If you are interested in pursuing a career as a dental assistant, you should feel confident knowing that this is a recession-proof career that offers very respectable pay. Despite the current economic challenges we face and high unemployment, people will always require dental care. Dental offices have a number of important tasks that must be completed on a daily basis to ensure smooth operations. This is why a quality dental assistant is a crucial component of any dental office. Are you interested in learning about what a typical day at the office may look like for you? Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect.
A typical day as a dental assistant will absolutely include greeting patients who have sat down in the office and are awaiting their turn with the dentist. It is important that you make patients feel comfortable and address any questions or concerns they may have. You will be responsible for obtaining their records on file so that the dentist can begin work as fast as possible. This contributes to the overall efficiency of the dental office. You must be ready to prepare patients for treatment and to assist the dentist during any procedures by providing him or her with necessary tools and supplies. You will also need to sterilize and disinfect any instruments. It is absolutely important that you maintain a friendly attitude because you will be expected to educate patients about general oral health care following procedures. You can also expect to schedule patients for future appointments. A common example of a process that requires future scheduling is for a cleaning appointment, which is usually done every three months or so.
Working as a dental assistant has many benefits, including strong job security as long as you do a good job as well as a very respectable salary, which can grow once you become more experienced. However, you must really be prepared to have a number of important responsibilities that are vital to the smooth operations of the dental office. You must also remember to get a good night’s sleep in order to handle very busy and packed days.