Why Accelerated Academy Teaches More Than Clinical Skills

Clinical skills are the foundation of dental assisting. You need to know instruments, infection control, and four-handed dentistry. But ask dentists what makes a great assistant, and the answer often goes beyond the technical.

At Accelerated Academy, we teach both. Our program covers the clinical training you’d expect, plus the career skills that help you get hired and do well once you’re on the job. Here’s what that looks like and why we think it matters.

‍

What we teach beyond the clinic
‍

Our career services training covers the steps that take a student from certified to employed:

• Resumes that get callbacks. Students learn how to write a resume, what to include, and what to avoid, with sample resumes and a graded review.
• Professional presence online. We cover how social media is used in hiring and how to present yourself well to a practice before you ever walk in.
• Job searching with a plan. Students learn where to look, how to track applications, and how to handle rejection and silence from offices.
• Interview preparation. That includes the questions dentists typically ask, the questions you should ask them, and what to do and not do during the interview.
• Follow-up. Thank-you notes and staying on a practice’s radar after the interview.
• Working in different states. Licensing and work rules vary, so we cover how to work across state lines.

Why the non-clinical side matters
‍

Hiring managers in dental offices know that technical skill is only part of the picture. One staffing firm that works with dental practices notes that soft skills often differentiate an exceptional dental assistant from a good one, including communication with patients and teammates.

Certification matters too. The national certifying body DANB describes education and certification as a cornerstone for hiring and retaining assistants. We agree. The strongest candidates tend to combine both.
‍

What we learned when we dug in
‍

A number of years ago, our president, David Roux, asked nearly 100 dentists what they wanted in the people they hired. 

To our surprise;  only 28 of the dentists he surveyed for hiring qualities put technical skills in their top 3 hiring traits. Dentists kept coming back to traits like reliability and dependability. In his words, they “need someone that’s reliable.”

That’s why we built the program around character as well as skill. It’s the idea behind our focus on life coaching and the question he puts simply: how do you take what you learn and apply it to your life?

‍

What this means for you
‍

If you’re thinking about a dental assisting career, you’ll need good hands and good judgment. We train for both. Clinical skill gets you through the door, and the professional habits we teach help you stay and grow.

Ready to see what that looks like? https://www.acceleratedacademy.us/
‍

Frequently asked questions
‍

What does Accelerated Academy teach besides dental assisting skills?
We teach resume writing, online professional presence, job searching, interview preparation, follow-up after interviews, and the rules for working in different states. We also focus on character traits that employers look for, like reliability and a positive attitude.

‍

Do dentists care about certification or personality more?

‍
Both matter. education signals training and commitment, and industry data treats it as a key part of hiring. Many dentists also say that reliability and communication separate strong assistants from average ones. The strongest candidates have both.

‍

What do dentists look for when hiring a dental assistant?

‍
Clinical knowledge is the baseline. Beyond that, dentists look for dependability, communication with patients and staff, and a positive, teachable attitude.

‍

Why does character training matter for a dental assistant?

‍
Dental assistants work closely with patients, dentists, and teammates every day. Reliability, communication, and composure affect patient experience and how well the office runs.

‍