Dental Assistant Relationships with other Staff

Having a career as a dental assistant is a great opportunity to work with others in the dental profession. The most common staff you will work with in a dental facility are Dentists, Dental Hygienists, and the Receptionist. It is very important that you forge quality relationships with the other staff you work with. The smaller the dental facility, the more important it is as everyone will have to work well together to allow the facility to function properly.

Since you will be present for the procedures conducted by Dentists and Hygienists, patients will quickly pick up on any staffing issues. I went to a dentist for years. He was great to me and my children. However, he continually was impatient with his staff, especially the Dental Assistants. We went for cleanings every six months. We loved the Dental Hygienist. However, she was often in tears over is behaviors. We also noticed that the Dental Assistant staff changed almost every time we came in. It didnt take too many years before he went out of business because patients were tired of seeing the behaviors and he couldnt find help that would work for him.

Communication skills are a great asset for any profession, but as a Dental Assistant it is a must. You will be interacting with patients, staff, insurance companies, and family members of patients. It is very important you are able to make everyone feel comfortable and that you convey the message that you are approachable. Poor communication skills can result in your career as a Dental Assistant not working out for the long haul.

To ensure proper communication among staff members, dental facilities need to arrange trainings. These should be informative, explaining to everyone what is expected as far as interoffice relationships. It should be clearly stated that lack of respect for co-workers will not be tolerated. Policies and procedures should also be in place for employers to resolve any conflicts with other employers. Everyone should know where they are to report and such issues that they cant work out with the other staff member or members.

Many dental facilities require staff members to attend communication workshops. These are often very fun and interactive workshops, showing more effective methods of communication. They generally include information on individual communication as well as group efforts. These workshops are conducted by individuals who customize the workshop to meet the needs of your group. This makes the sitting more intimate and usable in your dental facility.

To help alleviate stress and issues among co-workers, each staff member should be made aware of what other staff members are responsible for. Many inter-office struggles are the result of workers believing others are not carrying the same weight. Most employees complete tasks behind the scenes, so this assumption is based only on what is being seen on the front lines.

Effective communication is essential in the role of Dental Assistant. It is imperative to your career that you understand various communication styles. It is also very important that you are aware of your own communication style. You want others to view you as enthusiastic about your job and willing to assist in anyway possible.

Most issues that arise from communication is assuming you know what the other person means or what they will say. Make sure that you reflect back what is being said to you by other staff members. This way any misconceptions can be resolved up front before they escalate into major issues that affect everyones work performance. Since we all spend so many hours at our place of employment, it is very important to make it a comfortable place to be.

Dental Assistant Program Acceptance

Dental Assistant is one of the fastest growing professions. It is anticipated to be one of the top occupations by 2012. Almost all Dental Assistant programs require applicants to successfully pass a background check prior to acceptance. In addition, drug testing is becoming a widely common practice as well. Most states require students to be tested for Hepatitis B prior to acceptance as well.

Many programs want to look at your work history, education level, and GPA. All of these factors combined will determine if you are accepted into a Dental Assistant Program. You will get a letter informing you of the decision. If you are not accepted into the Dental Assistant Program, you have the right to inquire as to the information that decision was based on.

The reason for background checks for Dental Assistants is because of the number of people they come into contact with. Since they serve the public, their background becomes an area of concern. Safety is a top priority in the dental field. Precautions are taken protect patients as well as other staff.

The background process is very similar in all states. You will be required to provide your personal information and fingerprints. All information that comes back will be reported to the program director. Each state has different levels of acceptable background checks for the Dental Assistant Program.

If you believe your background might prevent you from being accepted into a Dental Assistant Program, ask the instructor or the State Dental Board what the regulations are for your particular state. In some states, they will only look at background information that is less than seven years old. Others will only ban you from the Dental Assistant program if you have been convicted of a crime that involved violence or was of a sexual nature. Other states are very strict. If you have any felony convicts at all, you will not be accepted to the Dental Assistant program. They also will look at misdemeanors including harassment and domestic violence.

Background checks are an ongoing issue with Dental Assistants. You can complete the training program and your license. Your license will be valid for three to five years depending on the state you live in. Upon renewal, another background check will be completed. You can lose your license and your career if you have had any criminal activity during your licensing period. Again, it depends on the regulations for your state.
Since state regulations vary, keep that in mind when considering transferring your Dental Assistant license to another state.

Drug testing regulations have come into play to provide safety for patients and other staff. Drug convictions will generally result in you not being admitted to the Dental Assistant program. It is believed the drugs will impair your ability to perform your job duties in the manner they must be done in. Also, since drugs are available on site of dental facilities, it is possible you will take them.

Hepatitis B is a concern in the dental profession. All individuals wanting to enroll in the Dental Assistant program will be required to be tested. They test requires a quick skin prick on the top of your hand. The results are generally available within a couple of days.

Depending on the Dental Assistant program you are trying to get into, they will require a background check, drug test, and Hepatitis B test. If there is a large demand to enroll in the course your work history, education, and GPA may also be taken into consideration if more people what to enroll than there are slots available.

Dental Assistant Pay

Becoming a Dental Assistant not only prepares you for a wonderful career working in the dental field, is also pays very well. Since this area of employment is anticipated to be one of the most in demand over the next six years, your chances of securing a great job with great pay and benefits is very likely.

The Median hourly rate of pay for Dental Assistants is $13.62. This is well above the minimum wage established in most states. In addition to a great hourly wage, many Dental Assistants will receive bonuses if the dental office is doing well, health insurance, and discounted dental procedures. Almost all Dental Assistants receive paid vacation days, sick days, and paid Holidays.

However, earning such a high hourly wage comes with a great level of responsibility. Dental Assistants perform duties relating to patient care, office sanitation, lab duties, and assisting the dentist and hygienist with a variety of procedures. Dental Assistants need to be alert, pay attention to detail, and have effective communication skills. They must also be able to provide patients with comfort measures both before and after procedures are completed.

Dental Assistants are easily confused with Dental Hygienists. Compared to hygienists, who have a median rate of pay of $23.65 per hour, a Dental Assistant is not making a very good hourly wage. However, they are very different professions. A Dental Assistant does just that, assists the dentist and hygienist with providing the best quality care for all patients. A hygienist takes care of cleaning teeth and generally has a steady stream of patients who come in every six months for routine cleaning procedures.

The amount of pay a Dental Assistant earns depends on many factors. The cost of living in your area will be the greatest influence. The amount of revenue the dental office you work for generates will also be a deciding factor. New dentists might have to pay less than established dentists will clientele because they dont have the traffic coming into the office. However, it is very possible your pay will increase as more patients are drawn to that dental office.

Your level of experience will also be a consideration. You may have to accept a position that pays less than average to get your foot in the door and gain some hands on experience. However, with the demand for Dental Assistants, you should have no problem securing employment. Many dental offices want to keep quality Dental Assistants. They may offer to start you at a lower entry level pay, with the understanding that your performance will be reviewed in 90 days or other time frame. Based on your performance, you pay will be adjusted at that time.

It is important to understand that certified and uncertified Dental Assistants complete the same types of tasks. However, those who are certified earn several dollars more per hour than those who arent certified. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to take the certification exam early on in your career as a Dental Assistant.

Dental Assistant Licensing Requirements

Licensing Requirements for Dental Assistants vary by state. In some states you dont even have to be licensed, only show that you have completed a Dental Assistant course of on the job training. If your particular state offers a licensing option, it is to your advantage to obtain licensing as you will have a better chance of being hired over those who arent licensed. In general, you can also expect to be paid more than those who are qualified, yet not licensed. There are not Federal Guidelines in regards to Dental Assistant licensing. Everything takes place on the state level.

The Dental Assistant licensing exam is often referred to as DAT, short for Dental Admission Test. The test may be complied of basic information including tools used in dental offices, procedures, safety, and technology. Many states require you to complete procedures you will actually use in a dental office for an examiner. This will likely include showing your skills on safety and proper cleansing of tools.

Most Dental Assistant programs and on the job training programs are well aware of the licensing requirements in your state. The programs are customized to meet all those requirements and help prepare you for both the written and procedural portions of the exam. They can also assist you in finding out when the exam will be conducted in your area.

Regardless if licensing is required in your state or not, not employers require Dental Assistants to complete a background check prior to starting employment. This is for the safety and protection of the patients as well as the staff. If you have a criminal background, it may prevent you from being able to work as a Dental Assistant in some states. In others, you will only be barred if the crime was sexual in nature or violent in nature. Still yet, other states only prevent you from being hired as a Dental Assistant if you have a felony conviction in the past seven years.

If you think your background check will be a factor in gaining employment as a Dental Assistant, it is very important to check into the state requirements prior to enrolling in and completing a program. It is not advised to lie on your application either as almost all dentist offices will conduct a thorough background check on all individuals they are considering offering employment to.

Most Dental Assistant licenses are valid for a certain length of time. Generally three to five years. As your renewal comes due, you will be sent a questionnaire from your State Medical Board. It will ask you questions pertaining to your employment, about any convictions or pending issues that have taken place. Keep in mind that your Dental Assistant license can be revoked if the information you place on the renewal is found to be inaccurate or if you have been involved in criminal activity during the licensing period.

It is very important that you understand Dental Assistant licensing requirements as they vary greatly from state to state. Therefore, if you are planning to move to another state make sure you can transfer your license to that state. You will be able to if your license is in good standing and the State Dental Board is not investigating any complaints about you. The state you are transferring your license to must have the same level of requirements or less. It the new state requirements are more than you have, then you will need to obtain the missing skills or classes in order to obtain a license.