In your career as a dental assistant, you will work under the supervision of a dentist, performing an array of tasks and duties. Dental assistants need to possess a wide range of skills to be effective and successful in their careers. In your training program, you will learn many of these skills that you can apply directly to your first job in the field. From human relations training to radiography and infection control, practical skills will keep you successful and effective in your field.
Read on for some of the job-ready skills you’ll pick up in your program!
1. A Good Dental Assistant Diploma Program Provides Infection Control Training
Often, dental assistants are the point people for infection control in dental offices. It’s a big responsibility and very important to prevent infection and maintain proper safety, screening, hand hygiene, and protection. The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario has specific guidelines for standard of practice in infection prevention and control in dental offices.
Dental assistants prepare examination areas, develop infection control protocol, clean up after procedures, and sterilize equipment and instruments. Having infection control skills ready to go for your first job is crucial to your success, as the office may even place you as their infection control officer.
2. Human Relations Skills will Help you after Dental Assistant Training
Human relations skills prepare you to interact with different people effectively, manage and lead others, as well as make people feel comfortable and have positive interactions. As a dental assistant, you will probably be required to calm clients down who are feeling anxious and ensure that people who come into the dental office have a comfortable and positive experience when interacting with you.
Dental assistants often schedule appointments and help clients feel comfortable
Dental assistants are often responsible for interviewing patients, scheduling their appointments and providing customer service with a professional demeanour. Your effective communication skills from career training will help the office run smoothly and ensure that tasks get done.
3. Radiography Training from a Dental Assistant Diploma Program is Essential
Intra-Oral duties include technical procedures, for example dental radiography. Radiographs, or x-rays, are commonly used to evaluate dental health and will be conducted often in a dental office. Dental assistants who are qualified will take and develop x-rays, as well as maintain equipment and proper sterilization of the rooms and instruments used in the process.
Technical skills from your program will help you take and develop x-rays in your career
Having training with this technology prepares you for the demands of a busy office with many scheduled procedures.
4. CPR and Standard First Aid will be Required after Dental Assistant Training
Dental assistants are required to assess emergency situations and need training in CPR and First Aid. Getting this training through your dental assistant diploma program is the simplest way to receive updated emergency skills and be qualified for your first day on the job. You must be able to recognize signs of a dental emergency so that you can keep people safe. These skills are also applicable to your daily life, as you can help others and yourself in emergency situations.
Are you interested in dental assistant training?
Contact KLC College for more information.