Dental Assistants - Overworked, Unappreciated and Underpaid - No More, Not Today!!!

Does this ring a bell to anyone?  OF COURSE IT DOES!!!  A recent article in Dentistry iQ by Mark Hartley addresses the inferiority many assistants feel on a daily basis; however, according to a recent survey done by the Dental Assisting Digest, 73% of dental assistants would still recommend their profession as a career.  Why is this?  Statistically this does not add up, but it is because we love what we do that we continue to endure and accept things as they are.  So I ask this - Who is ready for a change?  How can we turn assistants inferiority into superiority?  It's time to ruffle some feathers.  Assistants let's get ready to RUMmmmmmble!  It is our time to be recognized for the greatness we can and do bring to our practices.

With the increase of dental practices adopting digital dentistry as the platform of the modern dental practice assistants have many new opportunities to "turn suction into production".  No longer is the suction our main tool.  We now have 2D and 3D digital x-rays, digital files with practice management software, digital impression systems, cad/cam in-office milling systems, Invisalign, bleaching, treatment planning, selling dentistry, social media in advertising, digital business development solutions...etc, none of which was taught to me in school 15 years ago and ALL of which bring revenue into the dental practice - a suction does not!

Think about this for a moment.  Dental assistants have been salary capped for years because we were overhead.  Dental assistants could not generate revenue in the dental practice with a suction tip like the hygienist or doctors could with their instruments, therefor the office could not afford a large increase simply because we didn't have the opportunity to bring in the production needed to cover our increase - NOT because we didn't merit the increase, but times have changed!  So I ask you - have you changed with these times?  What are you doing in the digital age to generate revenue in your dental practice?  Doctors - what opportunities do you offer to educate your assistants to become revenue generators in your practice?  The dentist/assistant team is changing.  The dentist is the golfer and his or her assistant is the caddy.  Each person benefits from the other and can only be as good as the other.  What are you doing as a dentist/assistant team to adopt the digital age and start delegating to your digital NINJA (assistant) to "turn suction into production" and turn the inferiority of the dental assistant profession into superiority in your practice?  Increased production = increased revenue = opportunity for increased merit!

Read the article below - Read the comments of the surveyed states - It is time to make a change!

http://www.dentistryiq.com/articles/2013/09/dental-assistants-believe-certification-issues-affect-salaries.html

Join the NINJA movement - No I'm Not Just any Assistant - and help bring superiority to our awesome profession.  Assisting is NOT just a stepping stone in the dental industry - it is a career!  Like Ninja Dentistry on Facebook, follow on Twitter @NinjaDentistry and visit ninjadentistry.com