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Maybe you’re already a dental assistant, or maybe you’re interested in pursuing this exciting field. Either way, you don’t just want to go through the motions—you want to be the best dental assistant you can be. The quality of your work can make a significant difference in the lives of your patients. Striving for excellence can also boost the success of practices you work with and your own sense of satisfaction in your work.
At Kwikly, we help dental assistants across the USA build more rewarding careers. We help you find dental offices that need your help for short-term or long-term temporary placements. Our cloud-based platform makes it easy to use your phone or other device to select available shifts and pick them up with just a few clicks.
Kwikly also offers a helpful review system so you can see what others are saying about a practice before you accept a shift. We reduce the paperwork burden and handle pay negotiations, so you can focus on providing excellent care for your patients. If you’re committed to being an outstanding dental assistant, Kwikly wants to work with you.
Keep reading to discover four tips that can help you become an even better dental assistant. We’ll also answer common questions about the skills needed in this position and the pay you can expect.
How Hard Is It To Be a Good Dental Assistant?
Before embarking on the road to a career as a dental profession
al, many students underestimate how challenging dental assisting can be. Some of them compare the work of a dental assistant vs a dental hygienist and believe that assisting will be a breeze. While it’s true that the educational requirements for hygienists may be greater—and the list of duties may be longer—assisting still requires a strong, specific set of skills. Professionals with both of these dental job titles play vital roles in keeping patients healthy and the practice running smoothly.
There’s a long list of desirable dental assistant skills. You’ll need to multitask in a fast-paced environment. You’ll also need to focus on many important details, work professionally with a wide variety of people, and show compassion to patients who might be nervous or uncomfortable.
Despite its challenges, dental assisting can be incredibly rewarding. As a dental assistant, you’ll help people every day you show up to work. That’s a great feeling!
What Kind of Compensation Can Successful Dental Assistants Expect?
How much does a dental assistant make? According to Indeed.com, the average dental assistant earns $22 per hour. While this figure varies widely based on location, experience, and other factors, it provides a helpful ballpark so you’ll know what to expect when looking for work. The highest-paid dental assistants may earn as much as $29 per hour or more.
Finding work as a dental assistant doesn’t have to be a hassle. You could type “dental office jobs near me” into Google and hope for the best—but there’s a better way. Kwikly helps you find dental offices with temporary shifts that suit your preferences. And when you work full-time with Kwikly, you can even enjoy dental assistant job benefits like health insurance. Furthermore, you won’t have to negotiate your dental assistant pay. Kwikly handles pay arrangements to ensure you get fair compensation.
Our Tips for Success as a Dental Assistant
We’ve addressed some common questions from prospective dental assistants. Now let’s take a look at some tips for success in the field!
Tip #1: Care for Yourself So You Can Care for Your Patients
If you’re burned out from constant stress, you won’t be able to provide optimal care for patients. Self-care makes you a more effective dental assistant by recharging your batteries. Self-care is more than just a day at the spa or a nice massage, though it could include these things. You should also make time to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and find stress management techniques that work for you.
Kwikly makes it easier to lower your stress levels by promoting a healthy work-life balance. With Kwikly, you’ll enjoy the flexibility of temporary work while still benefiting from 24/7 support when you need it.
Tip #2: Put Yourself in Other Peoples’ Shoes
As a dental assistant, learning to see things from others’ perspectives is important. Of course, it’s important to put yourself in patients’ shoes so you can treat them with empathy. While you’re probably used to being in a dentist’s office, many patients find the environment stressful —or even very scary. Understanding their point of view goes a long way toward building a successful relationship.
However, it’s also important to put yourself in the shoes of your colleagues. During a fast-paced workday, your teammates may feel stressed, hurried, or overwhelmed at times. Taking a moment to listen and empathize can help foster stronger working relationships.
Tip #3: Develop a Team-Oriented Mindset
Dental assistants don’t work in isolation. Much of what they do supports the dentists, hygienists, and other professionals who cooperate to care for patients.
Working on a team can be challenging. Personalities clash, opinions differ, and mistakes are sometimes made that affect the whole team. However, it’s important to see your coworkers as members of your team who have the same goals you do. Part of being a great dental assistant is learning to manage disagreements in healthy ways, so you can work with your teammates as a well-oiled machine.
Tip #4: Find a Way To Stay Organized That Works for You
Good dental assistants know how to stay organized while juggling many tasks and responsibilities at once. While some assistants can keep track of everything in their heads, many of them benefit from organizational tools on the job. Tech solutions like phone alarms, checklist apps, and smartwatches can help keep you from forgetting important details.
It’s important to remember that most dental assistants are not allowed to have a phone in the operatory or sterilization area. They can’t use devices when gloved up, as this could distract from patient care. Most offices now have computers in the operatories, equipped with software that manages all aspects of patient care, including charting, notes, and billing.
However, sometimes a simple notebook and pen is all you need to keep track of your many responsibilities.
Are You an Excellent Dental Assistant? Join Kwikly Today!
At Kwikly, we connect high-quality dental professionals with dental offices that need their help. Find out just how easy and rewarding dental temping can be. Sign up for Kwikly today to get started!
