If you’re searching for a career that allows you to blend administrative work and clinical, patient-centered responsibilities, dental assisting may be an ideal fit. As dynamic members of dental offices, dental assistants can help facilitate a number of tasks, ranging from preparing the patient for procedures to documenting the visit and coordinating appointments.
Due to the multifaceted nature of the role, which can look different depending on your education and place of employment, individuals considering becoming dental assistants will need a well-balanced set of skills and knowledge. To help you better understand whether or not this role may be a right fit for you, we’ve outlined the soft skills common among successful dental assistants as well as the clinical skills you can learn during a Dental Assistant Certificate Program.
Searching for more information? Explore our Dental Assistant Career Guide for an in-depth look at dental assistant duties, salary, career outlook, and education.
In This Article:
Dental Assistant Qualities – Soft Skills & Traits
Generally, dental assistant skills can fall into one of two categories: learned and inherent. While inherent skills, also known as soft skills, can be sharpened and improved, some are more directly integrated into your personality. An ability to empathize with others, for instance, is a soft skill that’s naturally a part of a person’s identity and often leads professionals to a career in healthcare.
Knowing the skills needed to be a dental assistant can help you determine whether your interests and skills are well-aligned for a career in this field, as well as help you focus on skills to grow and develop while you plan for your future. Outside of being skilled at using their hands, the following dental assistant soft skills are crucial to success in the field.
1. Active listening
As you work with patients every day, it's important to give them your full attention, take time to understand what they're sharing with you, ask appropriate questions, and avoid interrupting. Dental assistants must listen to complex patient experiences while processing the information simultaneously. Dental assistants must also ask clarifying questions and make inferences based on the information shared.
2. Speaking
Communication skills are highly important in this field. During the course of your work, you'll be responsible for ensuring patients feel welcome and know exactly what to expect from the beginning of their appointment until the end. Dental assistants communicate verbally with patients over the phone, who may call in to describe a problem they're having, and patients in the chair, who may be nervous and want to know what to expect throughout their procedure. As you interact directly with dentists and other healthcare team members, you’ll need to maintain professionalism and communicate medical information with accuracy.
3. Reading comprehension
As a dental assistant, you'll be responsible for reading patients’ medical history and chart notes to ensure the care provided is appropriate for the patient. Additionally, dental assistants must stay up-to-date with industry changes and recommendations by reading new research and reports and/or attending continuing education courses. Understanding written communication in work-related documents is critical in this field of work.
4. Active learning
As research and technological advances continue, best practices in dentistry change and evolve. Dental assistants are responsible for being open to new information, staying well-informed of industry changes, and sometimes even making recommendations for the practice.
5. Instructing
One of the most important components of comprehensive dental care is education, and dental assistants play an important role when it comes to educating patients. Dental assistants often teach patients how to care for their teeth after their appointments — whether orthodontic, endodontic, prosthodontic, or general restoration.
6. Monitoring
During the course of any procedure, the dental assistant monitors every aspect to anticipate the needs of both the patient and the dentist. The dental assistant’s goal is to provide the instruments and resources needed at exactly the right time.
7. Service orientation
This skill speaks to an active desire to help others. Those who work in healthcare tend to have a need to help others. Dental assistants must be patient-focused, empathetic, and dedicated to ensuring a positive and comfortable experience for every individual they encounter. This goes beyond simply performing tasks; it involves actively listening to patient concerns, anticipating their needs, and going the extra mile to make them feel valued and cared for.
8. Social perceptiveness
Interpersonal skills are important in dental assisting. Those who are socially perceptive understand social cues, tend to be able to interpret the reactions of others, and can adjust their approach to the audience. Dental assistants work with a diverse range of patients. They may assist with a five-year-old’s sealants and then perform an extraction for a geriatric patient less than an hour later. They treat patients from all backgrounds, and it helps to be culturally competent to ensure every patient feels comfortable.
9. Adaptable problem-solving
As is the case throughout healthcare, not every dental appointment goes as planned. Sometimes, the patient experiences anxiety. Other times, technical difficulties ensue and mishaps occur — the crown doesn't fit, an instrument breaks, or an appointment is longer than expected. The dental assistant (in collaboration with the dentist) is required to problem-solve in the moment to ensure the best possible outcome.
10. Writing
Dental assistants typically document patient visits through medical records. This includes sharing a narrative of the work that was completed, any medications that were administered during the procedure, risks that were addressed, future work that needs to be completed, education provided, and more. Communicating effectively through writing is critical for appropriate record-keeping.
Dental Assistant Qualifications — Education & Clinical Skills
Aside from the possession of the noted soft skills, dental assistants will also need to obtain the right foundation of knowledge from an educational program. Dental assisting programs should include both theoretical learning and hands-on clinical practice to help prepare students for real-world application.
Education Requirements for Dental Assistants
Dental assistants typically earn a post-secondary certificate and complete licensing requirements before they're able to work as a state-registered dental assistant (RDA). In order to reach that point, there are some goals you can set along the way.
First, you’ll need to earn your high school diploma or GED, as dental assistant programs will require you to have a minimum of a GED. Taking classes like biology, chemistry, anatomy, and health sciences in high school can help you better prepare for post-secondary coursework. As your high school graduation nears, you can begin applying for dental assistant programs. Take special care to ensure the program you enroll in is accredited in your state of residence.
Once you complete the dental assistant program, you can apply for a license to begin your career as a dental assistant, caring for patients in general dentistry or specialty practices, such as orthodontics, oral surgery, or pediatric dentistry, or other settings working with a dentist or team of dentists.
Dental Assistant Clinical Skills
The clinical skills you’ll learn as a dental assistant student may vary by program. Typically, dental assistants will need to possess the following clinical or technical skills and basic dental assistant knowledge.
- Using the right preparation techniques for dental patients receiving care
- Taking vital signs and patient medical histories
- Sterilizing and preparing dental instruments
- Chairside assisting the dentist or dental hygienist for cleanings and other procedures
- Preparing dental materials, including pouring and trimming models
- *Taking and processing high-quality dental X-rays to aid in diagnosis and planning
*It’s important to note that the rules regarding dental assistants’ scope of work vary by state, and some states require additional certifications or licensure to perform X-rays. For more information on state dental assistant requirements, you can visit the National Dental Assisting Board.
Grow Your Dental Assisting Skills at CHCP
If you feel that dental assisting might be the best path forward, your next steps are to pursue an educational program that aligns with your needs. At the College of Healthcare Professions (CHCP), our Dental Assisting Certificate Program offers a blended learning approach that enables students to merge online coursework with hands-on training in person at our Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston-Med Center, Northwest Houston, Southwest Houston, McAllen, or South San Antonio campuses.
Both the day and evening track programs take as few as 36 weeks to complete. Courses include topics like dental materials, dental skills and procedures, treatment areas and instruments, and more.
Ready to start your educational training to become a dental assistant? Learn more and apply at The College of Health Care Professions today!