What to Expect When Working in a Dental Office

We’ve all been a dental patient at one point in our lives, but what is it like to be on the other side of things?

If working in a dental office is something you’ve considered as a career, you’ve come to the right place. Why do you want to work in a dental office? It is important to consider some factors when looking for a career in the dental field.

Whether you’re becoming a dentist, looking to be a dental hygienist, or even a dental assistant, here are a few things you should know about working a dental office job!

Who Works In A Dental Office?

There are plenty of people who have a dental office career. Although their tasks might be different, they are all fueled by a passion to perform different procedures and keep their patients’ dental hygiene on top of their game.

There are many dental career options and you might come across the following people in your workplace:

• Dental Assistant – helps the dental practitioner, performs preparatory work like sanitizing equipment, developing X-rays, and taking molds of teeth
• Dental Hygienist – give dental cleanings, examine patients for oral diseases, and teaches them about dental hygiene
• Dental Laboratory Technician – create dental prosthetics like crowns, bridges, and dentures
• General Dentist (DDS) – diagnose and treat patients and complete procedures like fitting denture fittings, cavity fillings, and root canals
• Orthodontist – specialize in jaw alignment and teeth positioning, straighten and realign teeth with braces, retainers, etc.
• Periodontist – prevents, diagnoses, and treats periodontal disease

At the end of it all, these people are part of a team and work hand-in-hand to help things run smoothly.

It’s A Fast-Paced Environment

That being said, dentists’ offices are usually very busy and tend to be fast-paced environments to work in. Offices run on tight schedules to ensure every patient is given a certain amount of time for their appointment. Whether it’s a root canal or an appointment to apply veneers, these tasks require different amounts of attention. One thing’s for sure — there isn’t much time for mistakes, so you need to have your head in the game!

You Learn (and Teach) Something New Every Day

One of the benefits of working in a dental office is that you keep learning and growing well into your career. While working in a dental office, your education continues past college. There are always new techniques, tools, and technologies that you’ll need to familiarize yourself with.

On top of learning something new every day, you’ll most likely be teaching your patients a thing or two about oral care and their dental hygiene. The job isn’t only about keeping those pearly whites looking good!

Ready To Start Working in a Dental Office?

These are all general things you can expect to find while working in a dental office. If you can’t wait to dip your toes in the industry, chat on our site and get matched to the right dental jobs quickly and easily!