As dental assistants, our days may be filled with routine tasks and patient interactions, but there's always the possibility of encountering dental emergencies. Having the knowledge and skills to recognize and manage these emergencies is essential for ensuring the safety and well-being of our patients. From fractured teeth during routine procedures to sudden allergic reactions in patients, dental emergencies require swift action and a calm demeanor. Let's dive into some key insights to help you navigate these situations effectively.

Becoming a dental assistant is a rewarding career choice, but it comes with challenges that can be easier to overcome with the support and guidance of someone more experienced in dentistry. Mentorship can be a powerful tool for young dental assistants starting their careers.

Just as patients are always on the hunt for that perfect dental office that just clicks with them, every dental assistant out there wishes their office could be absolutely amazing. Working well together as a dental team requires several key factors.

Case acceptance is all about helping patients understand their treatment options and making informed decisions about their dental care. As a dental assistant, you play a crucial role in this process.

Conflict is a part of life. But when patients are directing their frustration at us, what should dental assistants do?

As a dental assistant, you can do a lot to make dental visits less scary for pediatric patients. Here are some tips:

Stacie: Several years ago, I found myself questioning my future. I knew I wanted to be in health care, and I thought I just might have a passion for dentistry; but because I had to juggle working and home life I didn’t think it would be possible. Then one day at my job with a nationwide wellness franchise someone mentioned dental assisting through DCDS Dental Assisting School. I thought that the dental field just might be where I was meant to be.

Looking to switch jobs as a dental assistant? When you are invited to a job interview, you probably know only as much about a prospective practice as you can see online: their website, online reviews and job posting. These things give you a snapshot of what the practice is about; but if you are going to be spending 40+ hours a week at a job that might affect your career and your quality of life for years to come, you might want to know a bit more about it, right?!

Eight to ten hours a day is a long time to spend with anyone day after day. As a dental assistant, the workday can feel even longer if you have one or more co-workers with personality traits that are outside of the norm and are potentially harmful. They can wreak havoc in a practice office with their toxic behavior if left unchecked. Here are some tips on how to cope with these extreme behaviors.

Dental Assistant (DA), Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA), Registered Dental Assistant (RDA), Certified Dental Assistant (CDA), Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA), Registered Dental Assistants with Expanded Functions (RDAEF)…so many confusing titles! It can be hard to know who does what, where and why.

Family members, partners, community leaders…anyone…can be a potential trafficker. Dental staff members are in a position to encounter and identify potential victims who seek dental treatment. As a dental assistant, you can combat human trafficking by becoming informed and by maintaining vigilance in your office.

Roger: I have a passion for dentistry, and attempted to pursue a Hygiene degree; but felt I was being held back by the distractions of working at Taco Bell. My main concern about attending a dental assisting school was that it was not the exact career path that I wanted to take, but I realized that becoming a dental assistant and having experience working in a dental office prior to entering a hygiene program would be beneficial when it comes to furthering my career in dentistry.

Whether it’s to pursue a new opportunity or to leave a toxic work environment, there is a right and a wrong way to leave any position. Regardless of the reason, your goal should always be to leave in the smoothest way possible. You never want to burn bridges because you never know when your connections with your former co-workers or employer may come in handy. Here are a few tips to remember when leaving any position.

You have finally landed your first job as a Dental Assistant. After all your schooling and effort, you finally can start your career. Before you begin, it’s vital that you know how to present yourself in the workplace. Here are a few tips for your first job in the dental assistant world.

So, you are midway through with your coursework and are ready to “sink your teeth” into some actual dentistry. But not so fast! Before embarking on this HUGE next step, let’s rewind and make sure you know what your expectations will be and what you should know about dental externships. Here are some pieces of friendly advice to help make your training more advantageous.

There’s no disputing that dental assistants are in high demand in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Right now you can find a job in almost every part of the state – big city or small town. Texas employed approximately 31,550 dental assistants in 20191, and the career is projected to grow 7% through 20292, which is much faster than the average field. Leading to continued increases in the demand for preventive dental services are aging population and ongoing research that links oral health to general health.

To be a dental assistant in the state of Texas, you actually may perform very basic supportive dental procedures under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist without education or training requirements. That is, if you can get a dentist to hire you without training!

Dallas County Dental Society is pleased to name Angela Bush as Program Director of the DCDS Dental Assisting School. Angela’s 13 years experience in the dental field has afforded her the opportunity to work in various roles from front office, clinical assistant, office manager, and instructor. As program director, she brings the skills and life lessons learned to the table to help train today’s dental assistants to be the best in their field.

DCDS Dental Assisting School is honored to be covered in a recent edition of North Texas Dentistry Magazine.

Dr. Swift: I feel very fortunate to have fallen in love with a career in dentistry. They say if you love what you do it will never feel like work.