Dentistry is a broad field that has many different areas of expertise and practice that make it a very viable and fascinating career, with opportunities for continual learning. If you have ever had an interest in sciences, anatomy or biology, or the human body as a whole, that interest might be the right fit for a career in dentistry.
If you are a very social and engaging person, who enjoys helping others and likes to work with their hands, you might be a perfect candidate for training as a dental assistant. You will need an eye for detail and love working with a team of professionals, and love working in a fast-paced environment.
There is always a demand for freelance dental assistants, and the field is only projected to grow year after year.
What Makes Dental Assistants So Valuable?
Dental assistants are the perfect intermediary between the dentist and the patient, often finding a valuable niche in explaining treatment needs in plain and everyday language why a recommended treatment is necessary.
If the doctor says a crown would be needed, and the patient wants to ask why, or is there another option, the dental assistant explains that the doctor would not recommend a treatment that wasn’t absolutely needed.
Often they ask whether you would get the work done if you were in their shoes, and you can tell them with full confidence that you absolutely would, and remind them how happy and relieved they will be to have the treatment done and their problem eliminated.
Dental assistants do more than just assist and comfort patients, they can also be licensed to do minor work like adjustments, replace temporary crowns, fluoride treatments, fit appliances, and even check orthodontic elastics and get impressions and measure bites.
This can save the doctor loads of time that is better spent treating or on more production in a neighboring room.
Dental Assistants Can Save Lives
Being an assistant means you are assisting with many aspects of treatment and procedure, and many situations have presented where the dental assistant has been the hero of the day.
They have been able to quickly remedy a potentially tragic situation when, for example, a doctor is setting a crown and it slips and falls into the airway of the patient, the assistant can retrieve the appliance quickly. They can ensure that the correct number and location of teeth have been treated or extracted, helping to prevent mistakes.
Good Communicators Make Star Assistants
Becoming a truly great dental assistant will require excellent communication skills and can lead to a career path of becoming a treatment coordinator, earning more money, and helping to grow the practice.
The focus of a treatment coordinator is to sell the patient on the benefits of having a treatment done. They will also help secure and arrange treatment financing for the patients, and perform the scheduling of the treatment or treatment sequence. They will be the patient advocate throughout the process.
Wrapping Up
The dental assistant is more than just a simple gopher or intern position. It is a valuable and important member of the professional team at a dental practice, and can offer opportunities for advancement, continued learning, and increased income.
If you are looking to work as a freelance dental assistant, Stynt is here for you. Having revolutionized the gig economy, Stynt connects dental offices with prospective freelancers with stunning precision, accuracy, and speed. Fill out our form or download our app to get started.