Tags: dental assistant schools missouri, dental assistant training, dental schools, oral health care
So you want to be a dental assistant? A dental assistant is a rewarding career that is in high demand with a great work environment. Helping others with their oral health care is important, and a dental assistant fills a vital role in helping patients learn about the care of their teeth.
VIP Dental Assistant School in Missouri offers a unique dental assistant training program that combines real-world experience in an actual dental office with traditional classwork. Our program is held at convenient times to allow our trainees the opportunity to still work while learning dental assisting. Contact us today!
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DENTAL ASSISTANT
Morning Huddle. Once you’re employed as a dental assistant, you’ll learn the individual routine of your office and of your dentists. Most days will begin with a briefing of staff to go over appointments, scheduled surgeries, and any other special tasks specific to that day.
Welcoming of patients. One of your primary jobs will be to greet patients and escort them to the treatment area. A lot of people have a fear of the dentist, either from a bad experience in the past or preconceived notions, so one of your primary jobs will be to ensure the patient is comfortable and answer any questions he or she may have.
Once your patient has been made comfortable, you will perform the preliminary activities before the dentist arrives. This can entail updating the patient’s health records and having them answer questions such as when was the last time he or she visited the dentist. If X-rays are called for, the dental assistant executes those and loads them onto the computer for the dentist to review.
Next, the dental hygienist usually takes over. The dental hygienist is a specially trained and certified dental assistant who handles more of the routine oral health care maintenance such as cleaning teeth. He or she usually assists the dentist with dental procedures, such as fillings and root canals. However, the dental assistant can do this as well, especially if office staff are out sick.
You will most likely be the one to escort the patient to billing after dental services are rendered, answer any last minute questions, and make another routine teeth cleaning appointment. You will most likely be the one to go over proper dental care with the patient, including demonstrating how to clean and floss teeth.
In-between clients, you will sterilize the dental tools, ensuring everything is ready for the next patient. Some administrative tasks may be required such as confirming dental appointments, completing lab tasks, or handling perhaps billing questions and paperwork.
In a nutshell, the dental assistant keeps the entire dentist office running smoothly. They have great communication skills and love to help people. Dental assistants like variety as every day is different, and they thrive on diversity. The best dental assistants can do nearly every job in the dental office if need be and are efficient at their job.
VIP Dental Assistant School in St. Louis, Missouri, is offering a dental assistant training program soon. Consisting of 11 weeks of training once a week (usually a Sunday) broken down into 88 hours of lecture and hands-on laboratory in an actual dental practice, you’ll get certified as a dental assistant. You’ll get to learn about our X-ray equipment, dental impression methods, and all the tools we use to perform cleanings, fillings, and other dental services in a dental office. When you leave our program, you will be certified as a dental assistant and ready to embark on your exciting new career.
Tags: dental assistant schools missouri, dental assistant training, dental schools, oral health care
