ASSISTING TRAINING · Jan 03, 01:49 PM
WHAT IS GOING ON??? I know I have written about this subject in the past but I have to tell you I feel compelled to write about again. Am I missing something? What is going on with the training courses that are being offered out there for dental assisting programs? Ever since I opened Dental Link Services I have encountered the same problem over and over. I know for a fact that other agencies are encountering the same problem by the feed back I receive from my clients. So let me say it again” WHAT IS GOING ON”
There are a lot of excellent schools out there along with allot of insufficient training programs, I can not bring myself to even call them schools. It seems that because of there cheaper rates they are able to sign up allot of students looking to go into the dental field. Let me tell you what I feel the problem is with that. I would like to take you through one of my interviews. First all applicants applying with Dental Link Services must fill out an application including questions regarding there skills, most of it is basic dental assistant questions, the more detailed questions comes into play during the one on one interview process. When the application has been completed we then will go into the interview with them. When I review there skills I notice on there application they do not know what the term “four handed”, or restorative” means, at that point the interview comes to a stop. If I were to ask a medical nurse if she took vital signs” and her response was, “What is a vital” I would portably begin looking for a new nurse. Some of these questions asked of an assistant applying for a position are entry level questions, and they have no idea what I am asking them. At that point I sit back and begin asking them further questions about there training. In the end I find out they had little to no externship have no idea how to assist on basic procedures let alone fabricate a temporary. But they have there RDA. I feel for them, this is not there fault. They went into a program thinking they were receiving the training they needed to obtain a job in the dental field. They express to me there dissatisfaction with the skills they have learned and can not afford another program. They ask me what they should do. My heart goes out to them, most of them had to borrow the money or obtain loans to pay for it. I can only tell them to try to find a private practice on there own that will allow them to do an externship. I also instruct them to make sure they are being allowed to learn and have hands on training with four handed procedures along with expanded duties. This will at least give them the opportunity to practice and sharpen there skills. This also will give them the confidence they will need to go out there and obtain a position with a good practice. After they have completed an externship I ask them to call us back and Dental Link would assist them in finding a permanent position. Be careful, allot of externships are using these assistance for sterilization and x-rays only. The outcome from this type of training is that they are completing there hours with no more knowledge then when they started. I feel the schools need to have a check off list with all the required procedures the assistant need to learn. The school also needs to make at least one appearance at the externship site to check on students progress and make sure not only is the student doing what is required of them but the practice that is offering the externship is following the schools guidelines. The practices do not pay these assistance, this is a extension of there schooling and training, so they should receive the proper externship.
Most of the complaints that we hear from dentist when they call us is, please make sure they have some experience or training. They express there concern for the lack of training for allot of these assistance coming out of these schools. We are not expecting you to be as experienced as an assistant with several years, but we do expect you to have the basic knowledge required for this field. You hold the certifications they say you do, right?
So as I have said in the past and I will say it again. When looking for schools check the school out. Make sure it is not a quick course. Just because you have passed your test for the RDA does not mean you are ready or even have the skills to apply it. Anybody can memorize terminology and pass a test. Ask questions about the curriculum and definitely about the externship, the outline for it and the hours required. You need a min of 250 hours of externship. Don’t be shy about asking questions. You need to know the qualifications of the instructors also. It is our job at Dental Link Services to provide good assistance to all our clients, and make sure our applicants are qualified in there field. This is a great field you have chosen to be in so be the best you can.
Dental Link is always here to assist you!
Till next time
— Judy
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