Main Objective

The main objective I was given was to create training guides for new dental assistants to the practice. This was required not only for dental assistants that are new to the dental field, but also minor adjustments were made per each doctors preferences. Outside of my main role, I assisted with claim submission, pay roll, interviews, performance metrics, and primary patient concerns.

Internship Learning Objectives

There were many things that I was looking forward to learning prior to starting this internship. Because I am employed at this office, I was excited to learn more about the business side of a dental practice rather than only the clinical side. I wanted to come to understand the "behind the scenes" work that I wouldn't normally get to see in my assistant role. I was also ready to see my course work put into action in one way or another. Submitting claims and running patient reports were the two things I found most interesting throughout my internship. It might be obvious to some, but the work that dental assistants do has a big impact on the way the business can run. I recognized the importance of quality x-rays and thorough documentation via patient notes. My internship location specifically is a new practice and because of that marketing was a big part of my internship. I found a passion for marketing and how to promote a new office throughout this experience that I might not have gotten otherwise.

Personal Development

This experience helped me not only in my current position as a dental assistant, but also with how I could manage a practice some day with more experience in the field. I feel more confident about the processes that go on from a business perspective as well as the clinical perspective. I am using everything I have learned to bridge the gap between business and clinical to ensure I become a well rounded teammate in my current role. I am excited to continue learning through my job and using this experience to help me advance my career moving forward. 

Academic Connections

I saw the most connections to my coursework within my Marketing course (PBHL-H432), Leadership and Health Management: Dispute Resolution & Difficult Conversations (PBHL-H361), Accounting course (PBHL-H356), and Strategic Planning (PBHL-H401). I got to sit in on a few difficult conversations with team members and help resolve conflict. Finance was present in the majority of my time at my internship for payroll, discussions of yearly raises, daily production, and placing supply orders. As I have mentioned previously, my marketing class played a large role in my time at my internship as this is a new practice that is trying to find new patients. I believe that my strategic planning course was also applicable to my internship because of the competitive metrics used to compare this practice to surrounding practices. I was thrilled to be able to apply the hard work I put Into my courses and have them be of use in a position that I am striving for in the future.