On July 25th, 2018, students of Advantage Career Institute’s Dental Assistant Training Program, along with their instructor Ms. Dana Hurden-Hall, visited three Monmouth County dental offices:
- Wemrock Dental Arts in Freehold, NJ
- Gordon & Miller Dental Associates in Freehold, NJ
- Dr. Christopher McCartin, D.M.D. in Manasquan, NJ
While visiting these locations, our students gained valuable insight into the day-to-day operations of a dental facility, as well as the role of a Dental Assistant.
“The fact that every dental office operated differently did not really sink in when I first heard about it from the visiting seniors. However, by going on this trip and being able to see how each dental office utilized different systems and materials, I came to understand the value of learning first hand in the dental setting. Due to this, I am very much anticipating my internship. In the most recent module about Dental Chairside 1, I learned about the typical dental operatory setup. The textbook stated that front delivery provides the dentist with easy access to the dental handpiece without twisting of the body. Thus, I assumed that most dentists would use or prefer front delivery for sake of ergonomics. However, on this trip I noticed that 2 of the 3 dentists actually preferred rear delivery. This helped me realize the importance of a Dental Assistant to be able to adapt to new settings. Each office had different types of technology. Dr. Gordon and Miller’s Cerec Milling Machine was very impressive as it was able to “minimize” a typical crown creation process from taking an initial impression until 2 weeks (amount of time it takes to create a crown from a lab) down to only 8 minutes (amount of time it takes the milling machine to create a crown). This trip exposed me to many different work styles and paces of dental offices and gave me reassurance that when I go on my internship I will be prepared mentally to adapt and learn from a new setting with my skills obtained through the Dental Assisting course. Thank you Ms. Dana for showing us these offices in real time!”
- Maggie N. – Dental Assistant Training with Radiology Student
“Today we saw three different dental offices. When speaking with the Dentists and Dental Assistants, they all made it clear that every dental office and Dentist works differently. We were able to witness crowns being made in the office rather than a lab. The larger of the 3 offices offered warm towels for their patients to freshen up. The smaller had a “good-bye station” with a mirror and facial wipes for patients to visit before leaving the office. This experience gave me a better understanding of how a dental office really works. We were also able to see how instruments were passed at a fast pace. We witnessed what a relationship between a Dentist and Assistant should be like. Ms. Dana did a GREAT job helping us understand Dental Assisting outside the textbook.”
- Supajee A. – Dental Assistant Training with Radiology Student
