Thank you all for keeping up with my posts on this blog. If you have questions please comment or email me and I will post the answer.

Thanks!

Christian

Yes, I said it, KEEPING your job now is as important as getting a job. I spoke to a highly qualified dental assistant TODAY that was let go because she was “overpaid”. The office was downsizing… In this economy the rules are changing!

So for all the VETERAN dental assistants out there getting paid what they are worth, you now have something to worry about….the new, underpaid dental assistant just trying to find a job!

You can no longer work idle and expect everything to stay the same. If YOUR practice is not growing, or even shrinking, then you need to make it clear you are part of the solution. Show your dedication to growth, selling dentistry, and turning this trend around. It is a business afterall, and the old saying “from nothing comes nothing” now is grounds for dismissal.

Learn all about what you can do to make yourself an essential part of your office and keep your job.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Chris

PS: Still the best value on the internet, The SUCCESSFUL DENTAL ASSISTING MANUAL gives you all the info needed to make a difference as a dental assistant and KEEP YOUR JOB!

So, when it really comes down to it, you work as a dental assistant to make money, right? So correct me if I am wrong, but more money then would be a good thing, right?

Well, I have spoken to many dental assistants over the past decade and have a pretty good idea how you could make more money to spend on the fun things in life. I have written a manual – Successful Dental Assisting, answered every question in this blog or via email about anything you could imagine, and I have encouraged you to pursue your dreams. But rally, how many of you have taken the steps I describe to make more money dental assisting? I would really like to hear who actually made the change…

Some of you have asked me what my assistants do to get a raise in my office.

Well, I want to give everyone here a big, simple, tip. We give raises to people we like. Period. If you are pushy, demanding, but the best dental assistant, then see ya later. Life is too short to be around negative people.

One of the most sincere things my dental assistant does for me is bring me a cup of coffee in the morning. Not because I ask for it, but because she knows I like that. And that is the key. She makes work fun and treats everyone with respect and a smile. She is probably one of the highest paid dental assistants in the country!

So, stop demanding things, but rather kill them with kindness. Be sincere. Enjoy the people you work with. Then read the manual and follow the steps to a higher paid job!

Keep smiling,

Christian

We are heading for a new horizon…

The dental assisting forum is now open! Just click the “forum” link in the top navigation menu to find it.

Don’t be shy, express your opinion freely. This is your forum to ask questions, post comments and find other dental assistants like yourself!

So you are an exceptional dental assistant with lots of experience. You like your job, you like your office, but you feel you have reached a plateau – a salary plateau.

How much more can a dental assistant make?

Well, a dental assistant that is good at assisting is very important, but I have always paid more for dental assistants that were cross trained at the front office and most importantly, for good “closers”.

What is a  good closer? Simple, a person that is able to get the patient to accept treatment without being pushy. This skill is essential in any successful dental office, and I have a dental assistant that can close any case. She began as a regular dental assistant over 5 years ago and now closes just about any case she touches, helps with the office marketing, and assists. And yes, she has a very good salary.

To become a good closer you need to be comfortable with money. You need to be able to look a person in the eye and tell them the treatment will cost 35 thousand dollars without looking uncomfortable….that is not very easy. Not everyone can talk money, and very few people like it. A dental office will bend over backwards for a good closer, so if you think you have this skill, practice it!

I have had so many people ask me where dental assistants get paid the most that I decided to begin a comment thread. If you are thinking of becoming a dental assistant then this will soon become a great resource!

Please comment with where you live and how much you make. You can add more information such as how long you have been working etc. if you like.

This is one of my dental assistants – her name is Dawn.

Dawn has been a dental assistant for many years, and she has worked with me for about 5 so far. Dawn is a EDDA and pretty much can do everything I need her to do at a premium level. She is essentially what every dentist needs, and my other right hand.

This type of experience comes for a price, of course. Dawn is a highly paid dental assistant, and she is worth every penny.

I invested in Dawn because the office needs her. She has beautiful veneers that I gave to her. This allows her to discuss treatment with patients much better.

I recently (1 year ago) hired another assistant, Carissa, who is showing great promise. I hired Carissa not because she has a lot of experience, but because she impressed me in the first few seconds of her interview.

Daily I get questions about “salary” and “how to get a raise”, which are valid questions, but more importantly, dental assistants need to understand that there is a method to getting a raise. It is not a quick solution but rather an approach. You need to understand what dentists are looking for, and you need to “deserve” a raise. Nobody should ever expect to get a raise because they have been around for a while.

I suggest you sign-up for our newsletter to get the 15 NO-BRAINER STEPS TO GETTING A RAISE AS A DENTAL ASSISTANT! as a start.

The Highest Paid Dental Assistant Manual is designed to give you a solid background which is essential to succeed at dental assisting. Once you have read and implemented the steps in the manual you are ready to begin your journey towards a career in dental assisting rather than just a job!

How much does a dental assistant make? That seems to be the most frequent question I get. Well, your salary as a new dental assistant will vary widely where you work, but if you have been a dental assistant for a while and you are asking this question then I know you are not making as much as you would like!

Your salary is only one part of how much you make. In a good office there will be a team bonus system that rewards teamwork. A win-win system.  If the office is doing well then everyone will benefit.

Teammates start asking about salary when the work environment becomes tough, mundane or just plain hostile. “I don’t get paid enough to put up with this!” kinda attitude.

The SUCCESSFUL DENTAL ASSISTING manual I wrote focuses not only on how you can make more money, but how you can find an office to work with that appreciates you and rewards the entire team. Life is too short to “put up” with anything, that is at least how I feel about it.

Successful Dental Assisting

Many dental assistants have asked my about the “Secret Dental Assistant Manual” and how to get it.  Well, click the link in the title bar above and follow the instructions!  All the info in this blog and much more is condensed into a simple yet powerful how-to format.  No “information overload”, just the facts!

If you want to know how to get your resume on top of the pile or how to ace your interview, then this manual is a must.

If you have questions, especially after you are a member of the club, feel free to write me anytime.

Cheers,

Christian

A job is a job, not a charity.  If you are like me you work to live, not live to work!

Sometimes after being part of the same office for a long time the dentist just sees you as a part of the office, not an employee.  Meaning, you are so essential yet so easy to have around that they forget about you.  Well, not really you, but your needs, such as reviews and salary increases.  So, tip #3 goes like this:

Don’t loose sight of your personal needs!

Yes, you come first.  Actually, everybody should come first to themselves…it is nature.  So, don’t forget about yourself.  Talk to the dentist.  When is your next review?  What can you do to enjoy your job more?  What will it take for a salary increase?  ASK and you shall receive!

Try it and let me know what happens…I am curious!