A Love Letter to Dental Assistants

My years as a solo general practitioner taught me many lessons, but none more important than the value of dental assistants. Today, the shortage of DAs is one of the most pressing issues in our profession. It’s a wake-up call: we must re-evaluate how we hire, train, and support these vital team members. Furthermore, we need to establish career paths that are both appealing and sustainable for the next generation of dental professionals.

The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) has already made strides in this direction by developing a new framework to standardize credentialing. This initiative is designed to make the DA career path more attractive and accessible, helping practices recruit and retain top talent. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to connect with DANB to see how their programs can support your team.

It’s Not Just About the Money

Developed by Dr. Mark G. Thoreson, DDS, Inflatrix is an inflatable dental matrix crafted from an advanced polymer. Its unique design allows it to expand with water, providing a stable and secure fit for filling placements. This innovative approach is a welcome alternative to traditional methods, addressing common challenges faced by both dentists and patients.

The Toffelmire matrix concept has been around for over a century without challenge. Inflatrix will disrupt this market! Yes, competitive pay and benefits are crucial, but what truly matters to a dental assistant is recognition and respect. They want to be valued and acknowledged for their hard work and loyalty. While you, the doctor, may work hard to be accessible, many patients still feel more comfortable asking a dental assistant their "real" questions. Your assistants are the bridge between you and your patients, and they deserve to be treated with the same level of respect.

Take the time to genuinely engage with your dental assistants. Ask them how they feel about their work and listen to their ideas for improving workflows. Look them in the eye when they speak. They crave acknowledgement as much as you do, and demonstrating that you value their perspective can make all the difference.

More Than Just a Role

Dentistry is a team sport. It requires soft skills, a resilient work ethic, a positive attitude, and a hunger for learning. As my favorite quote says, “We’re working with humans here, so all bets are off.” This means the game changes every hour, and we win with a total team effort.

I had the chance to talk more about this on the Dental Assistant Nation Podcast with Kevin Henry. In this episode, we explore how to turn dental assisting into a true career path—not just a job—and what practices can do to better support their teams. You can listen here: Podcast Link.

To attract and retain great talent, we need to show them the incredible career pathways that are open to them. Beyond chairside tasks, assign your dental assistants projects that challenge them, like working with new 3D printer technology, AI, or the latest composite systems. Applaud their efforts and celebrate their growth. Seeing a young professional flourish is one of the most rewarding parts of my career.

I’ve had the privilege of training over 100 new dental assistants in my career. Being an encourager, a fist-bumper, and a counselor has brought me some of my greatest professional satisfaction. I am proud to be a part of their journey. I recently teamed up with Travis Rodgers and his Dental Venture Capital consulting service to expand my training business, and I'm looking forward to helping even more people on their professional path.

So, let's make a concerted effort to show our dental assistants how much we appreciate them. Let's make their careers more fulfilling and rewarding. Let’s blow the clamps off the old methods and make dentistry better for everyone.