Are dental practices reluctant to hire undergrads to work as dental assistants?

[thisismyacct]

It might seem like a silly question but I'm in the summer of my freshman year and I was thinking about getting a job as one because I need a job and I figure it will be good experience. I am just nervous to call/apply because I don't know if they'll hire me due to my age/experience. I live in NYS and I checked online and it turns out I can work without a certification.

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[MahiMahi]

I was under the impression you needed to be licensed to be a dental assistant in NY?

 

[1passbbsSHAVE]

I am not in NY, but I tried to get an assistant job but to no avail. Seems like it's really hard to come by unless you have experience or get lucky with ones that are willing to train you.

 

[Soleus715]

It might seem like a silly question but I'm in the summer of my freshman year and I was thinking about getting a job as one because I need a job and I figure it will be good experience. I am just nervous to call/apply because I don't know if they'll hire me due to my age/experience. I live in NYS and I checked online and it turns out I can work without a certification.

It varies greatly depending on the dentist. I actually know several undergrad students working part time as an assistant.
There are some that also volunteer at a free dental clinic. They all started without any prior experience, but this is in Illinois so it might be a different culture/environment for DA's.

Requirements for NY: http://www.dalefoundation.org/resou.../State-Dental-Assistant-Requirements/New-York

 

[JLT223]

I worked without any certification in NY; it is not required. I also had help obtaining the job....it's very hard to find work as a DA with zero experience.

 

[thisismyacct]

I worked without any certification in NY; it is not required. I also had help obtaining the job....it's very hard to find work as a DA with zero experience.

It's funny how you can't get a job without experience but you need a job to get experience.

 

[JLT223]

It's funny how you can't get a job without experience but you need a job to get experience.

It's a sick world

 

[hylecious]

I thought you need 2-year certificate to be a dental assistant. If you apply for the office assistant, you might get it though. I am pretty sure you are not allowed to touch or participate in a dental procedure without proper training and certificate of some sort.

 

[MahiMahi]

I thought you need 2-year certificate to be a dental assistant. If you apply for the office assistant, you might get it though. I am pretty sure you are not allowed to touch or participate in a dental procedure without proper training and certificate of some sort.

This seems correct.
See: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/dent/dentcdalic.htm

 

[JLT223]

You do NOT need to be an RDA. You DO need to be an RDA to perform specific functions. Many dentists prefer to do these themselves, so an RDA is not required.

 

[JLT223]

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/dent/dentasst.htm#q7

#16 onwards

 

[ncide]

Don't give up. I contacted 40 practices that were actively hiring before I found a spot.

 

[doc toothache]

Some practitioners might be reluctant to hire an overqualified applicant, unless they are looking for a interim solution.

 

[PreDent3030]

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[sumin5924]

I work part time in an office as a records assistant. My co workers have said they used to worry a little about hiring pre dents because they think many have the mentality that they are going to become dentists so they are above doing things like taking out the trash.

I knew taking out the trash would be a good move. Probably netted me a strong LOR.

 

[frozenicecreamDMD]

I work part time in an office as a records assistant. My co workers have said they used to worry a little about hiring pre dents because they think many have the mentality that they are going to become dentists so they are above doing things like taking out the trash.

or may be they are jealous that they are stuck at doing paperwork for low pay for the rest of their lives while these predents will become dentist and score 10x - 20x the amount they make now.

 

[schmoob]

or may be they are jealous that they are stuck at doing paperwork for low pay for the rest of their lives while these predents will become dentist and score 10x - 20x the amount they make now.

Or maybe they've had experiences with arrogant predents with a chip on their shoulder, with no appreciation for every team members contribution to the practice. Plus they thought they were above taking out the trash.
It's not just the dentists that make the money. They need someone good at billing, good at scheduling, a good assistant, awesome hygienist(s). Just because you know your stuff clinically does not mean you will have a successful practice. When I shadowed, I shadowed the dentist, the office manager, billing....
It's all about the big picture.

 

[frozenicecreamDMD]

Or maybe they've had experiences with arrogant predents with a chip on their shoulder, with no appreciation for every team members contribution to the practice. Plus they thought they were above taking out the trash.
It's not just the dentists that make the money. They need someone good at billing, good at scheduling, a good assistant, awesome hygienist(s). Just because you know your stuff clinically does not mean you will have a successful practice. When I shadowed, I shadowed the dentist, the office manager, billing....
It's all about the big picture.

what you said is perfectly true. I agree with all of that.

but what I observe from hiring office assistants is that the dentists value longevity and stability and dont want to bet on predents (who will stay like 2 year max? before leaving for dental school, and can't work full time). Plus, the dentist want to hire office assistants and dental assistants that just have high school diplomas to accept low pay.

I keep failing interviewing for dental assistant job (office and chairside assist) until I realize these positions only require high school degrees. I take out all my college and volunteer and research work and just put high school diploma with random community college classes, BAM, got in two places. but I had to lie to get it so I didn't accept and then I had interviews to go to back to back.

Believe me when I say these office assistant/dental assistants have serious inferiority complex issues when they know you are a predent (or a qualified one if you submit ur grade and DAT) and know you will make it to be a dentist in 4 years.

 

[schmoob]

what you said is perfectly true. I agree with all of that.

but what I observe from hiring office assistants is that the dentists value longevity and stability and dont want to bet on predents (who will stay like 2 year max? before leaving for dental school, and can't work full time). Plus, the dentist want to hire office assistants and dental assistants that just have high school diplomas to accept low pay.

I keep failing interviewing for dental assistant job (office and chairside assist) until I realize these positions only require high school degrees. I take out all my college and volunteer and research work and just put high school diploma with random community college classes, BAM, got in two places. but I had to lie to get it so I didn't accept and then I had interviews to go to back to back.

Believe me when I say these office assistant/dental assistants have serious inferiority complex issues when they know you are a predent (or a qualified one if you submit ur grade and DAT) and know you will make it to be a dentist in 4 years.

Can't really argue with your logic.
But the reasoning behind applying for a dental assisting job is for you to learn, strengthen your application, AND get paid for it. Then they know you will just leave to go to school. It's honestly not in the best interest of the practice. That's why they would likely have reservations.
And yes, I can see scenarios where some assistants would be jealous.

 

[mystery84]

Who wants to train someone from scratch only to lose them in a year? I feel that very few dentists would be willing to sacrifice the time for a short term solution or just to help you. Without a connection of some sort or by hiding the fact that you are interested in going to dental school it would be difficult. Just remember the latter will make it harder to ask for a lor down the road.

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[PreDent3030]

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[frozenicecreamDMD]

yeah of courses not all offices have this problem if the dentists have good management and good leadership. However, most dentists rely on the assistants to train the newbie without overlooking or indirect supervision. this is where crapballs rain on the new predents that come in that have to suffer the syndrome of getting bullied due to knowing nothing about chairside assistant but having the intellectual capability to learn all of it.

in the assistant's shoe, are you willing to train the person who you know are smart and capable all the stuff you have (im sure you can learn all that an assistant knows in a month) and is sure he/she can outperform you?

anyways, the bottom line is most offices look for stability and long time assistants that have assistantship as a permanent jobs rather than hiring predents, spending good time to train and show the predents, and then they leave!

 

[JLT223]

most offices look for stability and long time assistants that have assistantship as a permanent jobs