I am thinking about becoming a dental assistant to gain more experience and knowledge of the dental field before I apply to dental school. Basically, I want to have a job where I can make money while getting great experience for my future.
If I were to ask around the dental offices in my area about open dental assisting positions, and tell them my situation of being a pre-dental student (how I need/want experience, but can only work full time in the summer, and maybe 10-15 hours a week in the spring and fall during school), would most dentists find a spot for me? I don't want to force dentists to feel like they have to hire me, but I know most dentists are pretty nice, helpful people that would understand that they are helping the youth of dentistry, while still helping their practice. And I don't want to put a restraint on their practice because I can't work all year-round. However, one of my family members found a dental assistant position when he was a pre-dental student, and he worked the hours I am interested of working and the dentist he worked for did not mind at all. He might not have minded because his patients come in swings. Maybe people tended to schedule their appointments when they have breaks (like summer break) and my brother's job was more needed in the summer.
Or I could do the option of just working somewhere else (maybe in a lab because I'm a chemistry major), doing some summer research, and still doing some observation of dentists. The problem I have with this is that I will not get as much knowledge and experience as I would like, and when I do observe a dentist I will not get to make money when I do it (I cannot work during this time, and I don't get paid during observation).
So, what is a dentists mindset on giving out dental assistant jobs to time-restricted pre-dent students?
What is the best way to get, or to ask for, a dental assistant job in my position?
Or, should I just observe dentists and work somewhere else?
If I were to ask around the dental offices in my area about open dental assisting positions, and tell them my situation of being a pre-dental student (how I need/want experience, but can only work full time in the summer, and maybe 10-15 hours a week in the spring and fall during school), would most dentists find a spot for me? I don't want to force dentists to feel like they have to hire me, but I know most dentists are pretty nice, helpful people that would understand that they are helping the youth of dentistry, while still helping their practice. And I don't want to put a restraint on their practice because I can't work all year-round. However, one of my family members found a dental assistant position when he was a pre-dental student, and he worked the hours I am interested of working and the dentist he worked for did not mind at all. He might not have minded because his patients come in swings. Maybe people tended to schedule their appointments when they have breaks (like summer break) and my brother's job was more needed in the summer.
Or I could do the option of just working somewhere else (maybe in a lab because I'm a chemistry major), doing some summer research, and still doing some observation of dentists. The problem I have with this is that I will not get as much knowledge and experience as I would like, and when I do observe a dentist I will not get to make money when I do it (I cannot work during this time, and I don't get paid during observation).
So, what is a dentists mindset on giving out dental assistant jobs to time-restricted pre-dent students?
What is the best way to get, or to ask for, a dental assistant job in my position?
Or, should I just observe dentists and work somewhere else?
