Before you rush off to commit to a dental assistant school in New Jersey, you need to make sure that not only do you understand the technical and educational requirements, but that you also understand the personal, emotional and professional qualities that successful certified dental assistants must possess. Anyone can go through the classwork and coursework, but what is it that really makes an assistant successful professionally and personally? Plenty of information is available on the educational requirements, but what about personal qualities?
Duty of Responsibility
At the core of every successful assistant is self-discipline, flexibility and competence. You’re going to have to assume responsibility of both legal and ethical standards in the field, and you will be dealing with all kinds of different patients with varying needs, personalities and expectations. You’ll need to remain respectful to patients and appreciate the diversity of others – patients and co-workers alike.
This means you’ll also have to maintain a level of patience too. As with any other field, you can expect to have great days on the job and some not-so-great days, and regardless of what is going on either in your personal life or at your workplace, you’re going to need to continuously make your patients feel relaxed and welcomed.
Desire to Help Others
The desire to help patients feel good and stay healthy with proper oral care is going to need to be your driving force each day, and you’re going to need to take responsibility for your actions. People who are interested in enrolling in dental assistant schools in NJ should have excellent time management skills, and should routinely do well with activities that require hand-eye coordination. They need to be capable of handling expensive equipment and professional instruments, taking care and being accurate in procedures, always.
Passion for What You Do
One personal attribute of successful certified dental assistants is empathy; many, many people are uncomfortable, and even afraid, of visiting a dental professional for care, and a great assistant should be able to empathize with these patients and be able to comfort them, make them feel more relaxed and ensure them that they will be just fine! A warm smile is powerful in the dental office, and the confidence that a successful certified dental assistant displays can go a long way in making the difference between a “terrible” visit to the dentist and a “great” visit for patients!
