working as a dental assistant during gap year

[justdandi]

I'm currently taking my Dental Assistant exam and trying to apply for jobs as a Dental Assistant during my gap year (or longer if I fail to get in this cycle) -- to hopefully gain some more experience.

I know a some SDN members have worked as a DA -- and if I may ask: How did you get your first DA job?

I'm trying to find listings online (craiglist, etc.), but 90% of those within a 30-min drive require previous experience, which I don't have. Did you just show up to dental offices around your to ask if they're hiring and leave your resume?

I'd really appreciate any advice!

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[Flosstooth]

I had a gal who worked at my office for a year before she started dental school. Find a dentist who will train you and don't expect to get paid much and it will be fun.

Be careful though. I think I ruined the girl who worked for me. She told me, that after working for me for a year, when she completed dental school.......she was certain she would NEVER be as fast as me and therefore never earn a decent living.

She is currently finishing her dental anesthesia residency.

 

[justdandi]

Be careful though. I think I ruined the girl who worked for me. She told me, that after working for me for a year, when she completed dental school.......she was certain she would NEVER be as fast as me and therefore never earn a decent living.=

Thank you! I really do hope it won't convince me to quit the dream of dental school.

Find a dentist who will train you and don't expect to get paid much and it will be fun.

May I ask how I'd a dentist willing to train a new DA? Almost all the job postings I've found online require at least 1 year of experience. I'm just wondering if it might be too presumptuous to show up to random dental offices with my resume.

 

[Flosstooth]

Thank you! I really do hope it won't convince me to quit the dream of dental school.



May I ask how I'd a dentist willing to train a new DA? Almost all the job postings I've found online require at least 1 year of experience. I'm just wondering if it might be too presumptuous to show up to random dental offices with my resume.

I would cold-call the nicest office you can find......the one you would love to work in. Ask to chat with the dentist.......let him know you want to be a dentist. Most likely......he will enjoy chatting with you. If he doesn't, you do not want to work there anyway and try another office.

Offer to come in and work for free. Make sure you establish some kind of schedule that you will stick to. I don't like people coming in willy-nilly.....even if it is for free. Come in and learn everything you can. Start taking over simple responsibilities of the dental assistants. Most dental assistants will be happy to teach you things you can do......this makes less work for them.

After you have acquired some skills.....ask the dentist for a small wage. Most dentists don't expect a person to work for nothing, and if you have proven yourself......they will be happy to throw a few bucks at you. The gal I described in my previous post did just that. She took it upon herself to create an employee manual. She took pictures of instrument setups and did a nice itemized manual for new hires. When she hit me up for a small salary.....I was happy to oblige. But, she proved herself first.

 

[HoustonDAT]

Chain dental offices such as Castle Dental, Western Dental, etc. hire DA's with 0 exp. It's not the most glamorous office and you probably won't get paid much, but it's worth the experience. I worked at a crappy facility with wonderful people. The dentists are usually recent grads, and have a wealth of info to share. Just go in willing to help and willing to learn everyday.

 

[olive6]

the dentist i shadowed for about 100 hrs hired me as a DA/sterilization tech for the summer--- he used my "shadowing" hours more like "training" hours haha-- maybe try to contact whoever you shadowed with??? even if they don't need an assistant they might want some extra help with op set up/tear down and sterilization...

 

[Jackson-Ave-Dental]

I would cold-call the nicest office you can find......the one you would love to work in. Ask to chat with the dentist.......let him know you want to be a dentist. Most likely......he will enjoy chatting with you. If he doesn't, you do not want to work there anyway and try another office.

Offer to come in and work for free. Make sure you establish some kind of schedule that you will stick to. I don't like people coming in willy-nilly.....even if it is for free. Come in and learn everything you can. Start taking over simple responsibilities of the dental assistants. Most dental assistants will be happy to teach you things you can do......this makes less work for them.

After you have acquired some skills.....ask the dentist for a small wage. Most dentists don't expect a person to work for nothing, and if you have proven yourself......they will be happy to throw a few bucks at you. The gal I described in my previous post did just that. She took it upon herself to create an employee manual. She took pictures of instrument setups and did a nice itemized manual for new hires. When she hit me up for a small salary.....I was happy to oblige. But, she proved herself first.

I use to take pictures of everything and started on my dental assistant manual with a binder and plastic cover sheets. I would type everything up and put them in the sheets in my binder...

Yeah... that lasted for 2 weeks and then I gave up because you don't need any of that. It didn't take me long to realize how each and every filling, crown prep, or whatever procedure it is will differ slightly from case to case anyway. The fact that my pictures could never quite capture 100% of every situation pissed the hell out of me so I scrapped it all. All you really need is a brain that is capable of critical thinking.

Thank you! I really do hope it won't convince me to quit the dream of dental school.



May I ask how I'd a dentist willing to train a new DA? Almost all the job postings I've found online require at least 1 year of experience. I'm just wondering if it might be too presumptuous to show up to random dental offices with my resume.

I got hired with zero experience over the hundreds of other much more qualified applicants. What is it that set me apart? You should ask yourself that and revise your CV and Cover Letter to reflect that.

 

[Duriel]

Im working as a DA in my gap year. I got the job through craigslist, saw a dentist looking to train a DA. Although its an hour and a half drive