These past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged so many people in their work and personal lives, including dental assistants. The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) and its official affiliate, the DALE Foundation, wish to acknowledge all dental assistants for how they’ve adapted during this time, including in the following ways:
To dental assistants whose offices temporarily closed during this time, we recognize the challenges you and your families may have faced as you adjusted to accommodate a reduced-hours schedule, furlough, or layoff. For most of you, and especially those with children home from school in the spring, being out of work also likely impacted your daily routines. Thanks to you and your families for staying home to keep the community safe. Additionally, best of luck as you and your team begin returning to work amid a “new normal” for the dental office.
To dental assistants who remained working to help provide emergency dental care, we applaud the courage you demonstrated as you helped to care for patients under extraordinary circumstances in a variety of work settings, including the dental office. In some cases, we heard assistants were interacting at a distance with patients in parking lots, to help screen them and in some cases deliver to them dentist-prescribed medications. These are truly examples of what it means to go above and beyond to provide exceptional patient care.
To dental assistant educators and students who transitioned to at-home learning, we commend your flexibility. We especially acknowledge all those who turned to online tools, including resources available through the DALE Foundation, to stay connected and avoid interruptions in education. Teachers’ dedication to their students, and students’ dedication to their studies and pursuit of a successful future in dental assisting, is admirable.
To dental assistants who continue to pursue and maintain DANB certification despite hardships, we thank you for allowing us to continue supporting your careers, especially during this unique time of uncertainty. Demonstrating your dental assisting knowledge and skillsets—especially in the critical area of dental infection prevention and control—to your employer, teammates, and patients has perhaps never been more important, and we applaud those who continue to cherish certification and what it represents: dental assisting excellence.
To those who have accessed e-learning materials through the DALE Foundation, we recognize your commitment to growing your knowledge base from home by using the DALE Foundation’s online review courses, practice tests, and other e-learning resources, to be fully prepared to return to work in the dental office, to continue teaching or studying dental assisting, or to take DANB exams.
Thank you, all, for rising to the occasion. Dental assistants, your dedication to your career and to those whom you work with and help to treat remained unshakable, even during these uncertain times. From DANB and the DALE Foundation, thank you.
Resources to support your career To learn more about DANB exams and certification, as well as the benefits of holding DANB certification, visit DANB’s website.
To access online learning materials, visit the DALE Foundation’s product catalog.
To learn more about dental infection control education and certification opportunities, visit dentalinfectioncontrol.org.
