What would be the easier way to get my foot in?work as a volunteer or get hired somewhere?

I am trying to get a Dental Front Office Receptionist job for the past 3 months and alsmost everywhere they ask for experience.I have foreign experience and I have done a 2 month Dental Admin Assistant course hoping that this might get me the job.I was offered a work interview from one periodontic office but the salary they offered me was $10/hr and no benefits.I thought that was too low.I was told in my course that an unexperienced Dental Office Assistant should get around $13-$14/hr.Have the rates started to go down because of recession?What should my starting rate be because at other dental offices the rate offered is $12/hr but they want Dentrix experience?Should I just start some where as a volunteer only for the sake of experience?What is the growth opportunity in this field?At some other dental offices the rate offered is $18/hr even if you have 1+ experience.Isn't this ridiculous?Please advice.I want to first start working in general dentist office so that I can have Dentrix experience.

Worriedaboutjob in Fairfax, Virginia said: I am trying to get a Dental Front Office Receptionist job for the past 3 months and alsmost everywhere they ask for experience.I have foreign experience and I have done a 2 month Dental Admin Assistant course hoping that this might get me the job.I was offered a work interview from one periodontic office but the salary they offered me was $10/hr and no benefits.I thought that was too low.I was told in my course that an unexperienced Dental Office Assistant should get around $13-$14/hr.Have the rates started to go down because of recession?What should my starting rate be because at other dental offices the rate offered is $12/hr but they want Dentrix experience?Should I just start some where as a volunteer only for the sake of experience?What is the growth opportunity in this field?At some other dental offices the rate offered is $18/hr even if you have 1+ experience.Isn't this ridiculous?Please advice.I want to first start working in general dentist office so that I can have Dentrix experience.

Hello!

You should have taken the job even if it was at $10 an hour. That is how you gain the experience. Most dental jobs do not have medical insurance, unless you are working for a large organization.Stay at the smaller job for at least 2-3 years to gain the experience. Also your course informed you wrong. When I started out I was getting $10 an hour. I have worked my way up at different jobs, and now am making over $16 an hour.

Good Luck

totally agree with mary-margaret. firstly, don't ever listen to those who tell you what's out there without actually being out there. no one pays a DA or receptionist more that $10-$11 to start. i was lucky to get my first office job making $12/hr ONLY because i had worked as dental customer service rep for Blue Cross Blue Shield and knew dental insurance inside out. i needed to learn the workflow of the office and the computer system, but they did not have to train me in insurance and i knew how to talk to insurance companies because i knew the "inside job". if you have no experience at all, you need to be patient! my friend after being a teacher's aid for 10 years, went to a dental office as as DA and makes $11/hr. and this is NYC suburbs - we make more money than actually in the City!

I've been looking for some information on how to gain Dentrix experience. I'm still not able to figure out how and where to get this vital experience unless I've gone to to dental assistant school. I am looking to start out at the front desk to gain exposure to the overall environment before I dive into an extensive training program. Can anyone give me advice on this? I am considering the idea posted by the last person about volunteering simply to gain exposure to this information.

Emily in Henderson, Nevada said: I've been looking for some information on how to gain Dentrix experience. I'm still not able to figure out how and where to get this vital experience unless I've gone to to dental assistant school. I am looking to start out at the front desk to gain exposure to the overall environment before I dive into an extensive training program. Can anyone give me advice on this? I am considering the idea posted by the last person about volunteering simply to gain exposure to this information.

Hi I live in east Texas and have a suggestion. Contact all Temp services in the dental field and see if they will train you in the Dentrix program. Other tan that, contact all dental offices and see if they wull take you on a volunteer basis in exchange for the Dentrix training you need. The most imprtant thing is getting the training at this time. I know here in the Dallas ares the adds for front dental office training is very very limited right now.

Fran