I am almost done with school. I have one month of school left and 2 months of extern after that (I won't be getting paid unless the dentist offers it)
Do you think I will find a good paying job right out of school? I've had hands on experience for the past 7 months...just not on real people! :) I am a single mother of 2, so its important to me to have a good job. That is why I went back to school.
What is the average pay for a dental assistant. I have looked into myself, but thought I might get better answers from people who actually are in the field.
If any dentists are out there, would you hire someone right out of school? The school I attend doesn't have the best reputation I have heard. But I am one of the best students in my class. Straight A's.
Serious answers only please!
Will become a dental assistant in 3 months...?
I can only tell you about my personal experience and my opinion of inexperienced assistants.
I did luckely get a job right out of dental assisting school. However, back then, we were not under such strict guildlines as we are now. Back when I started, you basically only had to be certified in radiology and you could be an assistant. Now, in my state, and I am sure in many, if not all others, you have to take a test and be registered with the state and keep up a certain amount of continueing ed credits a year. The school I went to helped me find a job. Dentists would contact the school knowing that they wanted a new, inexperienced assistant, because they wanted someone they could train who wouldn't be set in their ways. That was about 11 years ago and I started out at $7.50 an hour. Yikes!!! Not what you expected huh?? Don't worry, most pay more now. I have heard of assistants right out of school making about $16.00 an hour which shocks me, but it happens. I wouldn't expect that if I were you though. Probably between $9.00-12.00 would be closer to accurate, depending on the area and the dentist.
In my office, the veteran staff get a say-so in the new assistants we hire, and I can tell you in my office, no offense, but we don't hire newly trained assistants. WHY?? Because I don't have the time or the patience to train someone. We just see too many patients a day and have too many detailed, extensive procedures going at any given time, to have someone with very limited dental knowledge working there. We need people who are very quick, can do multiple things at once, and need very little guidance. I'm not saying we have NEVER hired a newly trained assistant, but it just didn't work out. There is alot to dental assisting that is learnt on the job, and we just don't have the time to train people.
Not saying that there are not offices that are not willing to give newly trained assistants a chance, cause there are. You just need to make up a resume and take it to many different offices. Sooner or later you will get a dentist who is willing to take on a new assistant. Hey, we all were there at one time!!!
Good luck
Reply:I had a hard time getting a job right out of school. I think offices do prefer assistants that have a lot of experience. I finally got a job as a hygiene assistant at $8/hr. They did not pay me a lot, but I had to take it. I just realized that I need to get more experience in the field and when I did, I applied for another job. Now I make $12/hr. I finished school in 2004, and I really enjoy my job. So I suggest that you learn everything that you can when you are doing your externship! Ask questions when your not sure of things. Try to assist the doc on the different procedures performed. Hope you get a good job!!
Reply:There are A LOT of dentists that hire right out of school here in California. I am an assistant and got hired right away at where i am working. However, the pay isn't that great, i wouldn't onl;y rely on assisting, i would do more in the dental field if you really like it. Im in school now for hygiene, I think thats where I would be better placed. Look in the newspapers and pennysavers if your state has those or even craigslist.org. The jobs in the papers usually will say hiring students or grads. Your school should actually give you doctors names on who will hire you right away, you can actually get an assisting job now while you are in school. Its practice and its good hands on. Good luck!!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
How much can an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant earn per hour in Merrillville Indiana ?
I have been a Dental Assistant for 7 yrs. I am proficient in Coronal polishing. I can take a DIAGNOSTIC set of Full mouth and Bite-wing Radiographs. I have Lab work experience, i.e., taking impressions, pouring plaster models and cleaning %26amp; polishing removable appliances.
I was also responsible for training new Dental Assistants as hired.
What should I expect to earn in Merrillville, Indiana ?
How much can an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant earn per hour in Merrillville Indiana ?
You are an experienced Dental Assistant. Not a Hygienist. You will get what an experienced assistant will get. I would guess around $15-18/hour, depending on the call volume of the business. It also depends on the dentist you are working for. Typically, I pay my assistants around 14/hour. My hygienists make about $30/hour. When I was first in the work force, assistants did not make much because it was on the job training. However in today's dental world more and more are getting college degrees with emphasis in assisting, which makes it easier and less time consuming for dentists to train etc etc. I suggest going back to school and getting your hygiene degree and if you are able get your dental degree.
Good Luck with your new job.
Reply:I'm a dentist, but I practice in northern IN, not around Merrillville.
If you were working in my office, calling yourself "expanded duties" would mean you would not only be polishing fillings, but also placing them proficiently, preferrably certified in expanded duties via the class offered at the IU School of Dentistry. I don't know if you are from out of state, but IN is one of the few states in the nation that allow expanded duties dental assistants to place fillings. Assistants who are certified expanded and x-ray certified as well can expect to make at least $17/hr in my area. Depending on what type of office you'll be working in, it may be a little more or less. If I were you, I wouldn't settle for less than $15/hr.
I was also responsible for training new Dental Assistants as hired.
What should I expect to earn in Merrillville, Indiana ?
How much can an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant earn per hour in Merrillville Indiana ?
You are an experienced Dental Assistant. Not a Hygienist. You will get what an experienced assistant will get. I would guess around $15-18/hour, depending on the call volume of the business. It also depends on the dentist you are working for. Typically, I pay my assistants around 14/hour. My hygienists make about $30/hour. When I was first in the work force, assistants did not make much because it was on the job training. However in today's dental world more and more are getting college degrees with emphasis in assisting, which makes it easier and less time consuming for dentists to train etc etc. I suggest going back to school and getting your hygiene degree and if you are able get your dental degree.
Good Luck with your new job.
Reply:I'm a dentist, but I practice in northern IN, not around Merrillville.
If you were working in my office, calling yourself "expanded duties" would mean you would not only be polishing fillings, but also placing them proficiently, preferrably certified in expanded duties via the class offered at the IU School of Dentistry. I don't know if you are from out of state, but IN is one of the few states in the nation that allow expanded duties dental assistants to place fillings. Assistants who are certified expanded and x-ray certified as well can expect to make at least $17/hr in my area. Depending on what type of office you'll be working in, it may be a little more or less. If I were you, I wouldn't settle for less than $15/hr.
I get my dental assistant certeficat but I need experience to get hire.what can I do?
everywhere you ask for a dental assistant position they aske u if u have 1 or 2 years experiences.what can I do?
I get my dental assistant certeficat but I need experience to get hire.what can I do?
I am a dental assistant and love my job. I have the always had the easiest time finding a job that paid me well. if you dont really know anyone in your community and they wont train you then I would suggest to be a "sterilization/clean up girl" that way you are there and they sometimes slowly work you into the regualr staff. or all dentist know other dentist in smaller towns, so if someone needs someone there you are and your name will be suggested. good luck
Reply:I am wondering the EXACT same thing. I'm afraid of going through the whole dental assisting certificate thing only to not be able to find a job.
Reply:Use your inexperience as a selling point. Tell any prospective employer that since you have no prior in-office work, you can be "custom-trained".
I have been in the field for almost five years, consistently working, and I still use this as a fallback. Some assistants have been working for the minimum prerequisite time and are harder to train because they are used to doing certain tasks a particular way.
Apply for those jobs anyway; take a positive attitude with you, and sell yourself! "I am aware that you require at least one year of prior experience, however I feel that I would be beneficial to your office because..."
Good luck!
I get my dental assistant certeficat but I need experience to get hire.what can I do?
I am a dental assistant and love my job. I have the always had the easiest time finding a job that paid me well. if you dont really know anyone in your community and they wont train you then I would suggest to be a "sterilization/clean up girl" that way you are there and they sometimes slowly work you into the regualr staff. or all dentist know other dentist in smaller towns, so if someone needs someone there you are and your name will be suggested. good luck
Reply:I am wondering the EXACT same thing. I'm afraid of going through the whole dental assisting certificate thing only to not be able to find a job.
Reply:Use your inexperience as a selling point. Tell any prospective employer that since you have no prior in-office work, you can be "custom-trained".
I have been in the field for almost five years, consistently working, and I still use this as a fallback. Some assistants have been working for the minimum prerequisite time and are harder to train because they are used to doing certain tasks a particular way.
Apply for those jobs anyway; take a positive attitude with you, and sell yourself! "I am aware that you require at least one year of prior experience, however I feel that I would be beneficial to your office because..."
Good luck!
Expanded duties for dental assistant?
I work for a dental office and my assistant needs to get qualified for her expanded duties. What should I do?
Who do i need to go through
Expanded duties for dental assistant?
This is not a "special education" question. It belongs in "higher education" or in the medical -- dental sub-category.
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Who do i need to go through
Expanded duties for dental assistant?
This is not a "special education" question. It belongs in "higher education" or in the medical -- dental sub-category.
php
Should a Bilingual Dental Assistant Get Paid More?
My Aunt works in the Bay Area of California. She is a Dental Assistant to an Oral Surgeon. She has been doing this for a long time -13 years - and speaks %26amp; reads spanish (from P.R.). Basically, she is going in for her salary review today and her boss is kind of tight (I think she currently gets paid $17/hr). She wants to be paid for her bilingual efforts too, but it's been hard to research even on line. Does anyone have any good, specific information? Because she does speak to the spanish clients and explain the medical procedures and makes the sale so to speak.
Should a Bilingual Dental Assistant Get Paid More?
Ideally yes, she should get paid more. However, if she has not made this an issue before, it may be hard to make the case for bilingual pay.
When she goes in for her salary review today, have her suggest that because she is bilingual and has a long work history with the company, her salary should be on the level of other bilingual dental assistants.
Pa' lante y suerte Boricua!
Reply:It depends what county she lives in. I work for Santa Clara County and I get $130 bilingual differential. You might want to contact her HR dept or the regulations that were set for her when she initially got hired. If shes been working there for 13 years she should definitely get bilingual pay, its more work to translate and do paperwork in a another language.
Should a Bilingual Dental Assistant Get Paid More?
Ideally yes, she should get paid more. However, if she has not made this an issue before, it may be hard to make the case for bilingual pay.
When she goes in for her salary review today, have her suggest that because she is bilingual and has a long work history with the company, her salary should be on the level of other bilingual dental assistants.
Pa' lante y suerte Boricua!
Reply:It depends what county she lives in. I work for Santa Clara County and I get $130 bilingual differential. You might want to contact her HR dept or the regulations that were set for her when she initially got hired. If shes been working there for 13 years she should definitely get bilingual pay, its more work to translate and do paperwork in a another language.
Requirements of a dental assistant....?
iam basically into customer service.i started searching for different jobs and i got an interview for a dental assistant.does it need any certification or anyone can do the job?
Requirements of a dental assistant....?
check your local area or ask them when you go for the interview..if there willing to hire you and help you get the cetrtification great..usually there is check with your local community college or tech school you might be able to do a night class good luck
Requirements of a dental assistant....?
check your local area or ask them when you go for the interview..if there willing to hire you and help you get the cetrtification great..usually there is check with your local community college or tech school you might be able to do a night class good luck
Should i change my carrer choice? cna or dental assistant? i want to do cna. already in school for dental as.?
i have 7 more months of school for dentalassistant and cna classes start in oct. i want to change and go for cna but i am already in school for dental assistant. everyone has a lot of advice to give but i want to hear more. i really want to do cna but i already started dental assistant. should i change it now and start cna in oct or should i wait until i finish dental and start cna next year?
Should i change my carrer choice? cna or dental assistant? i want to do cna. already in school for dental as.?
I am partial to dental assistants. But I recommend you start cna, especially since you lean in that direction. You do not really need school to be a dental assistant, and your cna training and partial dental assistant training might get you that job should you decide to switch again. The environments you will work in are in many ways quite different. Give that some thought, since nobody but you can tell you which you might like better.
Reply:No, your back is at risk as cna. Over worked under paid and always work short handed. I have had back pain for the last 15 years due to being short handed and over worked.
Reply:It seems like you are like me I change my mind quickly. I am the type that sees life as the cup being half full rather than half empty and if that's something you want to do then go for it but I would finish the dental program and then start on the cna program so that you can have more than one type of credentials under your belt and when you change your mind on one you can fall back on the other or use both to you advantage ...the more education.... the more money and the more finanacially secure you are!!!
Reply:I would wait and get thru with the dental assistant first, then go for your CNA. DA pays much better %26amp; less strain on your back. CNA =crap wages, no benefits and a bad back!
Should i change my carrer choice? cna or dental assistant? i want to do cna. already in school for dental as.?
I am partial to dental assistants. But I recommend you start cna, especially since you lean in that direction. You do not really need school to be a dental assistant, and your cna training and partial dental assistant training might get you that job should you decide to switch again. The environments you will work in are in many ways quite different. Give that some thought, since nobody but you can tell you which you might like better.
Reply:No, your back is at risk as cna. Over worked under paid and always work short handed. I have had back pain for the last 15 years due to being short handed and over worked.
Reply:It seems like you are like me I change my mind quickly. I am the type that sees life as the cup being half full rather than half empty and if that's something you want to do then go for it but I would finish the dental program and then start on the cna program so that you can have more than one type of credentials under your belt and when you change your mind on one you can fall back on the other or use both to you advantage ...the more education.... the more money and the more finanacially secure you are!!!
Reply:I would wait and get thru with the dental assistant first, then go for your CNA. DA pays much better %26amp; less strain on your back. CNA =crap wages, no benefits and a bad back!
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