What role can the dental assistant play in making this a positive experience for the patient?

Why Lumino at a glance

  • What we offer -  We offer a great range of benefits & bonus schemes. Supporting your development, enhancing your career and rewarding your success
  • Enjoy healthy books and strong existing patient flow
  • Flexible working hours. Choose lifestyle and your career
  • Join the largest dental network in New Zealand, with 88% brand awareness
  • Benefit from the latest technology and ongoing training
  • Develop your career with support, mentorship with personal development and progress plans
  • Our practices are busy practices with a great team environment - love where you work

Our Dental Assistants are the cornerstone of each of our practices. Acting as an ambassador of the patient experience, our patients will look to you for comfort and reassurance.

A typical day for our Dental Assistants includes setting up the surgery for each patient, and ensuring tools are sterilised and ready for the Dentist. You will work alongside the Dentist, assisting them with diverse and interesting procedures and communicating with the patient to ensure they are comfortable throughout the appointment.

If you have a warm and engaging personality and the ability to take initiative while work under pressure, you will thrive in this rewarding role.

Regardless of your background – you'll be given the tools, training and support to be successful as a Dental Assistant at Lumino.

Helping Kiwis love their smiles at Lumino The Dentists

Lumino is the largest dental network and leading provider of dentistry in the country, with 88% brand awareness we’re the number one choice of dentist throughout New Zealand. Being part of the largest network brings with it huge benefits from the latest technology, training, career progression, mentorship to busy practices and secure flexible working environments.

Nestled in communities, we pride ourselves on making a positive impact on the lives of our patients. If you’re looking for your next career move, you’ve found the right place. We have practices all over the country with opportunities that are just right for you. Whether you’re looking for a city-based role in the heart of one of New Zealand’s main centres or a role in small town with a tight knit community, we’ve got you covered.

Busy Practices. Great Teams - Love where you work

You will feel right at home in a close-knit team of committed professionals, focussed on improving the oral health of Kiwis. As a Dental Assistant, you’re a crucial part of the team and will help support our skilled team of clinicians. You'll be working alongside the Dentist, ensuring they have the right tools at the right time. Your role will encompass setting up the surgery and the cleaning & sterilisation of equipment to ensure infection control procedures are meticulously adhered to. In your role, you will assist dentists with diverse and interesting dental procedures during patient appointments.

Our aim is to deliver a superior patient experience for everyone who visits us. Our people are passionate about dentistry and the important part it plays in the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders. When a patient steps into our practices, we want to ensure they receive fantastic service, so we employ people who are excited about joining us on this journey.

Professional Development, Mentorship and Career Progression at Lumino

We make a point of growing and developing our teams and providing opportunities for you to advance your career within the Lumino Group. In our practices, we ensure you have the opportunity to learn from skilled clinicians and provide you with the guidance to grow within the practice or the group.

Dental assistants play a significant role in a dental team at every dental office. If you want to become a dental assistant, it can be helpful to know what you can do to be a good one. A dental assistant works not only with patients but with their colleagues, too, and always aims to provide a positive experience to everyone.

In this post, we explain what a dental assistant is, as well as what their job entails and what one can do to be an excellent dental assistant:

What Exactly Is a Dental Assistant?

Dental assistants are dental professionals who provide support to the dentist and handle various tasks in the dental office. They have a good grasp of the tools and materials they need to carry out their job and understand their duties.

Some of their main responsibilities include helping the dentist with treatment plans, taking x-rays and dental impressions, and preparing dental equipment for procedures. They also answer questions from patients, as well as helping them to feel comfortable and take part in examinations.

What Do They Do?

Dental assistants work at every stage of treatment, from greeting patients and explaining what will be done to taking x-rays and applying dental materials. They also help patients feel more comfortable during their visit by explaining the procedure.

They have a lot of responsibilities:

  • Creating and maintaining patients’ records
  • Assisting a dental team in preparing for procedures
  • Working with the dentist to create treatment plans
  • Taking dental impressions
  • Assisting in orthodontic and other dental procedures
  • Making sure the office is clean

How Can One Become a Good Dental Assistant?

Is being an excellent dental assistant about having the tools and the knowledge to do it? Yes and no. The profession requires more than just education and technical skills. Here are some ways to be a good dental assistant:

1. Improve Your Communication Skills

Dental assistants have to communicate with their patients, as well as with other dental team members. Communication skills are key, whether it is about explaining complicated procedures or just making sure everything is on track for a patient’s visit.

2. Learn to Be Proactive

Being a good dentist assistant requires one to be proactive and resourceful. This requires one to come up with solutions and act quickly to solve a problem. They need to be observant and be able to pick the best option for a given situation.

3. Collaborate with Others

Good dental assistants will be able to work together with the team, given that they know how to work with others. They are not afraid to ask questions and learn from their coworkers.

4. Get Proper Training

The first thing that dental assistants need to do to be good at it is to get a degree. After that, there will be on-the-job training, which will help one to hone their skills.

Conclusion

Dental assistants need to be more than just skilled and trained. They need to be articulate, observant, and resourceful. Dental assistants are a part of the dental team and are constantly working to benefit the team and their patients.

If you want to become a dental assistant, you can start by investing in accredited dental assistant programs so you can be certified. 

Northwest Suburban College offers programs that you can take to get a dental assistant certification. Call us today to find out more about our programs so you can start your dental assistant career soon! 

What is the most important role of a dental assistant?

Comfort and listen to patients One of a dental assistant's most important priorities is providing patient care. Often, patients may feel nervous or uncomfortable about visiting the dental office. Dental assistants play an important role in helping to alleviate any anxiety patients may have.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a dental assistant?

Dental Assistant Clinical Tasks.
Showing patients to their exam rooms..
Preparing patients for procedures and/or surgeries..
Assisting with procedures such as fillings, crowns, and extractions..
Making dental impressions..
Sterilizing dental tools and equipment..
Post-procedure clean-up..

What skills and qualities do you have that you feel would benefit a dental practice?

10 Traits of a Successful Dental Assistant.
Excellent organizational skills. ... .
Detail-oriented personality. ... .
Ability to manage multiple things at once. ... .
Good dexterity skills. ... .
Professional demeanor. ... .
Strong communication skills. ... .
Great listening abilities. ... .
Compassionate attitude..

What do you think the most valuable skill for a dental assistant is and why?

Critical thinking Being able to think critically is an important skill as a dental assistant. As a helping hand to dentists, you need to be able to anticipate their needs and have all the necessary tools and instruments ready to go at a moment's notice.