Running Head: Becoming A Dental Assistant

A lot of people have at some point in their lives experienced a “Naysayer” and we all know they can sometimes have the power to discourage you. By discouraging you to not follow or pursue things you feel would help benefit you. These kind of people personally don’t always have the right answer but can poke and push you into thinking that their way is the right way; Then you become the “negative Nancy”. They feed off your energy to doubt yourself and to second guess your own decision making.

You have to remember that whatever decision you make for yourself is not for the next person, it’s for you and you only. Never allow one or many “naysayers” to bully or push their beliefs onto you. You have to keep these kinds of people at arm’s length, it’s like loving them from a distance.

For me personally my “naysayer” is actually myself. I am my own worst enemy but at the same time I know I have the power to change that.

I am doing something for myself for the first time without anyone in my ear telling me to go another direction. It can be very hard to try and make decisions for yourself when you may have a controlling mother or father or whomever is in your life constantly dictating how you should live your life. With that said, whether that be family, friends, or even yourself whom is consistently doubting you keep moving forward.

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You have to continue to be committed and strive for perseverance because nothing is ever too late nor more important than getting your education.

Same Lingo Different Requirements

To become a dental assistant I had to first understand the difference between just a dental technician and a dental hygienists. I found that there are very big differences in what one can do versus the other as the requirements needed for both jobs. To put this in a short explanation to be a technician it to prepare the Dr. or the hygienists for the patient as well as assisting your higher archery. For the dental hygienists they’re the one who are more of the doing, instead of setting up they’ll be using the equipment are able to actually preform more machinery and handle more complications on the patient; as well as having the certifications to perform. One just preforms while the other assists, and of course there are different pay rates for one another (Ridner & Wilson, 2018). The position I am more fixated on of course is the Dental Hygienists, with that said is because well yes the money but also because I want to be the one calling the shots during the procedures. For now while I am attending school, I have to start small to get to where I want

I am currently in school for Dental Assisting but once I accomplish this, get into the field, that doesn’t have to stop me from continuing on to become a Hygienists. Looking up different job openings around this field gave me a really good sense of the environment these offices can provide and also for me to want to be a part of. The salaries for Dental assistance can range from $37k-$42K annually, and for a Hygienists ranking up to $74k annually (Statistics, 2018). I specifically looked into LenzSullivan Dentistry office and they had a very warming suggestive openness about their staff, “Our exceptional, friendly staff is our greatest asset (Dentistry, 2018)”. I like they give a brief history of how they started, who the staff are, and where the name comes from as well. I could see myself working for them and striving in their business.

Qualifications for Job

There are always going to be pre-qualifications needed for any job you’re applying for. With the particular job posting I came across from the practicing office named LenzSullivan Dentistry, they gave very precise description on what they were looking for from their next candidate. (Indeed, 2018), on this job posting they talked about how the responsibilities for their next Dental assistant must know how to assist with x-rays and even CT scans, as well as prepping a sterile room and then at the end of the day breaking down that room too. Also being able to assist the Dr. whether in lab or “chair-side (Indeed, 2018)”.

Achieving the Goal

Initially while searching for schools to get back into I was more worried about would I be able to keep up. I’ve always seen commercials and internet ads for ECPI, so I just decided it’s time to take that step forward. ECPI University from the moment I came just for a basic interview and to grasp the environment of where I could be studying I knew instantly that I would enjoy the school and more so the people were very inviting. As soon I started classes we dove right into assignments and your teachers tell you right off the bat what they’re here for which is to help us succeed. That’s a big factor to have your teacher want to see their students become successful.

A scholarly article I found in our library database, had an article written by a young lady who nicely stated “A dental assistant provides a “second set of hands” for a dentist and a voice of reassurance for patients (Reece. 2009, pg.20-22)”.

References

1. Dentistry, L. (2018). LenzSullivan Dentistry. Retrieved from LenzSullivan Dentistry: https://www.lenzsullivan.com/
2. Indeed. (2018, December). Dental Assisting Job Inquirty. Retrieved from Indeed.com: https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=38bcaf2814dda6c4&from=myjobs&tk=1cuiarrkr5gp9800
3. Reece, T. (2009, Feb). A reason to smile. Career World, 37, 20-22. Retrieved from http://libproxy.ecpi.edu:2048/login?url=https://libproxy.ecpi.edu:2463/docview/209772874?accountid=142826
4. Ridner, A., & Wilson, B. (2018, December 19). Dental Assistants vs. Dental Hygienists: What’s the Difference? Retrieved from Study.com: https://study.com/articles/Dental_Assistants_vs_Dental_Hygienists_Whats_the_Difference.html
5. Statistics, U. B. (2018, April 13). 1. Retrieved from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm