Make Them Say Yes!

For all of the students  who are feeling anxious about beginning your dental externship, just know that you don’t have to be!  There is an effective way to approach your experience and if done correctly, will set you up for a job position later and make them say yes!   Most of the time, students are relying on the instructor to place them in an externship.  Don’t!  Talk with your school about setting up your own externship site; you really do not want to be placed in a job that isn’t a good fit for you.   Half your battle is won if you appear in person to the dental office of your choice, here are some tips to allow you to feel comfortable about asking for an externship:

• Have the contract agreement in hand (you get this from the instructor) with your supervisor’s business card and a syllabus for the externship course.  Dentists want to know what you are able to perform at this point in your education.

• Do NOT show up in scrubs for the first meeting.  Students think their school uniform looks professional (and it does), but the best impression will appear intelligent, mature and professional.  You want to appear “different” from the previous students who have completed an externship at the same office.  Wear a suit or a very nice (not trendy) business attire.

• When you arrive, ask the front office staff if you may briefly meet with the Dentist or Office Manager.  These two are most likely to make the final decision; avoid dental assistants who are not in charge for now, not everyone wants an intern in their office…

• When asked why you are there, say that you are hoping to speak with someone about an externship opportunity.  Keep in mind, this is a huge advantage for the office as well…they are getting free help!

• Once you have the chance to speak with the right person, let them know why you are interested in their office.  What do you like about them?  Are they small, big, innovative, friendly, popular?  You can even say that the office is close to home and it is important to you that you are able to get as many hours as possible.  (Numerous students have said this and it really does work!)  Who doesn’t want LOTS of free help?

• Offer your materials and let them know that most of their questions can be answered in the reading.  Also, point out the business card for easy contact.  Know you dates of externship!  You must have your ducks in a row before you visit!

• Most importantly, offer a working interview!  You can almost always snag your externship by offering to give them a preview of how you will “fit in.”   Don’t worry, they know you are a student and are not expecting fluency; however, they want to see if you are going to ask questions, show dedication and look for opportunities to learn.  You will only have one day to convey that message!

• When your conversation has ended, let them know that you will contact them within the next 7 days.  Try to offer this first as some places say the old “we will call you”; there is nothing wrong with putting a little pressure on them to commit.

• Repeat this process for at least three more externship sites.  Chances are you will land one within a week.  Remember, if you get the welcome from two offices, take them both! Find a way to work them into your education, whether it is by committing to one or two days a week or scheduling them at a later time…don’t lose them!  Most accredited dental assisting programs require more than one office experience, use them!

Talking to the Dentist, the office manager, or dental staff may seem frightening at first; you might be afraid of sounding unintelligent or getting turned down.  Toughen up.  You could get turned down a few times before landing the position, but it will likely be because they have had a previous bad experience or don’t have the time.  Either way, if you keep at it and stay confident in your self, you will get what you are looking for and complete you education successfully.  You just might land a permanent position with that office later!

Not Your Traditional Interview!

Have you ever web-searched “How to prepare for an interview”? If so, you have experienced the overwhelming amount of articles, blogs, and websites available; all ready to tell you how to get the job you want.  In fact, you are probably thinking, “Aren’t I reading one now?”   Yes…and no.  More times than I can remember, I have advised nervous dental assistants on preparing for the interview; however, I have not published these tips prior to this article. The dental assisting interview is much different from the traditional “answer questions and impress me” interviews.  How?  The interviews held in dentistry are often of two styles…behavioral and practical (working).

The Behavioral Interview

Behavioral interviews are sometimes called situational. This is very common in dentistry due to the nature of the profession and the important need for a team atmosphere.  Once the interviewer has asked you the basic, traditional questions, they will begin on the “hard” questions.  These questions do not have to be difficult to answer if you are prepared for them; they are behavior-based. Behavioral questions will ask you to reflect on how you will or might handle a real situation.  In dentistry, these are usually focused toward conflict management with a difficult patient, team member, or dentist.  Think of possible questions surrounding these situations and plan your response.  To really nail a behavioral interview, you must be able to recount a situation of which you demonstrated your claim, like this:

Interviewer: Tell me about a time when you handled a difficult situation with another employee…

You: I was once in a situation where our team wasn’t as strong as it could have been; in fact, it was much divided.  Another assistant became belligerent in front of a patient when the dentist wasn’t in the room.  For the patient’s sake, I made the choice to ignore her tangent and just focus on patient care.  Unfortunately, this made her very mad and a soon as the patient left, she went straight to the dentist and complained about me ignoring her.  I could tell she had the opportunity to discuss her frustrations with a few other assistants, everyone was uptight.  I asked the dentist if I may speak to him alone at the first opportunity he had (after patients); he agreed.   I understand that communication is important in solving conflict, after speaking with the dentist; I asked if the other assistant would be willing to join us so that we may resolve the issue.  She was still upset after; however, she never confronted me in front of a patient again!  Because it was successful in this situation, I plan to approach similar situations with open, yet effective communication!

Interviewer: Great answer!  Thank you for sharing!

Behavioral questions need real answers.  The underlying theme of the previous example is patient care, which is the real concern of the dental office.  You do not want to portray constant happy endings; most people know that is rarely the case.  In the example given, the assistant did not say they became friends, only that she handled a difficult employee in front of a patient, brought the situation to the attention of the employer, and prevented the scenario from ever happening to her again.

The Practical (working) Interview

Practical interviews are often called working interviews.  This means you are to arrive to the office, ready to work.  This type of interview makes the dental assistant very nervous. I understand why; however, if you are aware of what they are assessing, you can prepare and ease your fears.  Working interviews for the dental assistant are very common; in fact, volunteering this type of interview will often get you hired!  You are probably thinking the office staff are going to rate your assisting skills, which they may, but only to a small degree.  What the office really wants to determine is how you can adapt to their office flow.  They also want a chance to see you interact with patients and gauge your compatibility with staff.  This is not a time to be shy; here are some tips!

• Before the interview, if you can, ask them about what they consider to be a successful interview, but only if the opportunity is right.  You don’t want to appear naive; you’re just getting a feel for office expectations.

• Show up in pressed, clean (no stains or holes) scrubs. Don’t forget to wash your shoes! Your hair should be up and in place. You can adapt to their dress code once you are hired; however, go “crisp” on the first day!

• Smile. A lot. You must look like you will be a happy addition to the office!

• Watch and learn. Take note of the office flow; watch what the other assistants manage their time and follow suit!

• At some point in your day, show sincerity to a patient. Smile and compliment them or appear interested in whatever conversation they bring up to you!

• Use your manners with the office staff! Say please and thank you often!

• Brush off mishaps; do not let a silly mistake ruin your ability to win them over!  Give a little laugh, a little comment and move on!

• Stay until dismissed! Do not ask to be dismissed.  If someone says you can go, say that you are willing to help with the final tasks. Don’t be too pushy, they probably want to discuss how the day went after you leave.  This is not bad; they may be agreeing to hire you!

• Send a thank you note or email within 24 hours.  Keep them interested and show them you are equally interested.

Remember, in most cases, the behavioral and working interview will be combined in either one experience or two.  Reflect upon your previous experiences in the dental office.  How can you portray your best qualities? Prepare yourself for success and if for some reason you are not hired, then it is probably because you rocked and it made the other assistants nervous!  There is nothing wrong with being a triple threat!

When You Need Motivation!

Every dental assistant knows that the working day can get long; worse yet, the working week…or month.   Patients keep the day interesting and it is always rewarding when you they bring cookies and candy; however, you probably have those moments when things are becoming a little too routine.  Instead of becoming annoyed or even dissatisfied with your job, get motivated!

Dental assistants really are the driving force behind the office culture.  I have witnessed situations of which the dentist isn’t very friendly or the office manager is too stressed, but the assistants keep the atmosphere light and fun.  Whether you are the business assistant, the lead assistant or a team member, you can improve the mood of your dental office through motivational and fun activities.  If you are not sure where to begin or how to get started, try this:

• Discuss with your team about creating fun activities to help everyone get through the week with a positive attitude.   Let them know that you just want to have a good time while being productive and that you are sure the patients will enjoy seeing everyone happier.

• Decide to take turns on sharing and implementing a fun activity every week or month.  Everyone involved should have a chance to incorporate their ideas, besides, if one person does it all the time others will complain.

• Talk about ideas that get others excited and avoid anything too expensive.  For instance, if you agree to Friday lunch at a
  local Mexican restaurant, wear something small and festive all week, on Friday, go all out!

• Suggest a contest with a desirable reward, like a “pamper the assistant” coupon, which is good for the winner to ask favors of everyone for one day.  Make sure that you do enough of these to go around!

• Once you have a few ideas put together, organize your project by posting a calendar for everyone to sign up or a theme jar to hold ideas, once a week an assistant will draw out an idea or theme for the week.

• Have fun!  Do not let this activity create an avenue for conflict; it is meant to encourage the team and incorporate a little
  silliness as well!

• Be smart!  If your office has an extremely busy week and an activity will just add to the stress; then delay the fun by a
  week.  Productivity is most important, you don’t want the activity to be a distracter or the fun might be discontinued!

• Be smarter!  Use these ideas to motivate the team.  If productivity is slacking in a certain area, create a friendly contest to boost team motivation.  If chances are given to everyone, this can prove as a very effective way to create better habits among team members.

As a dental assistant, you know that your days are often busy and go by fairly quick; however, a quick and fun day is even better!  Talk to your team about this idea soon, especially if there is conflict brooding. Coming together as a team in a creative way does wonders for the culture and atmosphere of your dental office, stifling disagreements with each experience!