Dental Technician
(Female, Age 31) from Petersburg, VA
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 31 who works as a Dental Technician in Petersburg, VA. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Dental Technician |
|---|---|
| Salary | $27,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 40 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Petersburg, VA |
| Years Experience | 4 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for a small dentists office with ten employees.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I am responsible to assist the dentist in all dental work. I perform rinses and floride treatments. I also provide dental care instructions.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
two weeks vacation, cigna health, 401k, sick days as needed
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
I am well compensated
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
I work with patients on a daily basis. I love working with people. I like to help people with their dental problems.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 2
Benefits: 4
Hours: 5
Co-Workers: 3
Supervisors: 8
Job Title: 7
Level of Responsibility: 6
The Actual Work: 1
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | |
| 8am to 9am | |
| 9am to 10am | Arrive @ work @ 9 am. |
| 10am to 11am | Assist dentist w/ scheduled patients. |
| 11am to 12pm | Assist dentist w/ scheduled patients. |
| 12pm to 1pm | Lunch hour. |
| 1pm to 2pm | Assist dentist w/ scheduled patients. |
| 2pm to 3pm | Assist dentist w/ scheduled patients. |
| 3pm to 4pm | Assist dentist w/ scheduled patients. |
| 4pm to 5pm | Assist dentist w/ scheduled patients. |
| 5pm to 6pm | |
| 6pm to 7pm | |
| 7pm to 8pm | |
| 8pm to 9pm | |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
I was hired at my personal dentists office. I let them know I was in school and that I was interested in any openings.
What was the application process?
I submitted my resume.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I had one interview with the two dentists who work in the office.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
I don’t recall.
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes. My employer took a month to train me and did not let me on my own until I was completely comfortable.
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
I went to school to be a tech. It was a two year program.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes. My classes were informative and prepared me for my current position. I had hands on experience in school that greatly helped me.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
I did not intern.
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Go to school and become friendly with your local dentist. Make sure that you have an impressive resume. If work experience is a problem, ask your local dentist if you can assist for free so that you can obtain work experience.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
You must have good social skills and be very patient. Many of the people treated are in pain and may be a little grumpy. Organizational skills and technical skills are also very important. Knowledge of dental procedures is key to being a good assistant.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
If you get turned down, keep trying. Dental offices often have techs that stay in their postions for a long time. Eventually you will find an opening.
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
I plan to eventually go to denistry school and become a dentist. My current employment will greatly help me.
What are your current career goals?
I plan to work at my current postion for a few years and to then return to school.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
I love my job and know that if you are considering it as a career you will love it too!!!!!!!!!
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Cashier | 2 years | 10.43/hr | I worked as a cash handler @ old navy. |
| Prior Job 2 | Waitress | 2 years | 2.13 + tips | I worked as a waitress at Unos Chicago Bar and Grille |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3.5
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
3.2 | DeVry University | Dental Technician |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
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