A mobile dentist for seniors needs both general and specialized skills to succeed. Mastering a wide range of hard and soft dental skills that include interpersonal, clinical, technical and business skills can help a dentist care for colleagues and patients whilst growing their dental clinic.
Dental skills
These are the core characteristics, abilities, credentials and talents required for dentists to do their job. Dentists should develop both soft and hard skills to succeed in their careers. Hard skills include the technical skills that dentists gain through training and education. These include learning to use medical equipment. Soft skills include personal habits and characteristics that determine how a dentist works alone and with other professionals. Examples of these skills include leadership, communication, compassion, and concentration. Dentists use both hard and soft skills to manage their business and clinical ownership responsibilities.
Examples
Dentists require a variety of clinical, soft and hard skills to excel in their careers. We have illustrated some of these skills below.
Communication
Good nonverbal and verbal communication skills are important for dentists to master. Dentists should learn how to communicate with patients effectively. They need to know how to interact with other dentists and their employees to offer quality services. Communicating technical information such as x-ray results or what the patient can expect from a procedure is very important.
Interpersonal skills
A mobile dentist or a brick-and-mortar dentist should have interpersonal skills. Dentists should work with others. They work as team members which may include dental assistants and other dentists, lab technicians, dental hygienists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons.
Other team members that dentists may work with include office staff such as administrative assistants, receptionists and medical billers. Dentists work directly with patients. They need to be comfortable working with a wide range of different people. Having excellent interpersonal skills may help a dentist relate to team members and patients.
Leadership
A lot of dentists own their practices. They need to show strong leadership skills by directing support staff such as assistants, hygienists, and technicians whilst effectively managing their office staff and making great business decisions for the practice.
Compassion
Dentists are medical practitioners and they should show compassion and care toward their patients. Dentists may work with a lot of clients including children and people with special needs and disabilities. They also work with people with anxiety and people who may have complex oral health needs. They should adapt to meet patients’ emotional needs.
Ability to focus
Dentists lean over patients for extended periods of time. They do this to examine the mouth of the patient and do dental procedures. They should focus and concentrate on doing lengthy dental procedures.
A great knowledge base
A dentist needs advanced education, licensure and clinical training to practice. People who want to pursue a career as a dentist should earn the necessary certification. This will help them learn essential clinical skills.
Practical business skills
You can be a mobile dentist for seniors and decide to operate your own dental clinic. This means that you should have practical business skills to run your business effectively.
