Emily Ng 7th

ISM- MENTOR INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS

Student Name: Period: 7
Emily Ng

Printed Name of Person Interviewed: Felicia Castro

Role of Individual:
__X__Mentor’s Assistant
Place/Name of Business: Tieken Smiles Dentistry

Business Address: 3033 Marina Bay Dr, League City, TX 77573

Phone Number: (281) 942-6615

Date of Interview: 4/10/2018

Type of Interview: __X__ In Person

1. For someone working in your field, please describe the fantasies versus realities of the job.
(fantasy vs. reality)
Many people assume that working in any medical field is guaranteed to be paid a lot. It is not true for
dental assistants. They get paid enough to live without much worry, but they are not millionaires. The job is not
easy either. They do not only do suctioning. They also have to make impressions and do some work on the mouth
before the dentist comes in and does the procedure. However, the job is not boring. Patients can be fun to talk
with and it is always nice to see a look of relief on their faces after dealing with discomfort in their mouths for so
long.

2. What is your current educational level? What continuing education and training are required?
(educational level and requirements)
Usually, dental assistants complete a year of college for their basic education, then move on to a dental
assistant program. A bachelor’s degree is not required to enter the program. Certification happens within about 9
months. While pursuing education, it is also important to do externships/internships, so more experience can be
acquired. Castro’s degree of certification is regional within the state of Texas.

3. Please describe the typical day to day activities of someone working in your field.
(day-to-day activities)
There are patients every day, so the room must be cleaned before and after each arrival. Aside from
helping the dentist do fillings, drill teeth, and other procedures, they also manage laboratory cases of retainers and
make sure that the patient is comfortable. Making models of the teeth is the dental assistant’s job, so they prepare
the impression filling and blend crown material as well.

4. How secure are you in your current position? What do you think is the future of your field?
(job security)
Dental assisting is a job that cannot be automated, as every patient is unique and have different mouth
structures that will affect the appointment in some way. Machines also cannot have conversations with the

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Emily Ng 7th
patients to help calm them down. The dentist cannot do their job without their assistants because they only have
so many hands. As long as dentists continue to exist, dental assistants will always be in need. They are like nurses
of the dentistry field.

5. What is a typical (average or lowest to highest) salary of someone working in your field?
(salary)
Salaries are determined by location, experience, and skills. Location is especially important, as each US
state has different laws regarding wages and hours. Experience also factors into pay. Dentists are willing to pay
someone more if they have a lot of skills and knowledge. Dental assistants are different from hygienists, who
usually make more because they completed hygiene school and have an associate degree or higher. The average
range is from $24,000 to $36,000 per year in Texas.

6. What potential for growth is there in your field?

(growth potential)
Assistants must go back to school for a degree and certification if they want to be in a higher position.
They can complete dental or hygiene school for higher pay, which takes a few years, not including experience.
Specialization is also an option but takes a much longer time than becoming a general dentist.

7. How satisfied are you with your job?

Dental assisting is a great job if you like to talk with other people. Being able to help people is very rewarding and
fun, especially when they come to have their pain relieved. It pays well, the hours are good, and the work
environment is pleasant and drama-free. Of course, it is a lot of work, but at the end of the day everything turns
out fine.

8. What skills did you not expect was to be of use on the job?

You must be good at communication in order to do your job well. Without good conversational skills, the patient
may feel uncomfortable or afraid. Having friendly medical professionals is an important factor in keeping a
business successful and busy. After the dentist fixes whatever problem the patient had, it is up to the dental
assistant to clarify and explain how to prevent the problem from happening again. Teaching skills are very
important, especially in the medical field where many issues occur because of lack of education.

9. What made you choose this job?

When she was younger, she thought dental assistants looked like they were having fun with their jobs. It did not
look easy, but her dental assistants were happy with their profession and expressed it openly. Although this does
not ring true for some cases, dental assisting proved to be a fit for her. Luckily, she works in a clinic where the
staff are treated well and there is never any hard feelings towards anyone. One of the reasons why she, and many
others, chose this job is because they like to help others.

10. What are some relevant experiences that have helped you?

There is really no way you can get into dentistry without lots of practice and experience. You have to go
to school for basic training, and even that does not fully prepare you to work in a clinic. Internships and
externships are very useful for getting said experience. Having excellent communication and teaching
skills help, but that is not all you need to be successful at your job.
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Emily Ng 7th
• Your dentist or their assistants likely know a lot about sleep apnea.
• Educating people on sleep apnea is not an inconvenience for them, because it is literally part of
their job.
• A good dentist would look for other significant problems in your mouth and provide you with
helpful materials.
• To get more personalized information, you can just ask your dentist.
• Signs of sleep apnea will differ in every mouth, so the dentist may recommend a tool specific to
your needs instead of a general CPAP.
• Dental assistants will help getting a sleep study and sending the results to the sleep lab.
• They can answer almost any question about sleep apnea.
• They can explain any abnormalities that may appear in your mouth and connect that with sleep
troubles.
• They offer different tools to help breathing and preventing teeth grinding, along with showing
you how they work.
• Their suggestions on what you can use during sleep are tailored to personal preferences if you
have been a regular client for long enough.
• Since many signs of sleep apnea occur in the mouth, your local dentist should have an pamphlet
or some type of information regarding the disorder.
• Teeth grinding require night guards, but grinding may also be a sign of sleep apnea. Night guards
can inhibit breathing.
• Discomfort can affect sleeping, so visit your dentist if the CPAP machine is not right for you.
• The ADA is beginning to make dentists ask about sleeping habits in their patients to reduce the
severity of cases.
• The priority of a good dentist is the patient’s well-being and comfort.
• Not being able to help is something most dental assistants would like to avoid.

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