Since 2001 the professional figure of dental office assistant, fundamental as it provides the necessary support to the dentist both in clinical and bureaucratic-administrative activities. This is a highly requested professional figure in the medical-health sector.
Thanks to the memorandum of understanding signed bynational association of Italian dentists (ANDI) and by the trade unions (OOSS) the rights and duties of this professional figure have been established by law; Below are the activities and requirements needed for become a dental office assistant.
Here are the main tasks and duties of the dental office assistant:
- Reception of patients
- Management of data archives
- Operational assistance to the dentist
- Organization of appointments
- Preparation of the different operating tools
- Archiving of patient medical records
- Management of administrative procedures
- Management of relations with suppliers
- Use of IT platforms and media
The skills needed to become a dental office assistant
If you aspire to become the dentist's right hand, there are several personal characteristics you need to develop. First of all, you must be calm and reassuring in relating to patients, trying to create empathy and to meet their needs.
You must also have good organizational skills: during working hours you will have to prepare the doctor's office to welcome patients, tidy up and disinfect the rooms. Good interpersonal skills will allow you to communicate easily with patients, clearly explaining the treatments and therapies that will be implemented by the dentist. A smattering of information technology and use of the PC will be very useful, especially the main operational programs and management platforms in the sector.
In order to assist foreign patients it could be useful to follow a language course, choosing it on the basis of the ethnic groups most present in the region.
A good dexterity and a certain precision / meticulousness complete a profile suitable for become a dental office assistant.
The professional requirements
L'assistant chair of a dental practice does not require a degree in the medical-health sector, however the possession of the high school diploma, preferably with a scientific orientation. To acquire bases of this profession it is important to attend specialized training courses which provide the main notions of the subject. In Italy many institutes organize courses onanatomy of the oral cavity, the infectious diseases and the administrative and bureaucratic notions, but also on communication techniques and behavioral psychology.
The best paths include an internship period at the end of the classroom lessons, necessary to learn the secrets of the profession: by gaining experience in a dental office you will be able to understand how to best welcome customers and prepare the workstations, how to update the medical records and how place and sterilize instruments used. It is also important to familiarize yourself with the secretarial and accounting activities, since the chair assistant will often have to manage relations with suppliers, invoices and accounting.
Professional outlets
Dental practice assistants generally work in private practices. For this, after obtaining the qualification, you should start practicing at a dentist and test the skills acquired. Over time, you will be increasingly able to put your professionalism at the service of the dentist and patients, becoming a fundamental figure in the practice.
If you want too become a dental office assistant, discover the dental assistant course from Accademia del Lavoro.
