisting.
Ashley Hicks January 24, 2023At Sunrise they give you the tools you need to become successful as a Dental Assistant. You have smaller numbers in the class, so you are able to have more one on one time with an instructor if needed. It is a fast paced class, but the instructor is willing to meet with you before class time if you need help. It is a good balance between lectures and actual lab time. You have great hands on experience and work with live “patients” (class members) in order to get an actual feel of what it would be like. The team at Sunrise Dental are very encouraging and push you to strive for your best. They also help with shadowing at different offices and even inform you if there are job openings at other offices. I would recommend this program to anyone and know that they would also get the great training that I have received!
Katie Hall January 24, 2023Sunrise is exactly the kind of schooling I need. The lectures are well written and the instructor answers our questions very well. The material is presented in an easy-to-understand manner and never have I felt overwhelmed. The hands on clinicals were enjoyable and a wonderful way of being introduced into the field. This program Is an investment worth making!!
Ashley Black January 24, 2023My experience with this school was fantastic. The instructor Wendy was very detailed with the lessons and gave close personal attention when things needed to be better explained. I felt fully prepared when I started working, and I have been at my dental office for 4 years now and I could not be happier with my decision.
eva lai January 24, 2023It was a good program. I met a lot of nice people a little hard at times because it was an accelerated course but overall the course was a good one. You get hands on experience with some of the tasks that you will do as a DAI and the teachers were nice, patient, and encouraging.
Lydia Halliday January 24, 2023I would highly recommended this program to anyone wanting to become a Dental assistant. The teachers are super awesome, friendly, nice, and well educated. I’ve enjoyed every second in class here at Sunrise!!! I gave never once had any problems with anything or anyone here.
Madison McCullock January 24, 2023Sunrise School of Dental Assisting provided me with the knowledge and skills I needed to begin my career in the Dental field. The instructors were very helpful and thorough in explaining the lessons and procedures to the class, and also made it a point to provide any additional help/tutoring before/after lessons for students. I enjoyed my experience at Sunrise School of Dental Assisting. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to receive the proper education necessary in order to excel in their Dental Assisting career,.
Jaylyn May January 24, 2023Prior to attending Sunrise School of Dental Assisting I had zero knowledge of the dentistry field and what this career choice would have in store for me. I had an awesome instructor, as well as current Dental Assistants at Sunrise, to help guide me and continue to be successful in my career. Everyone has been extremely helpful and I have had nothing less than a great experience. After graduation, I was hired on by Sunrise and couldn’t be more happy with my job and the decision to attend Sunrise School of Dental Assisting! Thank you all!!
Rebecca Carswell January 24, 2023Sunrise school of dental assisting is a great school! The teacher was so nice and was always ready to help and answer any questions that I had. I would choose Sunrise school of dental assisting over any other school becuase I learned everything I needed to know in just 13 weeks plus it worked with my current work schedule. I was able to work my full time job during the day and go to school at night! I also had a job waiting for me as a dental assistant as soon as I graduated! Sunrise school of dental assisting has taught me so much! I was a former worker in an emergency room at a hospital and had little knowledge about dental, but now that I’ve graduated I feel well educated as a dental assistant! I would recommend this school to anyone who has a desire to become a dental assistant!
Saved by Grace January 24, 2023I attended Sunrise School of Dental Assisting in 2016. It was a very convenient program with it only being two days a week (at night) it’s the perfect career opportunity especially for someone who needs to work while going to school. Since graduating, I have had many opportunities open up one of which is working at Sunrise itself. I had an excellent instructor who helped as much as she could to prepare us for a job in the dental field. I would highly recommend signing up, you won’t regret it!
Hailey Eason January 24, 2023I am currently attending Sunrise school of Dental Assisting in Fayetteville NC. I chose to take the class because it is very convenient for me with having a small child. When entering into the class I knew from the start I would love it. Mrs. Tammy our instructor is simply amazing. She is there to give us the material needed to complete the class. During class she guides us on what needs to be done and makes sure we understand the importance of knowing the proper way and steps to complete each objective. I would highly suggest Sunrise School of Dental Assiting to anyone who thinks they are interested in the dental field. Thanks to Mrs. Tammy I know now without a doubt I have found my forever career.
Talia H January 24, 2023I am a recent graduate of Sunrise school of dental assisting in raleigh! I started courses October 2018 and finished in January 2019. Mrs. Jennifer is an amazing instructor and always stayed late to help us. Class sizes were small so we were able to spend more time on each subject. I really enjoyed that this class was offered at night (6-9) 2 days a week, so I was able to still work during the day. I would highly recommend this school to anyone who is looking to start a new career in dentistry.
Autumn Sutton January 24, 2023If you are looking to become a Dental Assistant! I would highly recommend this program! I was able to find a job within a month of graduating. The course is very fast paced and hands. Mrs. Jennifer, is a true blessing to the program. She is absolutely amazing.
Katieee Sears January 24, 2023This class was perfect for me since I am a young single mom working a job. Mrs Jennifer was amazing!! You will for sure love her as a person and as a teacher! I graduated last class and I am more then pleased that I did it through Sunrise(: 10/10
Jayna Jones January 24, 2023I went to Sunrise School of Dental Assisting winter of 2021! I absolutely love the school and the staff. I was even offered a job in one of the offices. (which is now the wonderful place I work!!) I will be forever grateful for the opportunity Sunrise has given me.
Lexi Jones January 24, 2023I attended Sunrise School of Dental Assisting in Fall of 2022! It was very convenient with the class being held in the evening and only twice a week! Ms. Jen and Ms. Delta are amazing people and instructors and were both so helpful throughout the course! Lots of hands on learning throughout the program as well!
Jaya Collins January 24, 2023Sunrise school of dental assisting has been a great place to attend. I’ve learned so much from the instructors and the people Ive had the pleasure to work next to. The instructors are very helpful and truly do want you to succeed in the program.
Nadrah A January 24, 2023I attended Sunrise school of dental in the fall of 2022! I’m glad I took this opportunity and took this class because It’s very convenient only 2 days a wake, and you understand everything. Also, the staff are very helpful and answer any questions you may have! I highly recommend this class to anyone wanting to go dental and still hesitating.. Don’t think twice just do it you’ll be done in no time!
Amoun a January 24, 2023Attending Sunrise school of dental assistant was the best decision I’ve made. The instructors were very kind and helpful, I’ve learned so much from them, that’s the first step towards my career I even got an opportunity to work in one of their offices. I strongly recommend this school if you want to succeed in dental assisting field. Good luck to everyone
Taylor Cambra January 24, 2023This school will always hold a special place in my heart. I just attended the fall 2022 class and left the last day excited and eager to begin my career but a little sad the class was over. The instructor is a sweetheart who genuinely cares so much about us and our success. I would highly recommend this school to anyone looking to start their career in the dental field.
Morgan Hamilton January 24, 2023Great program and amazing teachers!!!
Jessica Medina January 24, 2023Great teachers and great course! Highly recommend!
barbara hunter January 24, 2023Mrs. Tammy is awesome! I learned alot in SSDA classes. I loved shadowing under Mrs. Tammy in the office she works at. 💕
Quasheaka Staggers January 24, 2023Omg I love Ms.Tammy!! She has been amazing I enjoyed being in her class… she made sure you understand everything before moving on to the next subject and that I definitely appreciated!! 5+stars!!
Cheyenne Buchanan January 24, 2023Mrs. Tammy is the absolute BEST INSTRUCTOR and I miss her greatly! I left her program feeling confident in knowledge for the field of Oral Surgery! She truly is one to be praised!
Rhonish Worrell January 24, 2023Attending SSDA was the best thing I could have ever done ! My instructor Tammy was beyond amazing she made sure we understood everything taught and even gave us multiple opportunities to gain experience shadowing In her office ! Sunrise is the best!
Victoria Esposito January 24, 2023Enjoyed the hands on and guided learning experience the instructors provided. Had the opportunity to shadow and assist for an oral surgeon set up by instructor Tammy. SSDA Fayetteville was a laid back environment which made attending class enjoyable. I feel confident using what I learned in the course for future careers.
Sthefany Guerrero Pedraza January 24, 2023I love the school and the teachers, thanks for everything, is incredibly how you learn and practice thank ypu
Alyssa Pasternak January 24, 2023Tammy, Kelly, and Michelle are amazing teachers at the Fayetteville location. I got a job halfway through the program thanks to their help! I learned a lot of vital things about dentistry from them.
Sarah Beth Moore January 24, 2023I gained a lot of knowledge about dental assisting from this course. I feel prepared to enter the dental field with confidence! I also had amazing instructors at the Fayetteville location.
Shyanne Roper January 24, 2023Sunrise was definitely a great experience. Very flexible with my schedule & friendly staff. They were helpful with learning all the clinicals to set us up for success. Overall a great experience
Taiy Arellano January 24, 2023I recently graduated from this class and I just to say I had an amazing time. Everyone in the class were like best friends. I enjoyed doing clinicals the most. I would recommend going to this class and I loved Kelly and Kle they were funny and very understanding with the class.
Kimberly Lucas January 24, 2023Amazing class and wonderful teachers. I have loved every single minute of this class. I have learned so much and gained a lot of experience. You gain a lot of information in a short amount of time but it is so worth it. I have recommended this school to a few people who are looking for a new career path. The hands on experience and the lectures have been so helpful!! I am truly thankful for the experience. Thank you SSDA!!!
Taylor Locklear January 24, 2023I’m so glad I chose Sunrise dental to start my dental career. The teachers are hands down AMAZING. I hated to see this class to end cause I loved the teachers and my classmates. Thank yall for having me and teaching me everything I needed to know! If you’re looking for a school to be a dental assistant Sunrise is your best choice.
K Younger January 24, 2023One of the best dental assistant schools. I will most definitely recommend Sunrise. The Instructors and Assistants make learning the information easy and fun. The best part is the hands on training.
Ciara Wisener January 24, 2023Went through Fayetteville location for sunrise school of dental. Our three instructors were wonderful, Mrs. Tammy is by the book! But will go above and beyond to make sure you succeed, kelly and cleshia are a great attribute to the classroom making it fun as well as going above and beyond. Mrs. Tammy makes sure we get plenty of hands on learning and practice, and carefully and thoroughly goes threw the class work. It’s in a decent location. Affordable pricing. Overall I enjoyed my time growing and learning to go into a new field of work.
Lulu Torres January 24, 2023My experience at SSDA has been amazing so far. My instructors (Tammy, Kelly, Dedra, Michelle) are absolutely amazing and very knowledgeable and assist me with any questions or concerns I have. I am so thankful that I have been able to shadow as well. I’m confident that I will be able to pursue a career in the dental field after finishing this course!
Leah Dumas January 24, 2023I can not say enough great things about this program and how great it’s been for me. Our instructors Tammy, Kelly, Deadra and Michelle are so great and truly care and teach you everything including just stuff about life. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick way to get into the dental world. It’s worth every penny and I drive all the way from Wilmington for this and it’s worth all of it. This has become a little family for all of us and I will forever be glad I did this!
Marlene Gonzalez January 24, 2023I decided to take this summer course and so far I have loved everything about this class. The teachers are amazing to work with and have made my experience a good memorable one. Mrs. Tammy is such a nice teacher and thoroughly elaborates on all of our lessons and makes it fun to learn. I’ve learned a lot about dental assisting and recommend this course to whomever is interested in the dental field!
Nicole Dixon January 24, 2023Sunrise is an amazing school. The instructors (Tammy, Kelly, Michelle, Dedra) truly care about the students and assist with any questions or concerns you may have. The hands on labs and job shadowing opportunities make learning more fun. I have enjoyed my time at Sunrise and feel confident about entering into the profession of dentistry.
Mustafa Mansaf January 24, 2023Attending Sunrise School of Dental Assisting has hands down been the best academic decision that I have made this year. To start things off, class instruction times are at such a convenience, especially those who are already full time college students, people already working jobs, as well as people with families. The cost of attending the Sunrise School of Dental Assisting is also very affordable compared to the other Dental Assisting schools in my area and around NC. The curriculum that is taught at the Sunrise School of Dental Assisting is very straightforward and every little part that is being taught to us is helping us prepare and is developing us to be ready to enter the dental field as well rounded Dental Assistants. The Sunrise School of Dental Assisting curriculum consists of a lot of hands on activities as well as some lecture classes. The hands-on activities are my favorite for sure since they are always engaging and exciting. My instructors (Tammy, Kelly, Dedra, Michelle) make the learning aspect of Dental Assisting 100 times better. The instructors are highly trained and know every little thing there is to Dental Assisting. I feel very comfortable asking for help and guidance from my instructors and they make sure to help us students out whenever we need help. If you are looking to take your first step in the Dental field, attending the Sunrise School of Dental Assisting is your best bet!
Ivy Gamble January 24, 2023I started this school in January 2020 and was supposed to be finished by April 2020. Everything started out great. All 3 teachers we had on Greensboro campus were really good; easy to learn by, very knowledgeable, and down to earth. You could talk to them about anything. My classmates were great also. Unfortunately, because of covid, school had to stop for a few months. But when we came back, our teachers did everything they possibly could to make sure that we graduated successfully and knew everything frontwards and backwards. Melody, Kenyada, and Tracey were excellent! I can’t forget about Daniel. He strated helping after we opened back up. He was great also. I was able to get a job right away. I graduated in August, it is now mid October, and they are still assisting students to find jobs if needed. They keep in touch. We became a family. I recommend the school to anyone!
Daniel Jimenez January 24, 2023I was told about this school from a close friend before I started and she loved every single bit of the program, help and motivation she got from her teachers. I decided to better myself by going here as well and giving it a shot. This course proved to be nothing more than one of the best programs I’ve been able to get into and graduate from. Every single class we were helped as much as possible and always went back over things if we didn’t understand. This program not only help me gain a certificate of Dental Assisting for my career, but also helped me find my first job as a dental assistant while I was still in the program and I couldn’t be happier with how much my life has progressed in just 13 weeks. I will always speak the best about this school and I know whoever takes it will do the same!
Hannah Cellitti January 24, 2023I heard about this school when I started searching for a program to become a DA. I came a cross this schooling program and saw nothing but good reviews! The experience I had with this program was a great blessing, I couldn’t have had a greater experience. Once I finished the program I was offered a position as a clinical assistant and have had nothing but fun and great experiences with other students! I highly suggest this school program.
crstrick1 January 24, 2023I highly recommend Sunrise School of Dental Assisting! I had no background in dentistry and decided to try this program for a change in career. I took the course at the Greensboro location and loved my instructor! Sheila was passionate about teaching Dental Assisting and very patient and attentive during the whole course. The program was very convenient for me because I could still work my full time job since classes were only two nights a week for 13 weeks! I love how fast and smooth the process is and everyone involved was so helpful and easy to work with. McKinley was awesome to work with in setting up everything financially to cover the class and scheduling days for me to shadow at the Raleigh office. I relocated back to the Raleigh area after finishing the program and started working at Sunrise Dental’s Raleigh location and love it!
Kindra Foland January 24, 2023I came across sunrise program while looking to become a DA. This program has allowed me to work full time while going to school. The instructors are amazing it has overall been a great experience I 10/10 recommended.
Christina Clayton January 24, 2023Currently a student at Sunrise School of Dental Assisting in Greensboro. I’ve been absolutely loving it. Very hands on School. I graduate in September and already have a job lined up for me. If you’ve been debating if you should go here for Dental Assisting, don’t just do it!
Jaki Santos January 24, 2023I love this school! I was so nervous about enrolling to the program but it’s been the Best decision ever! Got a job at my first dental office while still in school and have learned a lot with my friends! SHOUT OUT TO Hillary, hunter and Daniel for their patience and always making sure we understand everything! And of course Ms McKinley ❤
Megan E. Keyser January 24, 2023I would absolutely 10/10 recommend this program to anyone looking to start a career in the dental field! Before I started taking this program I knew absolutely nothing about anything dental related! Kenyada has been the best instructor! She makes learning the in’s & out’s fun! Kenyada, Hillary, and Daniel ensure that we feel confident in what we’re learning and practicing. I absolutely LOVE this program! Especially because I can still work my job, and attend school! I was so nervous going into this, because of changing career paths. But it has been the best leap of faith, and blessing for me thus far! Thank you, Sunrise School of Dental Assisting for giving people opportunities to succeed without having to give up their daily jobs and income! Y’all are the best!
Breon Strickland January 24, 2023I highly recommend this school! I was searching for a dental assistant school to try a new career and came across Sunrise. I started the course at the Greensboro location and fell in love with dentistry. My teachers were great and very helpful as well. A big plus for me is that that I could work full time while taking classes. Really enjoyed this school! 10/10 recommended for anyone wanting to start a new career!