As a dental assistant, having the ability to communicate effectively is essential for providing the highest quality of care to patients. It's important to be able to interact with both patients and co-workers in a professional manner. Nonverbal communication skills, such as focusing on the speaker, smiling when appropriate, and nodding your head to express agreement, are just as important as verbal communication. When working with dentists and hygienists, it's important to establish a close working relationship.
Open communication is key to building this relationship. Asking for feedback is the best way to measure how well you fit into the team and get advice on how you can improve. The most important group of people you'll contact as a dental assistant are the patients in your dental office. You'll need to be able to communicate effectively with them in order to provide them with the best care possible.
This includes educating them about proper oral hygiene and things they can do to avoid damaging their teeth. If you're studying dental assistant training, you'll soon be working in a dental office with many other professionals. Having strong communication skills will help you succeed in this role.
