Bilingual? This Could Give You an Edge as a New Dental Assistant
Being bilingual can be advantageous for finding a career, especially for those living in the highly diverse United States. One role that often necessitates speaking more than one language is the dental assistant. At Northwestern College, serving students in Oak Lawn, IL, and the greater Chicago area, bilingual students can enroll in the dental assistant certificate program to begin their journey toward this exciting career. Discover the many reasons speaking two languages is an asset in the dental assisting field.
Putting Dental Patients at Ease
Visiting a dentist’s office is a nerve-wracking experience for many patients, regardless of their native tongue. However, patients whose second language is English may be more nervous, worrying that they will be unable to fully communicate their concerns with the provider.
Even if the dentist is not bilingual, having an assistant who can be an advocate for the patient may provide reassurance. In addition to making them feel more comfortable about receiving care, a bilingual dental assistant can also convey the dentist’s advice more clearly, making it easier for the patient to implement their recommendations at home.
By speaking the preferred language of various patients, dental assistants may build trust with more people who need care. In turn, the practice may obtain more patients, which will not go unnoticed by the dentist.
Possible Reduction of Legal Medical Issues
Like other medical professionals, dentists want to avoid making errors as they strive to deliver compassionate care to their patients. When doctors and dentists encounter patients who do not speak English proficiently, the diagnosis or treatment plan may get lost in translation. This can lead to litigation, which can be a significant financial and reputational cost for the practice.
With bilingual dental assistants, the practice fosters a clearer line of communication between the provider and the patient. Helping the practice circumvent legal problems may gain the assistant the admiration of patients, coworkers, and the head dentists, which might improve their employee evaluations.
Widening Access to Dental Care
Having bilingual dental assistants on staff empowers the dentistry practice to provide greater access to care. While practices may not intend to discriminate, not having adequate resources for non-English speaking patients may keep people from seeking services. Hiring bilingual personnel allows the dentistry to promote proper care and lets patients know that staff members are available to bridge cultural and lingual gaps.
Dentistry Job Offers
Studies show that the demand to hire bilingual people for client interfacing roles, such as dental assisting, has increased significantly over the past several years in the U.S. Mainly, employers are seeking those fluent in the country’s most widely-spoke foreign languages – Chinese and Spanish – but also Arabic, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean.
Beyond the many job opportunities being bilingual can provide, the skill may also give an applicant more leeway to negotiate a better salary. If the dentistry practice recognizes the value in your technical talent as a dental assistant and your unique soft skill of speaking multiple languages, you may have more control over the types of positions you seek.
Pursue a Career as a Dental Assistant with Northwestern College
Instructors and administration at Northwestern College understand how important clear communication is to dental care. We place a high value on the skills that bilingual graduates bring to the dental assisting field. With our dental assistant certificate program, students throughout Oak Lawn, IL, and the greater Chicago area gain the knowledge and competencies necessary to begin their career journey. To learn more about this program and our other certificates, please request information about dental assistant schooling today.