Dental Assistant Relationships with other Staff

Having a career as a dental assistant is a great opportunity to work with others in

the dental profession. The most common staff you will work with in a dental
facility are Dentists, Dental Hygienists, and the Receptionist. It is very
important that you forge quality relationships with the other staff you work with.
The smaller the dental facility, the more important it is as everyone will have to
work well together to allow the facility to function properly.

Since you will be present for the procedures conducted by Dentists and Hygienists,
patients will quickly pick up on any staffing issues. I went to a dentist for
years. He was great to me and my children. However, he continually was impatient
with his staff, especially the Dental Assistants. We went for cleanings every six
months. We loved the Dental Hygienist. However, she was often in tears over is
behaviors. We also noticed that the Dental Assistant staff changed almost every
time we came in. It didn�t take too many years before he went out of business
because patients were tired of seeing the behaviors and he couldn�t find help that
would work for him.

Communication skills are a great asset for any profession, but as a Dental
Assistant it is a must. You will be interacting with patients, staff, insurance
companies, and family members of patients. It is very important you are able to
make everyone feel comfortable and that you convey the message that you are
approachable. Poor communication skills can result in your career as a Dental
Assistant not working out for the long haul.

To ensure proper communication among staff members, dental facilities need to

arrange trainings. These should be informative, explaining to everyone what is
expected as far as interoffice relationships. It should be clearly stated that lack
of respect for co-workers will not be tolerated. Policies and procedures should
also be in place for employers to resolve any conflicts with other employers.
Everyone should know where they are to report and such issues that they can�t work
out with the other staff member or members.

Many dental facilities require staff members to attend communication workshops.

These are often very fun and interactive workshops, showing more effective methods
of communication. They generally include information on individual communication as
well as group efforts. These workshops are conducted by individuals who customize
the workshop to meet the needs of your group. This makes the sitting more intimate
and usable in your dental facility.

To help alleviate stress and issues among co-workers, each staff member should be
made aware of what other staff members are responsible for. Many inter-office
struggles are the result of workers believing others are not carrying the same
weight. Most employees complete tasks behind the scenes, so this assumption is
based only on what is being seen on the front lines.

Effective communication is essential in the role of Dental Assistant. It is

imperative to your career that you understand various communication styles. It is
also very important that you are aware of your own communication style. You want
others to view you as enthusiastic about your job and willing to assist in anyway
possible.

Effective communication doesn�t mean that you let other staff members take
advantage of you or belittle you. It simply means being able to put forth your best
efforts to work well with others. You are all committed to providing patients with
quality care. This can�t be accomplished if you have issues of communication
standing in the way.
Most issues that arise from communication is assuming you know what the other
person means or what they will say. Make sure that you reflect back what is being
said to you by other staff members. This way any misconceptions can be resolved up
front before they escalate into major issues that affect everyone�s work
performance. Since we all spend so many hours at our place of employment, it is
very important to make it a comfortable place to be.

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