68E Career Guide
68E: Dental Specialist
Career transition guide for Army Dental Specialist (68E)
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Top civilian roles for 68E veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Dental Assistant
Dental Office Manager
Skills to develop:
Medical Equipment Repairer
Skills to develop:
Medical Administrator
Skills to develop:
Healthcare Recruiter
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 68E training built — and where they transfer.
Rapid Prioritization
In a busy dental clinic or field environment, a 68E must quickly assess and prioritize patient needs based on the severity of their condition and available resources, ensuring the most critical cases receive immediate attention.
This ability to swiftly evaluate situations and allocate resources based on urgency translates to roles where triage and efficient decision-making are essential for optimal outcomes.
Procedural Compliance
Dental specialists adhere to strict protocols for sterilization, patient care, and record-keeping to maintain safety and regulatory standards within dental facilities and field operations.
Your meticulous adherence to established procedures ensures accuracy and consistency, valuable in roles requiring strict compliance and quality assurance.
Team Synchronization
As part of a dental team, a 68E must seamlessly coordinate tasks and communicate effectively with dentists, assistants, and other healthcare providers to deliver efficient and comprehensive patient care.
Your ability to work in sync with a team, anticipate needs, and communicate clearly ensures smooth operations and shared success, highly valued in collaborative environments.
Resource Optimization
From managing dental supplies to maintaining equipment, dental specialists are responsible for efficiently allocating resources to ensure the smooth operation of dental facilities.
Your experience in maximizing resources within budgetary constraints, without compromising quality or efficiency, is a valuable asset for roles requiring strategic resource management.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Medical Equipment Repairer
SOC 49-9062.00You've been maintaining and repairing dental equipment in the military, ensuring everything from chairs to X-ray machines runs smoothly. This technical aptitude directly translates to a medical equipment repairer role, where you'll troubleshoot, repair, and maintain a variety of medical devices, ensuring healthcare providers have the tools they need.
Compliance Officer
SOC 13-1041.00You're well-versed in the regulations and protocols governing dental practices. As a compliance officer, you'll use your knowledge to ensure organizations adhere to legal standards and internal policies, mitigating risks and promoting ethical conduct.
Logistics Coordinator
SOC 43-3071.00You've managed dental supplies and equipment in the field, ensuring teams have what they need, when they need it. In logistics, you'll use your organizational skills to manage inventory, coordinate shipments, and optimize supply chains, making sure resources are available at the right place and time.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Dental Assistant Course, Fort Sam Houston
Topics Covered
- •Dental Terminology and Anatomy
- •Infection Control and Sterilization Procedures
- •Dental Materials and Impression Techniques
- •Radiology (X-ray) Procedures and Safety
- •Chairside Assisting and Four-Handed Dentistry
- •Dental Office Administration and Record Management
- •Preventive Dentistry and Oral Hygiene Instruction
- •CPR and Basic Life Support
Certification Pathways
Ready to Certify
Partial Coverage
Requires study of advanced medical office management topics, including human resources, billing/coding compliance, and information technology in healthcare settings.
Requires study of medical coding, health information governance, data analytics, and healthcare law.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Dental Common Access System (DENCAS) | Dental practice management software (e.g., Dentrix, Eaglesoft) |
| Joint Medical Workstation (JMeWS) | Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems (e.g., Epic, Cerner) |
| Theater Enterprise-Wide Logistics System (TEWLS) | Inventory management and supply chain software (e.g., SAP S/4HANA, Oracle SCM Cloud) |
| Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) | Mobile health (mHealth) and telemedicine platforms |
| Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support (DMLSS) | Hospital supply chain management systems |
| Radiography systems (Portable X-ray units) | Mobile X-ray imaging equipment |
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