I am often asked what a Trainee Dental Nurse should expect in the first days and weeks of their brand-new job. Especially if you haven't had a trial before you start, it can be hard to imagine what it will be like.
The first few days will involve a lot of shadowing your colleague. This might make the job look easier than it is, and you might feel like you are not doing much. If you feel this way after the first few days, you're doing it wrong.
You have to be proactive right from the beginning. You have to actively set up the instruments once shown, decontaminate them, set up the surgery, close it down, make notes and/or take pictures of the instruments, materials, and equipment, and take over the suction, if the dentist allows it. You have to be hands-on right away. Waiting and just watching from the corner might lead to panic later on. Many practice owners expect the Trainee to be hands-on; they expect proactivity and eagerness. They want to see that you want to be there.
So the tips to handle your very first days as a Trainee Dental Nurse are:
Bring a notebook- take notes. Whatever the dental nurse training says is important; whatever the dentist or the owner says- they expect you will know this if they ask you later.
Show proactivity where it's possible- in between patients- ask if you can set up for the next patient, ask if it's ok to clean down when the patient leaves. Don't wait to be asked.
Be mindful about your limitations. Sometimes, it feels like you know a lot after just a week in your new role, which might lead to saying something wrong in front of the patient. Always seek clarification if you are not 100% sure of the process or the training.
Always start on time. Unless you have a really good reason, being late will look very bad and might even lead to dismissal later on.
Finally, being ill right when you start does not look good. I know this sometimes cannot be helped, but if you can manage while feeling a bit under the weather, it's better to show willingness to work and be sent home if necessary than to call in sick for every sore throat.
Finally, enjoy yourself. To become a Dental Nurse, you should enjoy this job, not just start your training because you have to work somewhere. Your dedication shows, and the best, most invaluable dental nurses are the ones who want to do what they do. Imagine how good it feels to hear: "You are the best nurse I've ever worked with," or "We couldn't have done this without you," or even an offer of promotion.
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