If you’re a good dental assistant looking to be the best, you’re gonna need to set some goals for yourself.

Of course, there are many dental assistant skills to master. 

This includes soft skills like listening and compassion, along with hard skills like computer and motor skills.

Creating goals provides you with a roadmap to enhance your skills, advance your career, and improve patient care.

Your plan might include both short-term and long-term goals. Here's a list to help you get started.

Short-term Goals for Dental Assistants (1-2 years)

1. Complete Continuing Education Courses: Enroll in courses related to new dental technologies, patient care techniques, and industry standards to stay current and enhance your resume. Organizations like the ADA and the Dale Foundation offer lots of opportunities for CEs.
2. Gain Certifications: Obtain additional certifications such as in dental radiography, infection control, or as a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) to increase your marketability. Certifications might include: Extended Function Dental Auxiliary (EFDA), Registered Expanded Function Dental Assistants (RDAEF) or Expanded Duties Dental Assistant (EDDA). Certifications are also a great way to make more money as a dental assistant.
3. Improve Soft Skills: Focus on enhancing communication, empathy, and teamwork skills through workshops or online courses to provide better patient care and work more effectively within dental teams.
4. Learn a New Dental Software: Become proficient in a popular dental office software to increase efficiency and become more attractive to employers. Companies like Dentrix offer free training along with a Mastery Track.
5. Expand Clinical Skills: Seek opportunities to learn and perform a wider range of dental assistant duties, such as taking impressions or performing coronal polishing.
6. Network Professionally: Attend dental conferences, join dental assistant associations, and participate in online forums to connect with peers and learn about new job opportunities.
7. Volunteer: Offer your services at community health fairs or free dental clinics to gain more experience and give back to the community.
8. Develop a Specialty Interest: Start focusing on a dental specialty such as orthodontics or pediatric dentistry to open up more specific career opportunities.
9. Improve Time Management: Master the ability to efficiently manage tasks and patient flow in the dental office to enhance productivity. See our article: time management for dental assistants.
10. Build a Professional Online Presence: Create or update your LinkedIn profile and consider a professional profile on websites like Princess Dental Staffing to showcase your resume, skills, and experience. If you haven't already, follow Princess Dental Staffing on LinkedIn.

What other short-term goals do you feel are important for dental assistants?

Long-term Goals for Dental Assistants (3-5 years and beyond)

1. Pursue Further Education: Aim for an advanced degree or certification in dental hygiene or dental office management to open up higher-paying and more advanced career opportunities.
2. Specialize: After gaining experience in a specialty of interest, aim to become a lead dental assistant in that specialty, enhancing both demand and salary potential.
3. Mentorship: Take on a mentorship role to new dental assistants, sharing your knowledge and experience to improve the overall quality of care and teamwork in the dental office.
4. Management Roles: Aim for a management position within a dental office, such as dental office manager or lead dental assistant, to increase responsibility and earning potential.
5. Teaching: Consider transitioning into teaching positions at dental assistant programs (like these schools in Phoenix) to share your expertise and contribute to the development of future professionals.
6. Own or Invest in a Dental Practice: Explore opportunities to invest in or co-own a dental practice to significantly increase your income potential and have a direct impact on patient care quality.
7. Develop a Niche Expertise: Become an expert in a niche area of dentistry, such as dental implants or cosmetic dentistry, to become a sought-after assistant for specialized procedures.
8. Professional Speaking or Writing: Share your knowledge and experience through speaking engagements at dental conferences or writing articles for dental publications (hint: your reading one right now--I mean someone has to write these...).
9. Advocate for the Profession: Get involved in dental assistant advocacy and professional organizations to help shape the future of the profession and improve working conditions and standards.
10. Financial Planning for Retirement: Start or continue investing wisely to ensure financial security and the ability to retire comfortably, considering the physical demands of the profession.

One other thing you might consider as a goal is becoming a hygienist. Lots of dental assistants make that jump from dental assistant to dental hygienist.

Whatever goals you set, goals help you improve your skills, increase your value to employers, advance their career, and provide a higher level of patient care. 

Let us know what goals you're setting for yourself, and how Princess Dental Staffing can help you achieve them. For example, if one of your goals is to temp as a dental assistant, transition to a new job, or make more money, Princess Dental Staffing is here to support you!

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