Hi! We're Smile Stories Dentistry, a fee-for-service dental practice in Durham. We're looking for a dental assistant to join our team, and we want to tell you honestly what that means before you apply, so nobody wastes anyone's time.
New grads are welcome. We will train you on how we do dentistry here. What we can't teach is whether you notice things.
Here's what we mean. If you're the kind of person who can't stand a spelling error in a text message, you might like it here. If a crooked picture frame on a wall bothers you until you straighten it, you might like it here. We're the kind of practice that notices when a tray isn't set exactly right, when a chart note is one detail short, when a patient's comfort needs (a blanket, water, chair position) go unnoticed until they ask. This is how we expect our team to show up so we can give our patients the best care.
Our team has a phrase we live by: how we do anything is how we do everything. If a small thing gets skipped, it isn't really small anymore. If you're still reading, that already tells us something. Keep going.
What working here actually looks like:
We're a small, fee-for-service practice, which means our patients choose to be here because they want real care, not the fastest or cheapest option. We're a small team, and everyone here does their part and notices when something's off.
You already know the fundamentals. Here's what we'll train you on:
- Using your full DA2 scope, expanded functions included, within our exact clinical protocols
- Chairside assisting and four-handed dentistry, our way
- How to set up and break down a procedure without missing a step
- How to write a note that actually holds up (if it's not documented, it didn't happen)
- How to read the schedule and get ahead of it instead of reacting to it
- How to anticipate what the doctor, the patient, and the team need before anyone has to ask
You might be a good fit if you:
- Notice details without being told twice
- Move with purpose and urgency because it's who you are, not because the schedule happens to be full
- Can tell what matters most when three things need your attention at once
- Think through problems instead of waiting to be told or shown every step
- Actually finish what you start, and speak up if you can't
- Take feedback and apply it instead of getting defensive
- Feel bothered when you repeat a mistake or hear the same feedback twice, because that means you actually care
- Ask for help early instead of hoping it works out on its own
- Want to get better at this job for your own sake, not just to keep it
This isn't a fit if you (so do not apply):
- Take your time and show no urgency in any movement, like nothing here is time-sensitive
- Blame other people or the situation instead of owning what happened
- Make the same mistake or need the same feedback more than once without it sinking in
- Overpromise and underdeliver
- Do the bare minimum to stay on the team
- Wait to be told or shown instead of taking initiative
- Struggle to communicate clearly, especially when something's gone wrong
- Hate checklists or struggle to follow written instructions
- Don't believe the small details actually matter
If working in a high-standard office intimidates you, this isn't for you. If you want a mediocre job with mediocre outcomes, this isn't for you.
The practical details:
- Starting pay: $23–$24/hour, based on demonstrated readiness, with room to grow from there
- Schedule: M-TH 8-4
What you'll need:
- Completion of a CODA-accredited dental assisting program with DA2 certification
- Current CPR certification
- NC-compliant dental radiography qualification
- Reliable attendance and punctuality
- A willingness to be coached and to actually apply what you hear
How to apply: Applications that skip the following won't be considered. That's not us being difficult. It's the first small detail that tells us whether you follow through.
Email your resume and current certifications to [email protected] with the subject line: Dental Assistant II Application: [Your Full Name]
In the body of your email, answer these three questions:
- After reading this post, what makes you want to apply for this position?
- Why should our team invest our time and effort in you?
- What is your biggest pet peeve?
We're looking forward to meeting the right person for this.
- Smile Stories Dentistry
Pay: $23.00 - $24.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
- Paid training
Application Question(s):
- After reading this post, what makes you want to apply for this position?
- Why should our team invest our time and effort in you?
- What is your biggest pet peeve?
Work Location: In person
