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Beyond the Bite

The Official Blog of the Florida Dental Association

Tag: radiography

Are you maximizing the potential of your dental team?

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It’s hard to remember a time when it’s been more challenging to recruit and retain dental assistants and dental hygienists. When persistent staff shortages make it more difficult to run your dental practice efficiently, you must maximize every clinical employee’s potential and contributions. That’s where the Florida Dental Association’s (FDA) online dental assistant radiography program can help.

A practice’s workflow can be improved substantially when it relies on a certified dental assistant to perform radiography to take X-rays chairside properly. Dental assistants can relieve hygienists of the responsibility of taking full-mouth radiographs, allowing them to fit more patients into their day. An assistant can also help the dentist when an X-ray is needed during treatment.

Florida law requires dental assistants to receive training and a certificate before performing radiography. The FDA makes it easy to provide the education necessary to obtain state certification with the MyDentalRadiography online training course. It consists of nine modules that can be completed anytime, anywhere, from any web-enabled device. A quiz follows each module to ensure the student understands the material. After all modules are completed, the student takes a final examination of all course material. A score of 80% is required to pass the test, and the test can be retaken until the student passes.

After the course is complete, the student must expose a full-mouth series of radiographs, including four bite-wings, with a limit of five retakes. The radiographs must be exposed under the supervision of the dentist for patient safety. When the dentist approves of the exposures, he or she signs off on the assistant’s training and the assistant can then apply for certification from the state.

The training costs just $285 per assistant for FDA members and $385 for non-members.

The supervising dentist starts the training process by visiting mydentalradiography.com/fda and creating a dentist account. After completing a brief tutorial overview of the training process, the dentist receives a supervising dentist’s ID and can purchase vouchers for the assistants to be trained. Each assistant receives an email welcoming them to the course and can begin studying at their own pace.

To learn more about the online training program, call the FDA at 850. 681.3629.

Get Maximum Productivity From Radiography-Certified Dental Assistants 

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Workflow in your dental practice impacts its productivity. If only you and your dental hygienists can expose radiographs, you’re losing time and money. Dental assistants whose skill set includes radiography can help the practice run more efficiently by streamlining everyone’s workflow. With the tight labor market, investing in your dental assistants and getting them certified to perform radiography makes sense. You’ll reap the benefits, and they will be more satisfied and fulfilled in their work. 

Online radiography training is available from MyDentalRadiography.com 

Florida requires dental assistants to become certified to take radiographs. Fortunately, the Florida Dental Association (FDA) has the necessary solution. MyDentalRadiography is an online training program that prepares dental assistants to be certified. FDA members can enroll a dental assistant in the training for only $285. Non-members pay $385 per assistant. 

What’s involved in training?

The online training is accessible from any device that connects to the Web and is available 24/7. The training consists of nine modules, each with a quiz to check the student’s learning. A final exam consisting of 80 questions must be passed with a score of at least 80%. Students can retake the test until they master the material and receive a passing score. The next step is for the student to complete a full-mouth exposure, including four bite-wings, in five or fewer attempts under your supervision. Once you, as the supervising dentist, have signed off on the radiographs, a certificate is issued, and the student can apply to the state for radiography certification.

How to get started

Make becoming certified in dental radiography a performance goal of your dental assistants. Discuss the benefits of additional training with them and explain that they don’t need to travel to a class, take time away from the office, or learn on someone else’s timetable. With MyDentalRadiography, your dental assistants are in control of their learning and can complete the curriculum at their own pace. Here’s what you need to know to get your assistants trained.

  • First, you must go to mydentalradiography.com/fda and create a dentist’s account. You’ll view a short tutorial explaining how the program works and your responsibilities. After completing the tutorial, you’ll receive a supervising dentist’s ID number. 
  • Then, you can purchase vouchers for each assistant you wish to train. You’ll need an email address for each assistant; they may not share an email account.
  • MyDentalRadiography then sends an email to each student, advising them to create an account and log in to begin their training. They will need your supervising dentist ID number to do so. The training platform keeps track of their progress, and each time they log in, it picks up where they left off.  
  • Students will receive automated email reminders to create their accounts. You can monitor their progress by logging into your account. 
  • When a student completes and passes the online portion of the program, you will receive an emailed notice that they are ready to expose the full-mouth X-rays under your supervision.
  • When the X-rays have been completed to your satisfaction, you sign into your account and certify that they have successfully completed that step.
  • MyDentalRadiography creates a certificate you can print, sign and present to the assistant. 
  • The assistant then applies to the state of Florida for certification, following the directions MyDentalRadiography provides.

Get started now

Develop your dental assistants to provide maximum value to your practice. If you need more information, visit the Continuing Education section at FloridaDental.org, or call the FDA at 850.681.3629.  

Take Your Assisting Skills to the Next Level with MyDentalRadiography Training

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Dental practices around the country are struggling with staffing issues, which presents dental assistants with an opportunity to become even more valuable members of the team. Dental assistants whose skill set includes radiography can help the practice run more efficiently because they can streamline the dentist’s and hygienist’s workflow. Dental assistants certified to perform radiography derive more satisfaction from their work and are in demand by dental practices.

Why is radiography important?

A properly exposed X-ray of teeth allows the dentist to assess the integrity of the teeth and roots and the overall oral health of a patient. Taking an X-ray is different from taking a photograph. Skill is required to properly position the X-ray camera for the best exposure and protect the patients and yourself from radiation risks. Florida requires dental assistants to become certified to take radiographs. Fortunately, the Florida Dental Association (FDA) has MyDentalRadiography, an online radiography training program that prepares dental assistants to be certified.

What’s involved in training?

The online training is accessible from any device that connects to the Web and is available 24/7. The training consists of nine modules, each with a quiz to check your learning. A final exam consisting of 80 questions must be passed with a score of at least 80%. You can take it as often as necessary to pass. Then, you’ll complete a full-mouth exposure, including four bite-wings, in five or fewer attempts under the dentist’s supervision. Once the supervising dentist has signed off on the radiographs, a certificate is issued, and the student can apply to the state for radiography certification.

How to get started

Talk to your employer about becoming certified to perform radiography through MyDentalRadiography.com/FDA. Here are some facts you’ll need for your talk.

  • It costs $285 if your employer is a member of the FDA. It’s $385 otherwise.
  • The supervising dentist (your employer) must begin by creating an account at mydentalradiography.com/fda.
  • The supervising dentist then completes a brief online tutorial explaining their responsibilities and obtains a supervising dentist ID number.
  • Then, the supervising dentist can purchase a voucher for your training.
  • You’ll receive a system-generated email notification that you can create your account and begin your coursework. You’ll need your supervising dentist’s ID number to create your account.

The training platform keeps track of your progress for you. Each time you log in, you will pick up your training where you signed out.

Get started now

Talk to your dentist today about becoming certified in radiography quickly, safely, affordable and conveniently by taking the FDA’s MyDentalRadiography training course. If you or your dentist need more information, visit the Continuing Education section at FloridaDental.org, or call the FDA at 850.681.3629.

New Year, New Skills for Your Dental Assistants

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Help your dental assistants attain their 2023 professional development skills by enrolling them in the  FDA’s MyDentalRadiography online program. Getting them started is fast and easy. First, you create an account at mydentalradiography.com/FDA and complete the brief supervising dentist tutorial so you understand your responsibilities. Then, purchase a voucher for the 9-unit educational program and assign it to your dental assistant. The student will receive an email with log-in information and a link to the training site.

Once the online training is complete and a comprehensive test is passed, the student exposes a full-mouth series of radiographs including four bitewings under your supervision. If you’re satisfied with their work, you sign the certificate of completion. Then the assistant applies to the state for licensing. Eliminate all the barriers to training with this Florida dental board approved affordable, online alternative. Vouchers cost just $285 for FDA members and $385 for non-members.

Contact Lywanda Tucker at 850-350-7143 for more information or click here to get started.