When enrolling in a hands-on dental assistant school, the goal is to graduate and find your first real-world job as a dental assistant, right? With so many questions and determining which aspects are more important to you (i.e. money, benefits, flexibility, etc.), it’s likely you’re unsure what you should do to find a dental office that is right for you. To help you narrow your search and have a clearer view of what it is you want, here are 4 tips for finding your first job as a dental assistant.
Use Your Internship to Your Advantage
While in school, it is likely you’ll be expected to complete an internship of some sort. By receiving hands-on training, this not only looks good on a resume, but it also gives you the experience you need apart from the knowledge you’re learning from textbooks. In some situations, internships can turn into job opportunities, so if you connect with your dentist and colleagues, there might be a chance that after you graduate, you can join the team.
Network and Volunteer: Two Important Steps to Take
Knowing people in the dental professional will only help you to grow as a professional. Networking and volunteering within the community are both great ways to expand your knowledge and experience, plus, get to know others who have been working in the industry for years or even decades.
Make sure you ask questions, get clarification, and seek out volunteering opportunities. Don’t wait for them to come to you.
Don’t Be Afraid to Learn More
Becoming a dental assistant is a great achievement, but if you want the chance to excel in your career and possibility advance into other dental-related positions, it is in your best interest to pursue additional certifications and credentials. A dental assistant is always learning, just like a dentist and other members of the dental team. When conferences, webinars, or classes are available for you to take, make the most of the opportunity.
By increasing your knowledge about the dental industry and staying up to date on all the latest advancements and technologies, you’ll make your resume look even better.
Make Your Resume Stand Out from the Crowd
If you’re unsure how to craft a professional resume, don’t worry. There are plenty of templates and professionals out there who can help you create one that will wow your future employers. A few things you’ll want to remember are:
- Do not let your resume go beyond a single page
- Don’t bother adding your part-time job at the mall. Only place information that would be important and beneficial for a dental practice to know.
- Make sure to list your core competencies (i.e. detail-oriented, equipment sterilization)
- Mention the dental assistant program from which you graduated
- List all dental-related experiences
Apart from the tips listed above, it’s also important to prepare for an interview and know where to look. By talking with one of your professors, you’ll put yourself on a better path to finding the right job once you graduate from dental assisting school.
About Dental Assistant Pro
For more than 25 years, Dental Assistant Pro has been providing aspiring dental assistants with essential knowledge and hands-on skills learning. Our philosophy is the best dental assisting training should be taught in a dental office at an affordable cost, so why not take a chance and enroll in our 10-week course schedule? Find out how lucrative a career in dental assisting can be. To learn more about us, visit our website or call (614) 202-3919.
