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New Year’s Resolutions to Advance Your Career

fireworksIt’s that time of year again! During the second half of December, many people take a look at what they accomplished over the past year and make plans for the upcoming one. This year as you head into 2015, you might be ready to make some changes as far as your career goes. Maybe you’ve been stuck in a dead-end job, or perhaps you’re just ready for a change. It’s possible that you graduated from high school last spring, and you haven’t been sure about what your next step should be. Or maybe your last child went off to kindergarten or college and you’re ready for something new!

No matter why you’re making a career-based new year’s resolution, here are some reasons why a career beginning at the Sunrise School of Dental Assisting can go a long way toward making your dreams come true!

Resolutions to Increase Income
If you are currently unemployed, making minimum wage or in a job that does not have the potential for growth, enrolling in our program to learn how to become a dental assistant can allow you to increase your income in 2015. According to salary.com, the average salary for a dental assistant is almost $34,000 per year. This varies depending on whether you work for an individual dentist, a practice, a specialist, a health department, a dental school or a hospital. It also varies by location. If your new year’s resolution is to make more money, however, being trained as a dental assistant is a great first step!

Resolutions to Go Back to School
Many times, higher education gets put on the back burner as people get jobs, get married, have children and buy houses. Going back to complete a four-year degree can seem overwhelming, not only in terms of the time and effort involved, but also in terms of how much money it will cost. At the Sunrise School of Dental Assisting, our programs have you ready to enter the workforce in about three months. This means that you won’t be trying to juggle work, life and school for years at a time.

Resolutions to Make a Difference
Dental assistants have the power to make a difference in their communities. Whether you’re helping an area dentist examine the teeth of low-income children during Dental Health Month or you are holding a fearful patient’s hand during a procedure, your job in the health care field can help others. You will be in a position to help educate others about the importance of good dental health, and you’ll also be filling a need in your employer’s office. The Sunrise School of Dental Assisting can prepare you to have a challenging and helpful career that can allow you to positively impact others.

Who Is the Typical Dental Patient?

dental patientIf you are looking forward to working in the dental field as a dental assistant, you might wonder who your typical dental patient will be. The truth is, when you work in a dental office, your “typical” patient will vary each day! Here are some of the characteristics you’ll find in typical patients in various venues throughout your career.

Private Dental Office
If you work in a private dental office, the types of dental patient that you will run into depend on whether you’re working for a general dentist or a specialist. General dentists often see everyone from the very young to the very old. Some patients, particularly those who have dental insurance, will come in regularly for checkups and cleanings. Others might come in more sporadically, or only when they have a toothache.

If you work for a specialist, your patient base might be less varied. For example, if you work for a pedodontist, all of your patients will be under the age of 18, and most will be quite young. You might even have babies as patients. (Some pedodontists also see adults who have developmental disabilities, in addition to children).

Working for an orthodontist will generally expose you to pre-teens and teenagers, but with more adults getting braces, you will probably also see a good number of adults as well. There will also be smaller children coming in who need orthodontic work. Periodontists and endodontists typically see adults, for the most part, though occasionally children do have problems with their gums or need a root canal.

Dental Clinic or Health Department
Some dental assistants work for dental health clinics or the public health department. A lot of the patients who you see coming in might not have dental insurance, and they also might not see the dentist very often. Sometimes dental clinics are the first course of action for people who are in a lot of pain. You will probably also see children in these types of clinics, as some towns offer free or low-cost dental care to uninsured kids in dental clinics.

Dental Schools
Another place that you might end up getting a job is a dental school. All types of patients go to dental schools to have work done; the prices are usually lower than those charged by private dental offices, so a good number might be uninsured. Others who go to dental schools for treatment need extensive work that their insurance won’t cover. You will likely see a lot of variety in the types of patients as well as the types of procedures that are done.

Working as a dental assistant is a rewarding and exciting career, especially if you love working with a variety of people! Contact us about starting on the road to your new career as a dental assistant.

How Can a Career in Dental Assisting Benefit You?

8792464058_5e425b4040_zIf you are looking for a career in the healthcare field, you have a lot of options open to you. When choosing an educational path, it’s always helpful to look at the benefits that a particular career might bring you. Here are some of the ways that a career in dental assisting can benefit you, both now and in the future.

Length of Educational Program
If you have many years to devote to your education, then becoming a doctor or a dentist might not be outside the realm of possibility. If your goal is to start working within a few months, however, then you will need to look for a career path that includes a relatively short amount of time spent learning how to succeed.

When you learn how to be a dental assistant at Sunrise School of Dental Assisting, you’ll be ready to work within a matter of months, not years. Our clinical dental assistant program takes just 13 weeks to complete, and that includes training you for your dental x-ray certification.

Job Versatility
Once you are a dental assistant, you have quite a few options open to you when it comes to applying for and getting a job. Many of our assistants go on to work in solo or group dental practices. These include general dentistry offices, as well as specialty offices, such as those dedicated to periodontics, endodontics or oral surgery.

Others choose to pursue careers in dental clinics or public health offices. You might also choose to work in a hospital or alongside dental students at a dental school.

Pleasant Work Environment
As a dental assistant, you will work in a clean, relatively quiet environment, in most cases. You will be able to both sit and stand throughout your work day; you are not generally confined to one position or one location. You’ll also have a variety of duties and a lot of people to talk to, so this will alleviate boredom.

Another consideration is that working as a dental assistant can work well with the scheduling challenges of parenthood. Most assistants work daytime business hours, but in some cases, schedules can be accommodated to include evening or Saturday hours as well. Many dental assistants get a day off during the week, because a lot of dental offices are closed on Wednesdays or Fridays.

Great Career Outlook
Finally, as with many types of healthcare careers, dental assisting has a cheery job outlook. Most people are aware of the importance of taking good care of their teeth, and as the population ages, more and more people need dental work such as root canals and crowns. This increases the need for qualified dental staff, including dental assistants.

If you are ready to embark upon a new career path and are considering dental assisting, please contact the Sunrise School of Dental Assisting to get started.

What Exactly Does a Dental Assistant Do?

So, you want to become a dental assistant. Congratulations! This is an interesting career that has the potential to increase your earnings over time. Also, it doesn’t require years of study; you’ll learn everything you need to know to successfully enter the job market in just three months when you study with Sunrise School.

So, what exactly does the career entail? Read on for some of the tasks you can expect to do during your career as a dental assistant.

Preparing Dental Trays
As the dentist whom you work for sees patients, he or she will need a tray of sterilized instruments. Part of your job will be to prepare these trays. You’ll learn which instruments are important for each procedure during your education at Sunrise School, but each dentist will have his or her own favorites! You’ll get to know these during the course of your employment, and soon enough, will have everything that the dentist needs within easy reach.

Assisting With Procedures
One of the most exciting parts of dental assisting is taking part in four-handed dentistry. As you work with a dentist (or with a group of dentists), you’ll learn to work seamlessly with him or her, handing over and collecting instruments, rinsing and drying teeth, and mixing cements and other filling materials. Your job is to make sure that the dentist has what he or she needs right when it’s needed. This might sound overwhelming, but it will seem like second nature once you get to know an individual dentist’s rhythms and routines.

Making Patients Feel at Home
If you are a people-person, you’ll love this aspect of the career! A large percentage of people feel intimidated, nervous or downright scared while at the dentist’s office. With your smiling, calm demeanor, part of your job will be to help your patients feel comfortable. Whether that entails bringing them a magazine, explaining what some of the dental instruments do, chatting about their vacations or providing them with a blanket or earbuds, you’ll be the one to meet them where they are and help them get through the procedures with a minimum of stress and discomfort.

Sterilizing Instruments and Cleaning Rooms
Part of dental assisting is taking part in the very necessary housekeeping that needs to take place in order to keep the operatories and instruments safe and sterile. You’ll learn how to properly clean and disinfect an exam room, as well as how to operate the ultrasonic cleaning machine and autoclave. You’ll know which instruments are cold-sterilized and which are heat-sterilized, as well as what items need to be disposed of after use.

Other Duties
Depending on the individual office that you work in, you might be responsible for ordering supplies, charting, entering information in the computer or other duties. In most offices, dental assistants take dental xrays; you’ll have your radiograph certification upon graduation from our program. Your employer will let you know exactly what you are responsible for in the office.

If this sounds like a career that you would love, please get in touch with us for more information before the next dental assisting course begins. We can’t wait to help you get started in your new career as a dental assistant!

All About Universal Precaution

Creative Commons Image (flickr)
Creative Commons Image (flickr)

If you pursue a career as a dental assistant or in any facet of the healthcare field, you will quickly learn about universal precaution. Universal precaution has prevent the spread of many diseases in healthcare settings, and its usage is an absolute requirement as a dental assistant.

What Is Universal Precaution?
Universal Precaution is, at its essence, the practice of treating each patient as though he or she is carrying a bloodborne disease. It became the standard of practice in the late 1980s, at the height of the AIDS epidemic; doctors and researchers quickly realized that they did not know who was carrying this deadly disease simply by looking at them or by considering where or how they lived. Anyone could carry HIV, and they might not even know that they had it. Therefore, everyone had to be considered a potential carrier.

What Are the Practices?
The practices of universal precaution vary depending on how invasive a procedure you are performing. As a dental assistant, your practices will include wearing gloves and masks, washing your hands between patients and anytime you get blood or other bodily fluids on them, and disinfecting all surfaces in a room between patients. You will also need to take precautions against accidental needle-sticks, practice good cough hygiene and dispose properly of all biohazardous materials, including used gloves, bloody gauze and any other disposable materials that have been contaminated by bodily fluids.

Who Does Universal Precaution Protect Against?
By adopting the standards of universal precaution, you not only protect yourself, but you are also protecting your patients. Wearing gloves means that you will not be exposed to your patients’ potentially contaminated blood; washing your hands and donning new gloves (in addition to proper disinfection and sterilization techniques) ensures that your next patient won’t be exposed to a previous patient’s body fluids.

It is important to realize that AIDS or HIV are not the only conditions that you are protecting against by using universal precaution; pathogens such as Hepatitis can be more virulent than HIV and you have to assume that any and all patients can be carrying these diseases.

It is also important to understand that you do not need to take extra precautions with patients who you know are carrying HIV, Hepatitis or other bloodborne illnesses; universal precaution is enough to protect you against these viruses whether or not the patient in question has them. If a patient is known or suspected of carrying an airborne illness, though, such as influenza, measles or tuberculosis, for example, additional precautions might be necessary.

Universal precaution is something that you will learn about in our dental assisting program. This is a vital part of your preparation for any healthcare career, as it will be a matter of policy in any private medical or dental office, hospital, nursing home or other healthcare setting.

Characteristics of Dental Assistants: Is It for You?

Creative Commons image by Judy Baxter.
Creative Commons image by Judy Baxter.

Dental assisting is a growing and thriving career option in the healthcare field. More and more people are understanding the importance of good dental care, the baby boomers are aging and needing more dental work than before, and more adults and children may be obtaining dental insurance as a rider along with their mandated health insurance. In addition, there are many specialty dental offices serving patients with a variety of needs, and they all need dental assistants!

While dental assisting can be an excellent career choice for many, there are some people who might be exceptionally well-suited for this type of job. Look at this list of characteristics and see if you might make a great dental assistant!

Outgoing and friendly.
Are you naturally outgoing and do you find other people interesting? Working in this facet of healthcare means that you will need to be ready to make conversation with people who come into the office. Some topics will revolve around dental care and oral hygiene, but sometimes, you will simply need to make small talk. If you consider yourself friendly and easy to talk to, then this might be the career for you.

Reassuring and calm.
Some patients will be nervous and apprehensive, and it will be your job to help these patients relax. Also, sometimes patients will come in with a toothache, which can make even the nicest patient a bit short-tempered and upset. If you have a calming bedside demeanor, this can help your patients feel better. This, in turn, allows the dentist to work more efficiently and effectively.

Good with your hands.
You will need a good bit of manual dexterity in order to properly assist the dentist with complicated procedures. A lot of what you will be doing is providing the dentist with the instruments that he or she needs quickly and smoothly.

Precise and detail-oriented.
Part of your job will be to be sure that the dental instruments are properly bagged, sterilized and set up on dental trays. There is no room for error when it comes to sterilization techniques, so you will need to be able to focus on following protocols and procedures exactly.

Flexible and adaptable.
Sometimes things will not go as planned, and you will have to be able to work with flexibility. For example, if a patient calls who is in a lot of pain, he or she might be told to come to the office immediately. You might have to take your lunch later than expected or stay a bit late on short notice in this instance. Another consideration is that two or more dentists in the same office might prefer to have instruments handed to them in different ways, or for you to set up trays differently from one another. Being able to go with the flow and adapt to different styles is essential to being a valued dental assistant.

If these characteristics describe you and your working style, then you might really enjoy the challenging and rewarding career of dental assisting. At Sunrise School of Dental Assisting, we can answer your questions and get you set up on your path toward a career in this exciting field.

Dental Professionals: Whom Will You Be Working With?

Creative Commons image by University of the Fraser Valley
Creative Commons image by University of the Fraser Valley

If you are considering enrolling in a dental assistant education program, you might be wondering what types of dental professionals you will be working with in the future. You are probably already familiar with your own general dentist, who you go in to see twice per year. As a dental assistant, you might not end up working for a general dentist, however. Here are some of the dental professionals that you may encounter throughout the course of your career in dental assisting:

General Dentists
This is the type of dentist that most of us see on a regular basis. Whether you need a cleaning or have a cavity, this is your guy (or gal). Sort of like the PCP of the dental world, the general dentist is the one who will coordinate the dental care of the patients. As a dental assistant to a general dentist, you’ll get to help with a variety of procedures.

Dental Hygienist
In many dental offices, this is who does the routine teeth cleanings. As a dental assistant, you may occasionally or regularly assist the hygienist. Depending on the duties of dental hygienists in your state or office, you may help with applying sealants or fluoride treatments, or you may get patients ready for the hygienist and take dental xrays.

Dental Receptionist
The dental receptionist is the person at the front desk. He or she typically greets patients, pulls charts (if you’re not in a paper-free office) and asks patients to update their medical histories. Depending on the office, this is often the person contacting dental insurance companies and making sure that each patient is maximizing his or her dental benefits. Other job duties typically include making and confirming appointments and helping patients get in touch with specialists when necessary.

Dental Lab Technician
A dental lab is used to fabricate partial and full dentures, night guards, crowns, bridges and other appliances. A technician is the person who does the work.

Endodontist  
The endodontist is a dental specialist who does root canals, also called endodontic therapy. If a general dentist does not feel comfortable doing root canal treatments or if he or she has simply encountered a difficult case, a referral to an endodontist might be warranted.

Periodontist  
The periodontist is a dentist specializing in the treatment of periodontal disease. Patients with advanced gum disease may see a periodontist for quarterly cleanings and other procedures.

Oral Surgeon
This is the dental professional who extracts teeth and performs other types of dental surgery. When the treatment is complete, the patient is referred back to the general dentist for continued routine care.

Orthodontist  
If a patient needs an orthodontic appliance, such as a retainer or braces, he or she will often be referred to an orthodontist.

There are other types of dental specialists as well, including prosthodontists, cosmetic dentists and pediatric dentists. No matter which type of dentist you work for, it’s likely that the office will refer patients out to other offices and specialists, either regularly or on occasion. Learning how to assist in a wide variety of procedures is paramount to your success as a dental assistant.

Dental Assisting: Making Your Patients Comfortable

CC Image: Germanna CC (flickr)
CC Image: Germanna CC (flickr)

As you get settled in your dental assisting career, you’ll find that a large segment of the population is nervous at the dentist’s office. While at least 10 percent of the population suffers from an actual dental phobia, many more feel unsettled and jittery, particularly when they’re getting treatment that requires a needle or a dental handpiece! You, as your patient’s dental assistant, will be the person who greets them and helps them to feel less nervous. Here are some tips on making your patients comfortable.

Offer Physical Comfort
Dental chairs are usually fairly comfortable, so with a few adjustments, you can have your patients resting with their heads supported and their feet up. How’s that for comfort? It might not be enough if the dental lamp is shining in their eyes. Be sure to shut it off or direct it away from your patient’s face. Also, some people would prefer to sit upright while waiting for the dentist. Ask each patient what he or she prefers; individualized attention is a big part of successful dental assisting. Offer a drink of water when they sit down; nervousness can cause an uncomfortably dry mouth. Finally, if you know that the dentist will be more than a few minutes and you don’t have time to sit in the room, offer your patient a magazine to read while waiting. Grab a few from the waiting room, being sure to choose from two or three different titles so that your patient is not stuck reading about golf if they don’t like the sport.

Remember Important Details
Glance through your patient’s chart in advance so that you’re sure about what treatment is being done on the day of the visit. Nothing is more disconcerting to a patient than hearing a health care professional say that they’re going to be working on the right side when, in fact, they should be working on the left. Be able to answer general questions if they are asked, but if you are unsure, it’s perfectly acceptable to tell the patient that the dentist is best-equipped to answer that one. Also, if something major is going on in your patient’s life, such as the birth of a new grandchild or a vacation to Tahiti, go ahead and make a few notes on the chart. This way, you can be reminded about what you talked about last time. This shows your patients that you care about them!

Avoid Sensitive Topics
For a very fearful patient, it might be better to avoid bringing up the treatment that will be taking place. Instead, talk about more neutral topics, such as upcoming summer plans, what you are planting in your garden or even positive celebrity gossip (a singer expecting a new baby is positive; an actor having an affair is not). Do not discuss politics or religion. If your patient brings up one of these taboo topics, then try to discreetly steer the conversation in a different direction. Even if you know your patient outside of the office and you know that he or she won’t be offended, you cannot be sure that other patients in the office will not overhear and become offended, so it’s best to keep these conversations out of the exam rooms!

Since a large part of the job of dental assisting is to make his or her patients feel less nervous, brushing up on your comforting and small-talk skills is an essential part of preparing for your new career. Always follow office policies when it comes to communicating with patients, and ask the dentist that you are working with for additional tips on making your patients comfortable.

Dental Assisting Schools Similar To Miller Motte College

A career in dental assisting can offer an exciting job with a stable and substantial income. If you are investigating schools with dental assistant classes, take a moment to explore the incredible program at Sunrise School of Dental Assisting.

Many schools offer dental assisting classes, like Miller-Motte College, but Sunrise School of Dental Assisting offers classes at an institution devoted entirely to dental assisting education.

At Sunrise School of Dental Assisting, we believe in offering the best dental assisting education available in the North Carolina area. Our flexible class schedules work with many students’ existing job commitments, allowing them to securely make the transition from their current employment to their new career without financial risk. With skilled and experienced instructors and a comprehensive curriculum, we offer a premier education at an affordable price.

Our variety of financing options work with many budgets, and our extensive career and job placement training will make you a top choice for employment opportunities. Dental assisting programs at Miller-Motte offer a great education, but Sunrise School of Dental Assisting is the institution that can provide a completely dedicated selection of classes and hands-on training experiences needed for the modern workplace.

Our graduates receive their DAI certificate, x-ray certification, Sterilization and Infection control certification, OSHA and Office Emergency Training certificate, and their radiology and CPR certifications. With four convenient locations, we are sure to have a location near you.

If you’ve been exploring Miller-Motte’s dentist assistant classes, come visit us at Sunrise School of Dental Assisting to learn more about our range of programs, and our extensive yet focused class offerings. With an exciting job environment and rewarding pay, a career as a dental assistant is a great fit for many individuals.

We provide the finest dental assistant education at an affordable price. Come visit us at Sunrise School of Dental Assisting to learn how you can start down your path to success.

Choosing Dental Assisting Schools In Wake County

If you have made a decision to pursue a career, you may have already begun your search for dental assisting classes. For the best dental assistant programs in Wake County, the premier choice is Sunrise School of Dental Assisting. With four convenient locations, choosing from all of the dental assisting schools in Wake County has never been easier.

With flexible class schedules, we give you the freedom to maintain your current job, while preparing you for your future career. There are many schools that offer dental assistant classes in Wake County.

Wake Tech Community College and other popular institutions can offer great educations, but Sunrise School of Dental Assisting is the place to receive not only a quality education, but also acquire the skill-building experiences to make you an employer’s choice for hiring and career development.

Many schools with dental assisting classes give you a classroom education. Only Sunrise offers dental assisting classes to prepare you for the real world, with job preparation and career building training. Our programs are designed to give you the tools you need to start a job and develop your career.

Giving students an affordable option for dental assisting school, Sunrise provides a comprehensive and complete education for the modern market of dental assisting jobs. All of our graduates receive their DAI Certificate, Sterilization and Infection Control Certification, CPR Certification, x-ray certification, and their OSHA and Office Emergency Training Certificate.

If your search for further education has led to you seek out dental assisting at Wake Tech, take a moment to view all the incredible class options Sunrise School of Dental Assisting has to offer. We are the top choice for dental assistant classes in Wake County, with a productive and caring environment designed to help all students achieve their goals.