Four-Handed Dentistry: A Team Sport That Develops a Rhythm – How to Work with a Dental Assistant
Date(s)Karen L. Comisi, DISIPC, CDA, RDA, FADAA
Subject: 550 Practice Management and Human Relations
Credits: 1.5
Thursday, March 30: 7:30–9 p.m. CDT
Audience: Dental students, new dentists and any dentists who would like to work more efficiently and effectively with dental assistants
Fee: $37.50 (students); $75 (members); $125 (nonmembers)
Description
Dentists get very little, if any, information or training on how to work with a dental assistant during dental school. However, any practicing dentist will tell you that dental assistants are integral parts of the dental team. Having a well-trained dental assistant working by your side makes all the difference when it comes to delivering quality, efficient dental care. The closest most students get to working with a dental assistant in school is when a classmate is willing to help them during clinic. Once they graduate, they are expected to know how to work with a dental assistant in their residency programs or clinical practices. Join this webinar from Karen L. Comisi, a dental assistant, to learn how to efficiently and effectively work with dental assistants.
Learning Objectives
- Understand and appreciate the value of a dental assistant.
- Learn the role of the dental assistant in a dental team and how to work side-by-side with your dental assistant.
- Learn what to look for when hiring a dental assistant.
- Learn why communication and respect go both ways.
Speaker Bio
Over the past 37 years, Karen has held almost every position in the dental office, with the exception of dentist and hygienist. She has been an orthodontic assistant, oral surgery assistant, general dentist assistant, front office manager, insurance coordinator and was the co-founder, Practice Administrator and CFO for “Dental Care with a Difference PC”. Karen served as the Practice Manager at Carolina Park Family Dentistry in Mount Pleasant SC for 2 years and is now an Administrative Coordinator for the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) and Special Care Dentistry (SCD) at the Medical University of South Carolina. Karen is a respected Key Opinion Leader, author, speaker and consultant. She was one of the first licensed, registered restorative function dental assistants in New York State and is a founding member of the Southern Tier Dental Assistants Society. Karen served on the New York State Board for Dentistry from 2010-2018 and served as a board member on the Dental Assistant National Board (DANB) from 2015-2021. She is a Fellow in the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA), a member of the Organization for Safety & Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) and the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB), and is a Dental Industry Specialist in Infection Prevention and Control.