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Most Important Dental Assisting Skill

Being in the business of dentistry for decades has taught me that motivating patients toward excellent health takes more than educating them about the benefits with an arsenal of diagnostic tools. The Key Skill of Great Dental Assistants The work of dental assistants involves many necessary skills and knowledge about equipment, instruments, sterilization, and organization of the treatment room. Another skill that great dental assistants possess is the that of listening to and building rapport with patients. While …

Our Very Own A+ Teacher of the Week Recognized by Bay News 9!!

Being new, but knowing your worth

The struggles of completing your dental hygiene academic career, passing your boards, and getting your license are real! So real that you may look back and wonder, “How the heck did I do that!?” When you let your overactive brain matter start to relax as you put dental hygiene school in the review, a new stressor takes its place, the real dental world.  Many dental hygiene clinicians will agree that academia prepares you for patient …

Understanding What Protects Us in Dentistry—It’s Not Just PPE

Our PPE is not the only thing to protect us in dentistry. There are many other defenses and precautions that keep us safe and limit the spread of infection. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light multiple perspectives on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in dentistry. Some practitioners believe that we have good enough PPE in dentistry and should be allowed to continue working throughout the pandemic, while others are afraid to return …

Why I Became a Dental Hygienist (and would again!)

Sometimes it takes something major to cause you to reevaluate every aspect of your life. For all the challenges and disruption the pandemic has brought, it has also forced us to take stock and re-evaluate what is important. For me, it has rekindled and renewed my love for the dental community and helped me re-identify with the reasons I got into dental hygiene in the first place––to care for others and be in community with …

Managing Stress In The New Dental Normal

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but when we control it, instead of the other way around, we feel better and have better life outcomes. Having seen patients this week and understanding what working in today’s dentist offices requires, I felt compelled to sit down and write to my dental community friends and colleagues who may not be feeling so positive.  Did you know that 80% of all the thoughts we have are negative. Yes, you read …

Adapting to today’s many changes in dental assisting

It’s been more than two months since the American Dental Association (ADA) put forth its recommendations for dentists nationwide to postpone elective procedures as a way to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus. During this time those of us in the dental assisting profession have been faced with significant challenges. Our profession includes clinical and business assistants, dental assisting educators and students, and dental assistants who serve administratively. One benefit that has been apparent throughout this …

Dentists Sweat Under Layers of Face Protection to Bring Patients Back

Dr. Norberto Camacho says he’s drenched in sweat and yearning for oxygen after every shift at his dental practice in Brickell, where the AC is stuck above 72 degrees and staff are adapting to multiple new layers of personal protective equipment. With an 80-year-old grandmother waiting at home and Florida hitting more than 244,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 4,100 deaths as of Friday, Camacho, 35, is determined to minimize the risk of infection for …

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Are you more than just thirsty? The dangerous impacts of dehydration

The physical environment in the dental office is more taxing than ever. A growing number of health-care professionals are experiencing profound and wide-ranging health complications since returning to the work setting. As of July 23, 2020, 65% of over 3,200 health-care providers back in active practice report dehydration. Out of 65 symptoms, dehydration tops the list as the most reported symptom.1 An increasing number of dental health-care workers are experiencing blackouts while delivering patient care, …

Myth Busters for Dental Assistants: Our Opinions Matter

Separating Fact from Fiction Wrong! Tija Hunter, CDA, EFDA, believes dental assistants should all receive mandatory training for infection control. She feels this would help them gain some of the respect that traditionally lacks toward the profession. What do you mean we aren’t professionals and our opinions do not matter? This is not just wrong, but whoa, this could not be further from the truth! Have you ever been made to feel like the black sheep of …

UPDATE: Dental Assistants Bureau of Labor and Statistics

Dental Assistant Quick Stats Quick Facts: Dental Assistants 2019 Median Pay $40,080 per year$19.27 per hour Typical Entry-Level Education Postsecondary nondegree award Work Experience in a Related Occupation None On-the-job Training None Number of Jobs, 2018 346,000 Job Outlook, 2018-28 11% (Much faster than average) Employment Change, 2018-28 38,700 What Dental Assistants Do Dental assistants provide patient care, take x rays, keep records, and schedule appointments. Work Environment Almost all dental assistants work in dentists’ …

4 Reasons to be Grateful for Dental Assistants

November brings with it the opportunity to reflect on the many reasons to appreciate dental assistants, as well as all of the ways they contribute to the dental office. In fact, dental assistants’ colleagues agree that assistants positively impact the practice, according to research commissioned by the DALE Foundation, the affiliate of the Dental Assisting National Board. The DALE Foundation’s “Value of Dental Assistants to the Dental Practice” research, which drew insights from nearly 3,000 dentists, dental …

UPDATE: Dentistry Workers and Employers

COVID-19 Control and Prevention This section provides guidance for dentistry workers and employers. This guidance supplements the general interim guidance for workers and employers of workers at increased risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2. On March 16, 2020, the American Dental Association called for dentists to keep their offices closed to all but urgent and emergency procedures during the COVID-19 outbreak. Unless emergency dental procedures absolutely cannot be delayed, OSHA further recommends that emergency dental procedures be performed on patients with suspected or …