Training to be a dental assistant can set you up for a new career with plenty of variety. Whether you’re performing intra-oral duties, helping dentists with their tasks, or taking care of clerical responsibilities such as invoicing, you’ll be moving around frequently and likely won’t find yourself doing the same thing too often. But how will you know if this career is the best fit for you?
If you’ve been considering a career in the dental industry, it’s worth determining what qualities you need to help ensure success for you in this field, and how they can help you while working as a dental assistant. Here are some reasons why dental assistant training could be a great choice for you.
You Like Taking Care of Many Different Tasks
One of the more important qualities you can have while working as a dental assistant is to be versatile and a strong multitasker. This is because you can expect to be responsible for duties that aren’t necessarily limited to helping dentists get ready for their examinations.
Among a host of other responsibilities, you may be asked to:
- Process x-rays
- Polish crowns
- Take vital signs
- Administer fluoride, sealants, or topical anaesthetics to clients
- Book client appointments
A number of these tasks are ones you may already have learned in your dental assistant training, so having practiced them beforehand will serve you well on the job.
You’re a Team Player and Have a Passion For Helping Others
Another of the most important pillars of success for a dental assistant is being able to work extremely well within a team. Being helpful and selfless can go a long way in this profession, as you can expect to be assisting dentists and other staff with a whole host of tasks and procedures.
You’ll also want to show your willingness to your clients. As you may learn during a dental assistant program, it often falls on dental assistants to educate patients on proper oral hygiene habits.
You will be meeting and interacting with many different people in different capacities, so having a collaborative mindset and a desire to foster a rapport with them can help you immensely on the job.
You Want a Dental Assistant Program to Help You Develop Your Skills
If you want to determine how good a fit you are for work as a dental assistant, taking a program is one of the biggest steps you can take towards this career, and can put your knowledge of the field to the test in practical settings.
For example, the intra-oral dental assistant program at Oxford College gives students the opportunity to hone their skills in a dental clinic and become more confident and assured in the process.
The facilities used by the school are outfitted with real-world equipment, and will help you to familiarize yourself with the expectations of working in a proper dental clinic before finishing your program. Through learning by doing, you can use this as a measuring stick for whether or not a dental assistant career is the right fit for you.
Want to take dental assistant courses?
Contact Oxford College for more information!