The dentists seem to be the star of the show at any dental practice, but nothing would happen without dental assistants. Dental assistants help to keep the practice’s day-to-day operations running, they help dentists see more patients each day, and they help dentists use time more efficiently. We know that each day in dental assisting brings an opportunity to learn something new — from doctors, patients, and other dental assistants. And dental assistants know that each experience, procedure, and patient interaction is unique. But there are some things that dental assistants say they must do, no matter what.

1. Ability To Focus On Details: An effective dental assistant is expected to follow an array of rules and protocols that are in place to protect patients. To follow these rules, they must be concentrating on details. Detail-oriented dental assistants can focus on the issue at hand and the best way to correct it, following through until the issue is resolved correctly. A focus on detail comes in handy in more menial, daily tasks as well that are just as important in a dental school clinic.
2. Show Compassion to Every Patient: While most dental assistants enjoy being in the dental office, for some patients, going to the dentist isn’t a favorite activity. Patients might be nervous, fearful, or embarrassed about their teeth. Each day, dental assistants must be empathetic, compassionate, and nonjudgmental to ensure the patient’s appointment goes as smoothly as possible, and are more likely to return.
3. Organization Skills: A dental assistant should know how to be physically organized as well as mentally organized. Practical dental assistant training courses will help with best organizing a dental workspace, but an assistant is often more effective when they have good time-management skills and multitasking abilities. All of these require an innate sense of organization.
4. Stay One Step Ahead & Be Able to Adapt: Because dental offices can be busy places, dental assistants must always be prepared. They must be efficient and able to anticipate what’s coming next. Many dental assistants take pride in knowing what the doctor needs and being ready at a moment’s notice. In dentistry, change is inevitable — and exciting! As technology continues to evolve and new products enter the marketplace, dental assistants need to embrace opportunities to learn about what’s new and cutting-edge in dentistry and to be able to adapt and adjust.

A dental assistant can wear many different hats over the course of just a day while they assist a dentist, so they need to be prepared for this work with many different skills. If you have these skills and are thinking about changing your career to dental assisting, we can help. Register for our 12-week Dental Assisting Program in Waco, Texas. Contact us today!