r/DentalAssistant

So I am in dental hygiene school. Occasionally I pick up shifts at this pediatric practice. Given the laws of California, a dental assistant in a pedo office more or less effectively works as a hygienist. Now tell me why my coworkers, who are not in hygiene school, are so much faster than me. We get 30 mins per appointment, RC, including X-rays, light scale, polish, exam with Dr, and OHI with parents and patient. I in good conscious, can’t finish an appointment in this time frame. Sometimes the patient has really good OH, 30 mins is plenty. But a 15 year old, with bad hygiene, I’m subgingivally scaling??? And it’s not that I want to, but I have to? If I don’t I feel bad, even if it’s outside of my scope. I’m letting a 15 year old leave with residual calc. And I floss last right before I call Dr in. Sometime Dr comes in as I’m flossing which is when I find my residual calc, and then bring it to Drs attention. But like I feel like I’m not doing enough, so how are my coworkers finishing faster than me?? I feel like an imposter yet I’m more equipped than my fellow assistants, so how do they feel?

I recently got a job as a receptionist at a private dental clinic in New Jersey. The doctor started me out at $18 an hour. Since I’ve been there, she has tasked me with doing sterilization, cleaning rooms, front desk duties, marketing, personal assistant work such as calling her child’s nanny to fix an issue with her internet and a plethora of other things.

The other front desk receptionist she just hired is making $24 an hour. She does have previous experience with dental but we do all the same tasks.

I feel very overwhelmed at work and I’ve never felt this way with a job. We are over staffed according to the doctor.

On top of everything, she is constantly nitpicking the staff and all the micromanaging is too much. Every 15 minutes she will come up and stand behind us while we’re doing our front desk tasks. She will just stare at us and then proceed to ask what we’re doing/working on. She then interrupts what we’re doing to have us work on something entirely different.

Is this the standard for a Dental front desk receptionist? I know we’re all cross trained but doing all of that while only making $18hr is dehumanizing.

Hello!! I am a new DA at a pediatric office. I have no experience and learning completely on the job. I am registered for an expanded function program later this fall. I am having an extremely hard time with bite wing x-rays and am looking for any advice or tips anyone might have to share! Thank you!

Hi everyone! I’m currently an on the job trainee DA and I’ve been loving every minute of it. One thing I’ve been told to work on is my posture. The dr brought me aside and said he’s noticed a few times and I should correct it. He wasn’t rude or anything I truly think it came from a place of caring. Anyways my question is: does anyone have any tips or tricks on how to better my posture? When I notice it I try to correct it but I honestly didn’t think it was that bad until now. Anything helps !

Can someone with no experience get a full time job in Orange County with benefits that pays $20 or more an hour? I plan to go to Orange coast college to go to school to be a dental assistant. I know that it is still a relatively desirable position since it is in the medical field. I just wanted some advice and things I need to know about it. I am very new to this. Anything helps. Thank you in advance.

I've been as assistant for a couple months and I'm still fighting for my life to do sealants on the upper teeth. I try to use the mirror but I can't aim at all using it, so I give up and start breaking my back & leaning like crazy to be able to see. Is there another way to sit or like a different method to be able to see if you suck at using the mirror?

I have an interview tomorrow with a pediatric office and this will be my first job within the dental field. They are willing to train me which is a big plus and I really don’t want to mess this up. Any tips on how to definitely get the job? What kind of questions will they ask? Is there anything dental offices love to see in their workers?

I had a wisdom tooth (#8) growing sideways at a 90-degree angle, pushing directly into my second molar (#7). I’d known it was impacted for two years already, but because I’m a coward and terrified of pain, I kept delaying it over and over again.

Until last week, when it suddenly swelled up badly. I developed gum inflammation around the tooth, the pain shot all the way up to my temple, I couldn’t eat or sleep, and tears were literally streaming down my face. Only then did I finally drag myself to a dental clinic near my house.

Before going in, I had mentally prepared myself for unbearable pain — but honestly, modern dentistry is incredible these days.

Looking back, I feel ridiculously foolish. I should have had it removed earlier and saved myself all that suffering. It would have hurt less and, more importantly, prevented damage to the neighboring tooth (#7).

So if your wisdom tooth has started hurting, or you already know it’s growing at an angle, my sincere advice is: get an X-ray and take care of it as soon as possible. Don’t underestimate it.

Hi everyone! I’m new to the dental field and would really appreciate some advice.
I got a job offer from a small orthodontic office over the phone yesterday. They told me the hourly rate, discussed my schedule, and we even agreed on a start date after my two weeks notice.
The only thing is — I haven’t received anything in writing yet (no email or official offer letter).
Is this normal in dental offices? Should I expect some kind of written confirmation, or is a verbal offer like this usually enough?
Also, would you feel comfortable giving notice at your current job at this point, or would you wait until you get something in writing?
Thank you so much in advance!

I’m in a dental assisting program in Texas and I’m trying to understand whether the 120-hour externship is legally required for getting my RDA license, or if it’s only required by my school to graduate.

So far I have already completed:

* the San Antonio dental assistant registration course/exam

* fingerprints

* CPR certification

* human trafficking training

* background check

My instructor told me I MUST complete the externship “period” or I won’t graduate. I understand that may be the school’s rule, but I’m trying to figure out if Texas actually requires the externship for RDA registration itself.

Has anyone in Texas dealt with this before?

* Were you able to apply for your RDA before finishing externship hours?

* Did your school withhold paperwork or completion verification?

* Is the externship a state requirement or just a program requirement?

Any advice would help. Thank you.

Hi guys! I'm from arizona i was looking if anyone could give me advice? I was thinking of starting as a dental assistant and climbing up to a hygienist because people told me there are offices that offer bridge programs. However, some people told me I should just commit myself to dental hygiene instead. I don't know what to do; help!

I'm waning to get a new job and was offered a position in oral surgery. I've been an EFDA for 8 years in a general dentist office and wondered if oral surgery would be right for me. What are the main roles for the assistant in oral surgery? Is it alot less work than in a general office? Just suction and getting the room and patient ready? I would love to hear your experience!

I posted earlier in the month about accepting a position at a small private practice and being the only assistant or accepting a larger office (not corporate) and working with other assistants. I chose the small office. I’m the only assistant and I work with the doctor all day. It is my 3rd week and I regret my decision to even go back to dental. The doctor micro manages all day. I feel like I’m sometimes set up to fail. There is so much drama due to the Dr. she comes to me to talk shit over others. I’m sure she does the same to them. I don’t know what to do. I cannot go through another shitty doctor. It’s the reason why I left dental 5 years ago. That’s why I have to be retrained on everything and it seems like she just does not have the patience like she said she would. I’m at the point of just not going back. I am literally freaking out about going back in tomorrow and working the whole day. It’s going to be the busiest day we have since I started.
How do you overcome this?

How long did it take you to get good at 4 handed dentistry because I just started doing that last week and I suck big time .the dentist and lead are kind about it but I know I bite and I hate my own guts