Why You Need Hands-On Training in Your Dental Assisting Program
Dental assisting is a hands-on job, so it’s no surprise that hands-on training is the best way to prepare for this career. A textbook and lectures can only teach you so much. To learn the methods and techniques of chair-side assistance and patient care, you need to practice in a safe and nurturing environment. Lab time, simulations, observations, and real-world lessons allow you to put your knowledge to the test long before you test your skills on actual patients. Here are just a few ways that you can benefit from hands-on dental assistant training:
Access Live Demonstrations with Dental Instructors
Hands-on training programs use live demonstrations where your instructor performs a particular procedure and walks you through what they’re doing step by step. You can see how different tools are used, learn the proper steps and protocols, and ask lots of questions. You might even have the chance to assist during the demonstration. Watching professionals from the field perform tasks the right way serves as a solid foundation on which you can build your Dental Assisting career.
Retain Information Better during Dental Assisting Training
If you read through the steps of how to take and process an X-ray, you might forget a step or remember them out of order. But if you actually take and process the X-ray, you’re more likely to remember how to do it a second time. Active learning is more effective than lecture supplemented by textbook and note memorization. You develop a deeper interest in the lessons and retain information better. As a Dental Assistant, you have a lot to juggle in a day and a lot to know. The more you retain during training, the better able you will be to do your job well.
Safely Make Mistakes in a Dental Setting
Practice makes perfect and hands-on training gives you plenty of practice. But along the way, you will make mistakes; that’s a natural part of the learning process. They show you what not to do on the job. Hands-on instruction in the classroom also ensures that you can safely make mistakes under the supervision of your teacher before you begin to work on patients.
Collaborate with Other Dental Assisting Students
As a Dental Assistant, you’re part of a team that helps a dental office run smoothly. You work closely with the dentist to ensure they have the necessary tools, equipment, and help during patient exams. You might work with other dental specialists, hygienists, or front-office staff. Learning to be part of a team is an important part of your education. Collaborating with your classmates teaches you how to be a team player. It also builds your network and can lead to future connections—and jobs.
Gain Confidence as a Dental Assistant
As you learn how to perform the basic duties of a Dental Assistant, you grow more confident in your skills and abilities. By the time you graduate from your training program, you will be ready to work in a dental office, helping dentists and patients, putting your hands-on training to real-world use.
If you’re ready to begin training as a Dental Assistant, contact Charter College today. We offer a Certificate in Dental Assisting that will provide you with hands-on training in the classroom and through a 180-hour externship. Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more.