Nicole Rizika

Is Dental Administration an Up and Coming Career Path?

If you have a friendly, outgoing personality, organizational ability and you haven’t considered a career in Dental Administration, perhaps you should! Let’s look at what it has to offer as a vocation.
• People! – If you are a ‘people person’, then you would love Dental Administration. A busy dental office can see dozens of people each day from all walks of life. As the Administrator, you are often the first person a patient interacts with and the last person they see as they prepare to leave the office.
• Power – LOL, wouldn’t we all like to be a little more powerful? The Dental Administrator often knows more about running the dental office than the dentist does. If you thrive on responsibility, then you have the makings of an effective Dental Administrator.
• Variety – While a Dental Administrator will spend a lot of time at a computer station, there is a lot going on at that station. Patients are welcomed and seated, they consult you regarding their treatment and payments, and the dental staff comes to you for all kinds of advice and help in comprehensive patient care. I am not sure it is possible to become bored in this fast-paced position.
• Pay – In 2016 dental office receptionists were earning a median hourly wage of $14 per hour while dental office managers were able to earn a whopping $20 per hour. Not bad for a position you can train for in as little as 12 weeks.

What exactly does a Dental Administrator do each day? What are the responsibilities? Let’s take a look at some:
1. Building patient relationships
2. Marketing and branding of the dental practice
3. Training and development of personnel
4. Scheduling appointments
5. Answering phone calls
6. Patient billing
7. Medical Coding
8. Insurance verification
9. Ordering dental and office supplies
We have briefly discussed the nature of the job and listed the tasks and responsibilities. It might interest you to know what other job opportunities you may qualify for once you have trained and qualified as a Dental Administrator.
Receptionist – While you will be trained specifically for dental office reception with its unique language and rules, this training can easily transfer to receiving patients at any medical office setting.
Appointment Coordinator – The value of keeping the dental chairs filled cannot be over-stated. An education in Dental Administration teaches you how to schedule appointments and keep the practice busy and successful.
Office Administrator – Dental practices need a personable, responsible, intelligent person running the office so the dentists, hygienists, and assistants can focus on patient care.
Customer service representative – Dental insurance companies need staff that understand dental procedures and language. Your training as a Dental Administrator provides you with the knowledge to succeed in this position.
Dental Insurance Coder and Dental Claims Specialist – These are two additional positions within the dental insurance field that may interest you.
As you can see, training in Dental Administration opens several career paths. As of this writing, there are hundreds of positions available in Utah. Is Dental Administration an up and coming career path? I would say so.

 

 

Is Your Body Telling You It Might Be Time For A Career Change?

Are you due for a career change? How can we tell if we are? Our body can be indicators for many things but, did you know that a change of career was one of those indicators? Many signs cue us it is time to move on from our career, and our health is how our body mainly signals us a change is overdue. When our health declines due to our current job, we should consider assessing how it might be affecting us. We should ask ourselves if the feeling of exhaustion comes from waking up in the morning or after work. If it’s before, most likely our career is weighing us down. Being held down by our job isn’t ideal, not to mention it adds a constant stress to us. Consistent pressure, even though we might deal with it daily, is a major indicator when it becomes a hopeless kind of stress. Stress has many links to heart, blood pressure and mental health conditions.
Our mental health suffers when we begin to experience this kind of stress. It can cause us to be negative and carry the negativity around until we start to feel bitter and unhappy. We should ask ourselves if this behavior happens more often at work than outside of work? If we notice we’re starting to change into a person we don’t recognize then it is time to change our career.
The happiness we experience can be attributed to many things such as love, passion or purpose. Once we lose these three factors in our work, we find no meaning in our career; therefore, there is no purpose. A loss of passion for what we do means we’re starting to grow tired of our work and stop believing in what we do. There is lack of concentration and performance on our part when it happens. Happiness is critical to our performance and advances in our career. So, if we find that the job we took for the great salary is running us out of steam to continue, move on. Money isn’t everything, and it’s okay to leave if the money isn’t driving us to work.
Career change can also stem from our work environment. When we aren’t valued for our talents, it can be difficult to stay motivated, put forth the effort, and be loyal. Employers who don’t appreciate our talents might be an indication the job might not be the best fit. We need to value our potential and shouldn’t let it be taken for granted by anyone. However, there are moments where our employers recognize our value and work.
Sometimes recognition of our work can lead to rewards. With the way workplaces are changing, we are becoming more of our own managers and accountable for the rewards we receive. Rewards aren’t based solely on emotions but on the qualitative and quantitative measurements. What does that mean? It is the way an employer invests in our careers such as higher salary, bonus, leadership, mentorship or promotion. If we aren’t receiving the rewards based on the industry’s standards and for our work, then it is time to move on. We don’t want to spend our years working for a company where our professional growth is a stunt.
A career where we are unsatisfied, unfulfilled or bored cues us it is time to assess our job and ourselves. We should ask ourselves if we’re in a comfort zone restricting our growth or have we done all the growth we have? Another question we should ask is, how our employer is investing in our professional growth? An unchallenging career leaves us at a comfortable position with little room to grow and mature in a professional setting which is fine until there’s no fulfillment in the job we do. Being in a job position where we are professionally stunted can be a way of suppressing our brand.
When we are not authentic to ourselves it can be difficult to contribute, participate and perform at our best levels. If we have no room to grow, we are most likely to lose interest in performing for the job. In some cases, we run the chance of being demoted to a position that is well under our potential and how we work. Finding ourselves in situations where we are suppressed from growth and being authentic marks a need for a career change. Our decision to change course on our career might be steered by the social interactions at work such as work culture.
Work culture has become such an integral part of the workplace now that it can determine where we choose to work. Of course, the work culture we enter now might change as new employees come and go since every person brings something new to the table. A work culture deemed untrustworthy is reason enough to leave, even more so when we face a hostile environment we have a hard time trusting. Our work environment impacts our performance and advancements, and if we don’t have a work culture we can trust, move on to better things.
We shouldn’t fear to leave a career for another that will make us happier and less stressed. Remember our well-being is above everything else.

 

What exactly does a Dental Assistant do?

Dentists are superheroes in the eyes of their patients. Have you ever wondered where they get their superpowers? From their sidekicks; the dental assistants! Like Robin to Batman, dental assistants are the powerhouse behind the working dentist. Whenever you visit your dentist, you see a person standing right next to the dentist, and assisting them in performing the dental procedures. This person is a dental assistant who helps the dentist in dental operations.

Let’s look at the duties and responsibilities of a dental assistant. However, before that, we will look at what type of qualification or training required in becoming a registered or certified dental assistant.

How to Become a Dental Assistant?

Where you live will have a large impact on determining the type of training you will need to work in a dental office as a dental assistant. Becoming a dental assistant requires training at an accredited dental assisting school or a formal education. Some students undergo a two-year, rigorous teaching, and training program to earn a diploma or an associate bachelor’s degree in dental assisting. Other dental assistant programs can be much shorter than a formal education with a 10-12 week training course and job experience immediately following the certification for a quicker start to their careers! At The Core Foundation, we offer a 12-week dental assisting course to help jumpstart your new career!

What are the Roles and Responsibilities of Dental Assistants?

Dental assistants are vital members of the dental team. They perform a broad range of duties to ensure the smooth functioning of the dental office. A dental assistant’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting the Dentist During Dental Procedures – Imagine what would happen if dentists had to get up from their chair every time they needed a dental instrument or material? The procedure would take much longer! Thanks to the dental assistants, they get everything at the dental chairside. A dental assistant even anticipates the next step in the dentists’ procedure, and provides him or her with the required instruments or materials, before they need to ask for it!

• Taking X-rays for the Dentist – Dental x-rays are taken during dental procedures. One of the duties of dental assistants is to take dental x-rays and then report the images to the dentist. Thanks to modern technology, x-rays provide digital images which can be viewed directly on the screen so developing x-rays is not practiced as often.

• Instrument Handling and Sterilization – Dental assistants assist with taking care of the dental instruments and sterilizing them after being used in the dental procedures. They are also responsible for developing and implementing infection control protocol for the dental operatory, which is then followed by the entire dental team.

• Looking After the Patients – Dental assistants make sure that patients remain comfortable while in the dental office before, during, and after their dental treatment. They escort the patients from the waiting room to the dental operatory and then see them off once their treatment has finished.

• Patient Education – Whenever patients have any questions, dental assistants are usually the trusted hero to answer the question. As a part of their training and responsibilities, dental assistants educate patients regarding the procedure they are about to undergo and are readily available for any other queries that the patients may have.

• Making Dental Impressions of Patients – Sometimes, dental assistants have the responsibility of making impressions of the patients’ teeth for making study models. However, not all states in the United States allow dental assistants to perform this operation.

• Communicating with Dental Suppliers – Dental assistants keep a record of the materials used during the dental procedures. When inventory is dwindling, they call the dental suppliers to resupply the office equipment. They are responsible for ensuring uninterrupted supply of dental materials, and instruments to keep the office running smoothly.

• Coordinating with the Dental Laboratory – Dental appliances for patients such as dentures, crowns, bridges, and orthodontic retainers are not developed in the dental office. Rather, these advanced tools are crafted in a dental laboratory. Another responsibility of a dental assistant is to remain in communication with the dental laboratory to ensure preparation and availability before patients visit for their next appointment.

To sum up, a dental assistant is an essential member of a dental office team. They are the sidekick of the dentist. Dental assistants greatly enhance the efficiency of the dentist and the dental office. The performance of the dental assistance can significantly affect the success of both the dentist and the dental office. Let’s take a moment to thank all the dental assistants around the world who work tirelessly to make us smile, build our confidence, and keep us healthy.

3 Tips to a Happy Career

I often hear people say how unhappy they are in their current job and that they wish they knew what they could do to find a job they love.

My advice is simple, here are three key ways you can distinguish for yourself a career choice you would love whole heartedly.

1. Choose Happiness. 
No matter where you are or what you are doing, decide to be happy. In all jobs, there will be times when something might happen, and at the moment you are left frustrated, angry or upset with the situation. In my experience, there have been numerous times, which I blamed the job, or the career that I was in for my feelings of discontent.  I have come to realize, over many years of being in the same career, which I do love, that there will be times I hate the job, and that is life, happening, at the moment, and that it is not going to be rainbows and butterflies all of the time.

2. Choose Your Passion.
If you want to do what you love, choose a job that allows you to express your passion for life. What is something you love to do and would love doing every day? Wayne Dyer has an excellent quote, “Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.” We often think that we cannot make money doing what we love. Realize, this is lack thinking. Reframe that statement and pose it as this question “How can I earn an income doing what I love?” Today the world is riddled with people stepping out of their comfort zone and challenging the social norm of a 9-5 job. Moms are building businesses from their personal PC; people are creating online stores, kids are starting businesses and using social media as a tool to generate income. You too can do what you love and make money doing it.

3. Take Action. 
Albert Einstein said, “Nothing happens until something moves.” In life, to get anywhere, you must act. Commit each day to taking actions that will continue to move you forward into the career and job you love. With today’s technology, you have the entire world at your fingertips. If you do not know how to do something, you can type it into Google, and you will have pages of information to comb through and learn. It takes one action, typing in a question, keyword or phrase and resources are immediately available to you.

Choice, Passion and Action, three key ways you can love your job and have happiness and fulfillment in your daily life.

Essential Oils vs. Juice

So you’ve been made aware of the Essential Oil craze through your friends, Facebook, and even advertisements at your local grocery store. But when you look at options like lemon, grapefruit, and lime essential oils for $10.00- $20.00 a pop, you are confused what the difference between pricey essential oils are, compared to the traditional fruit juices you’ve been using to cook with for years. Lucky for you, there are distinct differences between your fruit juices and their respective essential oils!

Lemons of example:
Lemon juice is made when squeezing lemons. It’s tart, acidic, tasty and a good source of vitamin C… A squeeze of fresh lemon juice added to many recipes can help brighten the flavor or be used to fix a dish to which too much salt has been added. (Tell me something you don’t know, right?)

Just wait…

Whereas, lemon essential oil is distilled from lemon peels to extract the volatile oils. Emphasis on the peels. Essential oil of lemons is rich in D-limonene, a monoterpene with research suggesting its benefits in cholesterol reduction, indigestion, and as an anti-cancer agent. It’s D-limonene that gives lemons and other citrus fruits their distinctive scent.

I won’t bore you with the nutrition facts and differences between every fruit’s juices and their Essential oil. In short, Essential oils of fruits are extracted from the peel of fruit, thus providing very different, volatile nutrients than that of a fruit juice.

Below is a delicious Waldorf Salad recipe that calls for doTERRA lemon essential oil. Personally, this salad is our go-to recipe for a snack that takes less than 15 minutes to make. Enjoy!

https://doterra.com/US/en/blog/recipe-waldorf-salad

Why choose The Core Foundation?

Have you decided that Dental Assisting is the career for you, but have no idea which program or facility is the best fit? There are quite a few options when it comes to dental assisting education programs. Therefore the selection process is imperative to your future success. When looking into programs with a critical eye, you should bear in mind which program best prepares you during your education as well as provides you with career opportunities post education.

The Core Foundation Dental Assisting training and development program will give you the confidence and skills needed to excel in your new career as a Dental Assistant and here’s how:

 We provide our students with the academic and hands-on clinical skills needed to be exceptional dental assistants.

  Our cutting-edge dental facility which allows our students to maximize their classroom knowledge and provides them with great hands-on experience, using only the most modern equipment and techniques.

 Our well-rounded curriculum better prepares our students for the interview process and their new future career as a dental assistant

 We provide our students with professional references as well as post education career opportunities in both our Downtown and South Salt Lake locations.

 Class hours are scheduled conveniently in an effort to work well with our student’s busy schedules. Don’t just take our word for it, read what some of our current and past students are saying about The Core Foundation!

https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheCoreFoundation/reviews/

Looking for a career in Dental Office Management?

Here are some reasons why you should consider becoming a Dental Administrative Assistant!

1) Dental Administrative Assistants earn a good salary. According to payscale.com, most dental office managers made between $32,000 and $61,000 as of 2015.

2) Becoming a Dental Administrative Assistant does not require a four-year degree! Depending on the office, you may only be required to have a high school diploma and/or a certificate.

3) Dental Administrative Assisting is a career with job security. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic, positions for medical secretaries were projected to grow by 36% from 2012-2022.

4) If you are looking for a career that will provide you with sufficient hours, most Dental Administrative Assisting positions provide you with full-time work in the office.

If Dental Administration sounds like a career field for you, contact Nicole Rizika at [email protected] for more information of The Core Foundation’s Dental Administration Program and Certification. In just 12 weeks, you could have a career you love!

Become a Passionate Dental Assistant!

In life, you may find yourself just going through the motions. Then one day you look back and come to the realization that you are leading a life you either don’t like or are not passionate about. Does this sound like you?

When looking into the factors that are attributing to dissatisfaction in the workplace, these factors stand out:

1) You feel like you are working for the wrong reasons.

2) You are not living up to your potential.

3) You feel like your job lacks meaning.

If the above describes you, you’re not alone in feeling like this! According to a 2013 report by Gallup, only 30 percent of employees in America ‘feel engaged at work”. For most of us, work is a monotonous, depleting, and unfulfilling experience. Don’t you think it’s time to take control of your life and pursue a career path that is dynamic and gratifying?

Dental assisting can be the solution to all of your career concerns. As a Dental Assistant, you are:

1) Marketable to the countless dental offices in Salt Lake City or near you. This provides you with not only job security but also the agency of choosing which office environment best suits you.

2) Setting yourself up in a career that has adequate career advancement opportunities. Thus, enabling you always to feel as though you are living up to your fullest potential.

3) An integral asset in the care and education of patients as well as a key component in the efficiency of the dentist’s delivery of quality oral health care. This allows you to feel important and gratified in your career.

So what are you waiting for? If becoming a Dental Assistant sounds like a good career move for you, enroll in The Core Foundation’s Winter Training and Development Program. Our accelerated 12-week program will give you the confidence and skills needed to excel in your new career as a Dental Assistant!

Courses start December 5 th . Contact Nicole Rizika at [email protected] for details.

Coat Drive

As we ramp up for the chilly months ahead, it is important to bear in mind that not all of us are fortunate enough to not only have a home where heating is a luxury, but also, not every Utahan is afforded the luxury of a functional coat.

Beginning November 1st, our company will be hosting our “Share the Warmth” coat drive, where your donated coats will directly be donated to a local Utahan in need. By donating your gently used coats, you will be providing vital warmth, that may not have otherwise been provided to someone.

You can generously donate your coats at both of our  locations.

Donations are accepted from November 1 through November 29.

Thank you for your generosity!

Dont miss your opportunity!

Make the career change you’ve always wanted. According to Gallup, only 13% of employees are “engaged” in their jobs, or emotionally invested in their work and focused on helping their organizations improve. So, if you are feeling dissatisfied with your job, you are definitely not alone! However, making the decision to change your career is a big deal, and it can be confusing to work out what career path is the right one for you.

If the idea of working in the healthcare industry appeals to you, but the thought of having to spend years of additional school puts you off, then why not become a dental assistant? In just 12 weeks you can make a career change that is self-rewarding and above all else, stable. Through The Core Foundation’s Dental Assisting Training and Development Program we provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the dental field. In addition to our training programs, we are also a specialty dental and surgical facility, with three separate companies in two locations. As a result, we are able to better provide our students with the critical skills and expanded clinical experience that is often lacking in more expensive educations.

No longer is there a good reason to continue putting off creating positive outcomes in your life. Enroll now for our 12 week course starting December 5th!

Contact Nicole Rizika at [email protected] for enrollment details.