Let’s face it; being a dental assistant isn’t easy. You’ll spend countless hours on your feet, likely assist dentists with extremely tricky procedures, follow strict healthcare guidelines, handle complicated office admin tasks and, any other necessary tasks. This is a monstrous list of tasks, so you should be extremely proud of your job!
At Dental Depot, we understand the industry inside out. We know what it takes to make a dental practice run smoothly, that’s why we love sharing our knowledge with you! Keep reading to discover our list of suggestions to help dental assistants excel at work!
1. Be proactive
Dental practices are often a very fast-paced environment, and there is always something to do! Keep your eyes peeled for tasks that may not have been given to you yet, but obviously, need doing, such as:
- Straightening the waiting room
- Cleaning up
- Making patients who are waiting feel welcomed or
- Restocking inventory such as dental consumables.
2. Be attentive and ask questions
A dental assistant’s primary role is to assist others. Due to the nature of this job, you will ideally be an attentive listener and be aware of exactly what’s being asked of you. If your dentist or hygienist asks you to complete a task, be sure you understand the task explicitly and ask any questions you have if something seems amiss. It is always better to ask questions than to guess and get it wrong.
3. Be observant and stay organised
If you’re a dental assistant, often you will be expected to sit chairside during procedures and assist the dentist. When there is a fast pace and instruments are changing hands quickly, organisation is key. Being observant is a key factor in being a good dental assistant as you will start to learn the ways of your dentist. You will reach a point where you will be able to anticipate what they may need and are able to save on time by having it ready.
4. Communication is key
Being a good communicator doesn’t just go for dental assistants, it goes for every single job on earth! Dental assistants need to communicate clearly and concisely. The patients are real people, and there is a high level of duty and care in this role. Communicating with patients about their dental hygiene is important. Communicating with dentists during a procedure is important. It is absolutely necessary that you learn how to be a good communicator to excel in this role!
5. Stay current and update procedures, skills and tech
As with many other fields, CPD is a requirement in the dental field. Making an effort to stay on top of current developments and continuing your education is the only way that you will remain at the top of your game. Don’t be afraid to branch out and try new things. Keeping up with new trends in dentistry will ensure that you’re valued as an integral team member.
Dental Depot is committed to helping the dental industry grow. While we hope that dentists and dental assistants keep up to date in their training and education, we are proud to announce that we do the same with our services. Dental technology is constantly evolving, that’s why Dental Depot is committed to supplying, installing and repairing the latest dental equipment on the market. If you’d like to contact us for any reason, we can be reached on 07 3857 0011 or via our online contact form.