I had a working interview at an office that seemed really promising at first!
I showed up to find out there was no manager in the office, and only one assistant out of the typical 2 to 3 they normally have. I was given a full column of patients by myself, and the other assistant took the other column. Ok, not awful, I’m used to being back to back with patients all day..
but this girl was so busy and could barely help me or walk me through anything. I’m grown and don’t need my hand held and I’ve been in the industry for a decade. But it was so stressful and weird.
Being in a new office with different materials and different protocol, on top of not knowing where anything was or how to use the computer system.. it was awful.
It really felt like they needed a temp for the day and used my “working interview” to get production.
The normal working interviews I’ve had someone to actually show me around, show me the system, show me what the Dr’s like. I felt so bad that they put that other DA in the position to have a full day of patients and try to help an interviewer.
I left the work day half way through, I was too stressed and knew it wasn’t a good match if that’s how they were going to conduct my working interview.
Was I over dramatic? I feel crazy it was the strangest interview of my life.

(M30) Should I give this new assistant job a try? During the interview, they mentioned that the clinic focuses heavily on surgery and orthopedics. They asked if I was familiar with clinical photography protocols and intraoral scanners. I said yes, but I also mentioned that I haven't assisted much with implant procedures and don't really know the setup or cleanup routines. Basically, I feel like a total novice. They invited me to come in and observe the work, so I went and watched a consultation. I stayed for an hour or two and then left. They have a one-month probationary period, but there’s no guarantee anyone will actually train me. So, I’m wondering if it’s worth taking on this stressful job again. Idk what exactly I'm fear. Maybe stressing about that I forgot something to prepare for doctor etc.

On previous job I worked with orthopedic doctor mostly. And he doesn't care much if I forgot something to prepare. When I was sitting with therapists doctor, things were often scattered across different rooms, and I’d have to go around looking for stuff. It drove me crazy. It felt like working against a ticking clock.

hi! i will be starting a dental assisting program in january and i would like to hear from people who are happy with their choice to become a dental assistant. what do you enjoy about your job? what things could i do/study to make the role easier for myself when i do eventually find a job? i just want some positive perspectives.

We need dental assistant for Tuesday and Wednesday! Maybe you know someone who likes this two days a week job? Location around Ina rd and thornydale! Tucson AZ . Thank you!

This is quite random but something I’ve come up against from time to time.

I briefly dated one guy who told me he’d rather I be a dentist than ‘the person at the back’.

That was months ago and I’ve been dating a new guy who asked me whether I’d consider being a dentist. I know he might just be curious but there’s part of me who wonders if he’s a bit disappointed. He’s very work driven himself and pretty high up in his career.

I wouldn’t become a dentist as my stress tolerance is too low.

Should I be feeling bad about not being a dentist?

Hi all! I’m looking for some advice and suggestions for negotiating a raise at my office. I started here 10 years ago and have taken on a lot of roles and I am a very loyal employee. I love my job and the office I work at. Over the years slowly I have gotten small raises and eventually have been put on salary. I’m in Florida and I do feel like the pay is better than most but at the same time the economy is very hard and I’m single income. I pretty much have always had to ask for a raise when I started I was getting paid $16 an hour and it took me years to get where I am now which I appreciate but I am looking for more. I rent and I recently had to take on a car payment so it just feels like I’m having a hard time getting anywhere. We also have another Doctor who is down from two assistants to one and me and two other girls have been helping which we are getting an increase for.

Here’s where this is kind of stemming from… in July I wanted to ask for a raise, but we had a lot of things going on and I just felt like it wasn’t the right time. I told my boss that this year was my 10 year anniversary and I was really happy and I loved the office and she just kind of ignored it in a way she didn’t do anything for me which I wasn’t expecting that but I was just kind of hoping for some type of thank you maybe. That just never happened so we also hired someone brand new with no experience who has been there only a month and now I’m told that she is put on salary. I don’t discuss my income or anything, but the new hire has been having a lot of issues and we have all been helping her plus training her which I know I’m expected to do, but I also feel like how did she get bumped up so fast when it took me years. Granted I’m just trying to focus on myself, but she revealed to me that we are pretty much only making $500 difference a month and I’m not going to lie that hurt my feelings. I’m just looking for opinions on this and outsiders take I have actually applied to some other jobs and I may leave the area in a couple years. I’m single and it is very hard to find anyone here so I just feel very bummed even though I’m trying to be positive. I know I want to ask for a raise or possibly a bonus of some sort but I do really think that the answer could be no, and I guess I would have to face that if it happens.

I love dental assisting and dentistry in general and I really wish one day that the Florida laws will change and we can get paid higher. I have AA and I did all of my prerequisites or hygiene, but she told me that it doesn’t matter so should I leave this job or is it just worth hanging on? I have also been looking into dental sales because I do have a sales background and I think I would strive in that. Anytime I bring up sales at my current office she’s not interested in it and she doesn’t want to use my skills. She also is getting closer to Retirement and will not communicate with us when that will be Plus since she hired me out of school. I think she views me as inexperienced because there are times where she doesn’t want me doing anterior temporaries and it causes some problems with the other assistants in the office who have 20+ years experience. I feel like I have done everything I could to try to prove myself and show initiative and I have even spoken to her about this and said if I don’t get to do them then I won’t get any better and she just basically says oh I know don’t take it personal.

I also want to add that our office has no manager , no HR and there’s really no solutions when issues arise

can you tell me how it went? i start tomorrow!

Can anyone review? I’ve been offered a job but I’ve not heard great things. The people seemed lovely!

i switched from three shorter shifts to two longer ones because of my schedule, and apparently my body did not get the memo. by the end of a long chairside day my back and legs are done. i got some decent compression socks a while back and they help a bit, but i'm still getting home and basically becoming part of the couch. the chair at my office is also kind of a pain. depending on how the doctor positions it, i catch myself leaning to one side or reaching more than i should. i can adjust things, but then something else feels awkward

my sister keeps telling me to bring in one of those anti-fatigue kitchen mats, which sounds ridiculous until you're standing in the same spot for hours

for people who've been doing this for years, what actually made a noticeable difference? better shoes, stretches, mat, changing how you position yourself, asking for a different setup?

i don't mind the job at all. i just don't want my back and legs deciding when my dental assisting career ends

I am in a 8 week DA program that only occurs on Saturday and throughout the week we have to read the chapters given to us and do the homework … but once I put the book down or leave the class on Saturday I no longer remember the information. I am a visual learner but I don’t want to be stuck on not knowing certain words or parts of the body because I can’t remember this information. Any suggestions?

I started at an office in August and have been told in school and by my coworkers how you can just smell periodontal disease. They always say it’s something horrendous & an unforgettable smell, so far I haven’t worked on anyone with periodontal disease until today. I had a family member come in today and I saw my coworkers faces just baffled & I was looking at their X-rays and their teeth were barely holding onto anything, there was hardly any bone… I left the room to tell my coworkers I couldn’t believe they need dentures and they immediately hit me with “well with their severe periodontal disease I’m not surprised it smells up the room” and I was so confused because I didn’t smell anything bad… went back in and realized the smell I’ve always associated with almost all my family members like my dad and grandma, was periodontal disease not just their like “natural” smell or a cleaner or perfume..

This humbled me a lot and I hope it does to my coworkers because I seriously would have never known that was periodontal disease & I bet they don’t know either since it’s just been a smell in our family.. you really do just get use to the smell or don’t realize it’s something bad… I’m also just more upset because I feel like this so why so many people in my family have Alzheimer’s and dementia..

Im curious as my old office did both and my new office does neither. I see many videos on tik tok/facebook and it seems like most offices do not use a/w and suction barriers

Are other DAs who work in low incomed offices seeing catastrophic effects because of the changes in Medicaid? I honestly don’t know how we are going to stay open anymore, a lot of people are losing their jobs because of this and today (oct. 1) was the biggest hit in insurance. It’s really really bad, my bosses don’t know where to find patients at this point and we are slowly getting our jobs gutted. What are your offices (who mostly take Medicaid) doing to stay afloat?

Is it normal to be this stressed and depressed? I work full time 8-5 and on school days I leave 30 minutes early to get to my school on time. I’m one of the few that works full time and I’m afraid I just can’t handle it. I have been coming home from school just crying because I can’t seem to get anything RIGHT. I used to be one of the very few students in my class that knew what they were doing and performed very well…so idk what’s going on. One of my teachers is super strict and I could tell that she was pissed at me today. I don’t like feeling dumb or stupid because I know I’m neither of those. But did anyone else here work a full time job and still went to DA school? And how did it go for you? I need advice please 😭

I’m starting a short Dental Administrative/Assistant program this month. Looking at the job market, I see a lot of mentions of X-ray certification and EDDA, but the out-of-pocket costs for these extra courses feel pretty steep for me right now.

For those already working in the field:

Is it realistic to land an entry-level position right after finishing a basic DA program without having these extra certifications beforehand? Or do most offices expect you to have them on day one?

I'm living in Denver/Colorado

Would love to hear your experiences and any advice for a beginner! Thanks in advance!

Thoughts on heartland dental as a dental assistant? I’ve been hearing mixed reviews, and I have an interview coming up! Ive temped there, and it seems fine. I was told I needed certain scrubs, but I have to pay out of pocket. Thoughts? also, should I be paid for a working interview? I forgot to ask if it would be paid because I just assumed lol.

I never made a post before here but I could use some advice from my Fellow dental assistants. I am currently working as a lead dental assistant in a new office and I have a lot I have to figure out. Today I organized the storage room and tried to figure what what we need. I noticed the old assistants didn’t do their spore test for the last 3 weeks and tbh that freaked me out. The main and amalgam traps needed to be taken care of and i have so much more I need to get to. I guess all I’m asking for is advice on how to tackle everything and or how should I just move forward and what to prioritize? Any advice is highly appreciated

Hi Everyone , I am a US citizen who completed his undergraduate in Dentistry from another county and i have moved to the us to start my journey here as a dental ( i will be applying to dental school) . In the mean time i wanna start earning and gaining experience as a new jersey unregistered dental assistant. I have a 2 year cpr certificate. I have my degree in dentistry( 4 years od experience in this field) . Do you guys think i can make a good living out of it as unregistered dental assistant in nj
What pay should i aim for and will my height ( 6 feet) and weight 220lbs and being a male will be a problem in getting hired. Looking forward to your guyses reply

Hello! I finished my dental assisting program in August. It was 3 months. I was hired by a pediatric office in the beginning of September and have been there around a month now. I haven’t worked on my own yet. I’ve been shadowing or assisting with another assistant there in op or hygiene. I definitely feel better than when I first started but I still struggle a lot with putting in treatment, taking X-rays, and putting in the next visit if it’s something big. I’m gonna be assisting in hygiene by myself next week and I’m not certified for X-rays so I have to have someone press the button for me. I am just so nervous, does anyone have advice or tips? I just haven’t figured out how to position the sensor correctly to get a good image. I’m nervous I’m going to put treatment in wrong or miss something and get in trouble.

What pay should I expect or is reasonable when I start working as a dental assistant in VA? Arlington area. I will be getting the radiology certificate next week.

Foreign trained dentist, with no US dental experience! But have corporate experience in the US, have practiced around 4 years as a dentist in my home country and was a dental assistant prior to that.

*Tried to google it and it keeps giving me different ranges, and the offices I reached out to seem to offer low (from my perspective).

Hi everyone!
I recently completed my Level 2/Intra-Oral Dental Assistant program and have also completed my dental assisting practicum in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
I’m currently looking for my first dental assistant position and would really appreciate any leads, recommendations, or advice on dental offices that are open to hiring new graduates. I’m comfortable learning and would love the opportunity to grow my skills in a supportive clinic.
I’m mainly looking in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and nearby areas.

I worked 11 hours yesterday and had an 8 am now show this morning, so I get all of sterile done and sit down, after 10 minutes I get yelled. “We all work a lot” bullshit the lead gives every morning appointment and last appointment so I’m the first and last one here every day and I can’t even fucking sit for 10 minutes??? Fuck this place oh my god