Cultivating certain dental assistant skills will help you succeed in these essential duties, which can significantly benefit your dental practice. 

1. Active Listening

One of the most important dental assistant skills is active listening, which involves giving the patient, dentist, or coworker your full attention while they’re talking. Good listening skills allow you to respond correctly to patients’ questions and concerns and accurately follow instructions from the dentist. To be an active listener, you should do the following:

• Maintain eye contact
• Confirm what the person said
• Provide feedback

2. Communication

Communication is a crucial part of any team, and you need excellent interpersonal skills when helping patients and working with dentists, hygienists, and other dental staff at your practice. Practicing good communication when relaying information from patients to your team will keep the clinic running smoothly and enhance the patient experience. 

The following are examples of communication you should refine as a dental assistant:

• Having face-to-face and phone conversations
• Explaining dental care to patients in a way they can understand using treatment plans
• Making small talk with patients
• Describing patient or room status, schedule changes, and other details  

Improve communication amongst your fellow team members with team chat, which allows you to easily communicate without disruption to your clinical work.

3. Multitasking

You’ll likely juggle several daily tasks when working as a dental assistant, so you must be comfortable multitasking. You might have to take phone calls or help a patient with an issue while preparing an examination room and assisting other team members. 

Being able to jump from one thing to another without getting overwhelmed is essential for dental assistants, and it will help the practice operate smoothly.

4. Organization

Even when you’re running back and forth, completing various tasks nonstop, organizational skills are necessary to keep a dental office from descending into chaos. Dental assistants should be able to organize paperwork, patient schedules, dental instruments, etc., so other staff members can do their job without having to do extra steps.

Good organization means patients receive dental care in a smooth and timely manner, which reflects well on the practice and increases patient retention.

5. Professionalism

Your ability to act professionally while doing your job as a dental assistant affects the patient experience and the clinic’s reputation. Maintaining professionalism means:

• Taking your work seriously 
• Arriving on time
• Dressing appropriately
• Keeping a positive attitude

Patients are more likely to return to or recommend a dental practice with staff that upholds these qualities. 

6. Compassion

Many people fear going to the dentist, so part of a dental assistant’s job is ensuring patients feel comfortable while receiving dental care. Being empathetic and understanding a patient’s feelings will help you provide a more calm, positive experience, ensuring the patient gets the care they need and increasing the chances they return to your practice. 

7. Attention to Detail

Detail-oriented people make the best dental assistants because the ability to catch even the most minor details significantly improves patient comfort and safety. Dental assistants must be able to:

• Ensure all dental equipment is sterile and in the correct place 
• Accurately record patient information
• Complete every task
• Notice when a patient is anxious or in pain

8. Dexterity

Dexterity refers to a person’s skill when performing tasks, especially with their hands. Dental assistants often use their hands to aid in dental procedures, using dental tools to work in a precise area. Excellent dexterity and hand-eye coordination are necessary when performing these tasks so that the patient is comfortable and receives high-quality care.

9. Resilience

Dental assistants must face challenges with determination, allowing them to handle issues efficiently and quickly get back on track. Whether you get a difficult patient or make a mistake when prepping an examination room, being able to bounce back quickly will help you maintain high-quality patient care and pave the way for success in your dental career.

Enhance Patient Experience with Our Dental Practice Solutions

Possessing essential dental assistant skills goes a long way toward building a successful practice, but you can improve the patient experience in more ways. At Dental Intelligence, we can help you modernize how you interact with your patients, including a virtual check-in system, digital payments, and loyalty programs.

Contact us to try Digital Intelligence yourself. For more dental practice tips, check out our blog to learn how to increase productivity with dental billing and coding training.