Dental Assistant Training Class

Is Job Burnout Affecting Your Dental Assistant Career?

When you first begin your dental assistant career, you will most likely be excited. Every day will be a new adventure, and you will find it very rewarding. However, working with your patients every day may cause some stress, and may eventually lead to burnout. Here are some ways to avoid and deal with this predicament and continue on your career path to a better future.

What is Burnout and What Does this Mean for the Dental Assistant?

While stress is bound to occur in any workplace, when it causes you to develop job burnout that affects your dental assistant career, it can be so much worse. Burnout is the feeling you have when you no longer feel happy getting up in the morning and going into work. You might not feel like you are doing your job correctly, or you may feel as if you are wasting your time with your dental assistant career.

Generally, burnout occurs in cycling stages, which means one week you may love your dental assistant career, and the next week you may wish you worked nowhere near a dental office. This type of stress takes a toll on both your body, your emotions, and your dental assistant career. Some of the symptoms you may experience include: Read the rest of this entry »

Finish Your Dental Assistant Training in 10 Weeks?

Starting your dental assistant training may be the first step in beginning your bright new career, but what about those 10 week dental assistant training classes? Can they provide you with enough education to actually secure a position after your dental assistant training is complete?

Are Fast Track, 10 Week Dental Assistant Training Courses Legitimate?

Here’s a familiar scenario that is occurring in every field, not just dental assistant training. Industries with careers that require certification or licensing as opposed to college degrees are being taken advantage of, by schools that offer the “too good to be true” fast track to career success.

These so-called training programs take advantage of the fact that individuals desiring to enter the field are often more interested in the fastest way to employment, instead of making sure they receive the proper dental assistant training in order to truly qualify for the position. If you are considering a 10 week course (or any dental assistant training), be sure the dental assistant school is accredited by The American Dental Association (ADA). Their website can be found at ADA.org.

Disturbing Findings Online for Dental Assistant Training Read the rest of this entry »

Dental assistant training can teach you the ins and outs of this detail oriented job but it can’t prepare you for possible emergencies. The number one step is to use preventative measures that will help to avoid a great deal of careless problems. Avoid taking short cuts for any procedure and be completely aware of the patient’s needs at all times. This is no time to be checking your text messages or fantasizing about the latest Grey’s Anatomy episode.

If you’ve never been in an emergency situation then you may be thinking “What’s the worst that could happen in a dentist’s office?” Just like in a hospital or doctor’s office, there are always things that could go awry, some of which are life-threatening. Again, pay attention to the patient because if medical professionals are called in you will be required to inform them of the events leading up to the crisis. This will help them to evaluate the situation quickly and accurately.

Has Your Dental Assistant Training Prepared You for Emergencies? Read the rest of this entry »

The field of cosmetic dentistry has grown immensely due to the advances in dentistry technology and the longer age and changing needs of individuals in today’s society. More and more individuals are looking to enhance the look and feel of their gums and teeth, making this a exciting career choice. If you are interested in beginning cosmetic dental assistant training, here is some information that you may want.

The Job Duties of a Cosmetic Dental Assistant

Cosmetic dental assistants work with dentists in a variety of ways. Many of the tasks that are performed by cosmetic dental assistants are the same as regular dental assistant activities. These may include: Read the rest of this entry »

After completing your dental assistant training and spending some time in the workplace, you may be interested in taking on more responsibility. This can be beneficial to you for job security or if you are looking to increase your annual income.

One of the ways to increase your responsibilities and value as a dental assistant is by earning a permit in sedation. Recent changes in allowable dental assistant functions and requirements are pushing in the direction of a separate licensure requirement for sedation for every state. If you are interested in becoming a dental sedation assistant, here is what you’ll need to be aware of:

Dental Sedation Assistant Job Description

Dental sedation assistants work closely with dentists to help treat and monitor patients who are undergoing some type of anesthesia for a procedure, whether it is through intravenous sedation, oral sedation, or inhalation sedation. Some of the duties you, as a dental sedation assistant, can perform are: Read the rest of this entry »

Dental assistant training may seem pretty straight forward, but if you are new to the medical industry chances are you making a few mistakes. Before deciding that you have chosen the best dental assistant training path available, do your homework. You might be making a mistake that will cause you to sacrifice high paying job opportunities in the future.

Attending Unaccredited Dental Assistant Training Programs

Each day we see commercials and receive advertisements in the mail that promote some new dental assistant training school. Most of these schools promise low per credit hour tuition rates, low-interest financing, and job placement. The problem is, many of these schools are not actually accredited. Can they really do that? Yes, actually they can.

As long as a dental assistant training program “eludes” to providing you with the correct education, it is not a crime. The next time you see one of those dental assistant training school commercials, carefully listen to the wording. They won’t claim to provide you with certification and they won’t claim to be accredited. All in all, if you perceive them as such, they have used their clever marketing techniques well. That’s the way they look at it anyway. Read the rest of this entry »

Now that you’ve completed your dental assistant training, it’s time to shine. Here are some excellent interview tips that will help you land your first job.

Before the Interview

Prior to your interview, you need to prepare yourself. The first interview you have will most likely be a face-to-face chat with either a dentist or another employee at the dental office. Before you go in, consider these tips:

• Calm your nerves by practicing answering questions in front of a mirror, or better yet, with some of your friends.
• Gather all of the information you need. Make sure your resume contains all of your skills, knowledge, and experience. Be sure you have gathered your letters of recommendation as well, if you have any.
• Pick out the right clothes. Although the dental practice will require you to wear some type of uniform if you are accepted as an employee, the clothes you wear for your interview should be professional looking. Try to wear clothes that are not flamboyant, and avoid wearing an excessive amount of jewelry.
• Before you enter the room for your interview, make sure your cell phone is turned off.
• Arrive approximately ten minutes early for the interview.

During the Interview Read the rest of this entry »

If you are looking to break into a new career as a dental assistant, you’ve probably been researching dental assistant training programs. Before signing on the dotted line anywhere, have you looked into free dental assistant training?  There are several different ways to obtain free dental assistant training and we are going to look at the requirements of them here.

Free Dental Assistant Training with the Red Cross and Armed Forces

These two awesome groups have teamed up to offer free dental assistant training to all military family members whose loved ones are on active-duty. Any retired military are invited to apply as well. To find out if courses are being offered at the military base near your home check out the base website. The information you are looking for will be under the News heading. In most cases you must appear for an interview on the scheduled dates in order to apply for the training. Those interested must:

• Ÿ  Be 18 years old or older
• Ÿ  Have graduated high school or obtained a GED
• Ÿ  Be willing to accept the commitment of training for six months

Free Dental Assistant Training with the New York City Urban League Read the rest of this entry »

So, you thought all dental assistant careers involved four walls and a stationary office? How about 4 wheels and a mobile dental office? If you are looking for an exciting career that takes you outside the box, you may want to consider a career as a mobile dental assistant.

Think Outside of the Box- Unique Opportunities For Dental Assistants

Dental assistant training does not have to begin and end with employment in a traditional dental office. Once you have your dental assistant training under your belt, you can work almost anywhere in the healthcare industry. Positions are available at nursing homes, hospitals, health care facilities, schools, and even with insurance companies. One of the most unique positions out there for the up and coming dental assistant is a position on a mobile dental unit.

What is a Mobile Dental Assistant? Read the rest of this entry »

Dental assistant training is a required step for anyone who wants to enter or expand their dental assistant career. If you are currently employed as a dental assistant and all you’ve got under your belt is on-the-job training, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Even if you are happy with your current position, what are your career growth opportunities without additional training?

No one wants to think about losing their job, but the best defense against this is to be prepared. By continuing your dental assistant training, even while you are currently employed in the field, you’ll essentially be taking out an insurance policy to protect yourself against changes in the economy. This is especially true if you are currently employed with a smaller dental office, or an older dentist who may retire one day and choose to close his practice.

Other benefits to continuing your dental assistant training include the following: Read the rest of this entry »