What to Expect at Your New Dental Assisting Job

What to Expect at Your New Dental Assisting Job

So you’ve completed your training and landed the job that you’ve been working towards. That’s great! But now what? You know you have the skills, but what can you expect on that first day at work? Read on to find out and start off strong in your new work environment.

• Making a good first impression. As excited as you may be that you got this position, chances are, that excitement also comes with some nerves. Nerves are natural – and expected – for anyone starting a new job, and you really want to make a good first impression. Just remember: you were hired because you were the best for the job. Keep up that initial impression, and you’ll be fine.
• Figuring out your morning routine. To help prepare yourself for that first day, try to establish a new morning routine before it arrives. You may have a long drive or need to take an unfamiliar route to your new workplace. Plan out your commute ahead of time and get into a practice of what you’ll do before heading to work. Knowing what to expect from your morning will take a lot of stress out of getting ready.
• Learning how the doctor likes to work. Like with every employer, the doctor at your dental office will have his or her own preferences and style in regards to how they like things to run. This will create a bit of a learning curve in your first few days as you figure out what these are, but just focus and keep at it. Once you learn the routine of the workplace, things will go much more smoothly.
• Meeting new people. Oftentimes, dental assistants choose their career path because they enjoy connecting with and helping people. You’ll meet many patients at your new dental office. It won’t be very long before they become familiar and even feel like old friends. The same goes for your co-workers; it may be challenging to learn all their names quickly (especially if you’re at a larger dental office with many names to learn), but soon, you won’t remember the time you didn’t know them.
• Making new work friends. It’s a rare occasion that you start a new job already knowing someone who works there. This means that you’ll probably be making a lot of new work friends, especially if you’re friendly and make an effort to get to know your coworkers. Soon, you’ll overcome that initial awkwardness that comes with a new addition to the office “cliques” and be a real part of the team.
• Learning the new systems. This refers not just to computer programs that the office uses that you may already be trained in. Systems in the dental office can include phone etiquette, dealing with patients, and how the supplies are kept. It can be frustrating not to already know how everything is run, but give it time and you’ll soon get the hang of things.