With so many dental assistants entering into the industry every year, it can often seem hard to really stand out as an applicant. Having the right skills are part of the overall dental assistant package, but there are many other characteristics that will help you to stand out as a dental assistant. Let’s see what those tips to stand out are.
Be Ready To Work Hard
No matter the position or practice you work at, a dental assistant needs to be ready to work hard. Whoever you work for will notice your work ethic and effort and will treat you accordingly. Those dental assistants who put everything into their work are often the ones who see advancement opportunities and more specialized training.
Hard work is what gets people results and the opportunities to get promoted.
Work Well With a Team
In nearly every dental assistant role, you are going to be working closely with a team or at least one other person. Working well with a team as a dental assistant is like being able to fill a cavity for a dental hygienist. Teamwork and understanding how to handle team projects are essential to being a great dental assistant as you need to be able to contribute your part to work and offer input as needed.
Starting as the new assistant in a group can quickly become leading group meetings if you put yourself out there correctly.
Avoid Common Pitfalls
Work as a dental assistant has been easy enough to characterize that there are some issues all dental assistants need to be ready to avoid. A work-life balance is incredibly important to have as a dental assistant as you need to know what does and does not belong at the workplace.
It is also important to respect others and not start petty arguments as that will reflect poorly on your ability to provide great patient care.
Put the Patients First
At the end of the day, the job of the dental assistant is to make sure every patient is taken care of and feels comfortable. Patients come into a dental practice and really only want a space that is friendly and clean so they can get their teeth taken care of without any added stress. As a dental assistant, putting patients first will be seen and appreciated by everyone else in the office.
Never Leave Anything on the Table
When you walk out of work every day, you should feel like you gave everything to the day and left nothing on the table. Helping wherever possible and making sure patients have a great experience is essential to being the best dental assistant possible.
Conclusion
Standing out in the dental field is hard, but these tips and mindsets will be your best friend. The dental assistant who goes above and beyond their job description is the one who wins in the end. Fill out our form or download our app to join Stynt and expand your freelance career!