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Although my career path has been unconventional, working as a Certified Dental Assistant for over 5 years allowed me to hone essential and transferable skills. After over a year of working as a Certified Dental Assistant, I made the bold decision to go back to school and transition to studying Commerce at the University of Ottawa. Whenever someone asks me about my career path I usually get a response along these lines “Wow those fields are completely different”. At first thought, these careers seem like they are at two opposite ends of the spectrum. What might be surprising is the overlap between these careers which gives me a unique advantage. Over time, I have learned how dental assisting skills transfer to marketing. A Harvard Business Review article Identifying the Skills that Can Help you Change Careers by Christopher Bowe helps illustrate how transferable skills from one profession can help you be successful in other industries. The article can be found here: https://hbr.org/2015/08/identifying-the-skills-that-can-help-you-change-careers.
I was first drawn to a career in dental fresh out of high school due to its hands-on nature and ability to help others. Jumping into my first job as a Dental Assistant before I even graduated from Algonquin College allowed me to do exactly this. I am grateful for this career as it taught me so many important skills. As I became successful in the field, it became clear that this was not my life-long career path. I desired something more creative and with the possibility of more career growth and flexibility. To learn a little bit more about what a Dental Assistant does, visit https://sprottshaw.com/blog/faq-dental-assistant/.
Just last year, I attended the Annual Spring Meeting in Toronto to continue my education in all aspects of the dental field.
I entered my studies at the University of Ottawa initially studying Accounting and subsequently switching to finance and then Marketing in my last year. When choosing my electives, I discovered that I naturally gravitated toward marketing-focused classes as I found them to be truly interesting. After falling out of love with finance, switching to marketing was the perfect opportunity to pursue my interests and utilize my creativity.
These two fields may seem unrelated, however, after learning more about marketing in school I realized that a lot of the skills I have honed in my career as a Dental Assistant are highly transferable. Out of all the valuable skills I have perfected over my Dental Assisting career, I excel in communication, attention to detail, and time management which helps me remain organized and productive.
In dental assisting, you are communicating with patients regularly explaining procedures, addressing concerns, and answering questions. It is essential to collaborate closely with colleagues such as the front desk and the dentist to ensure proper workflow. Not only is verbal communication skills required but also written. Detailed chart documentation is needed for everything that we do. In marketing, the ability to communicate effectively is equally important. Marketing is all about how you communicate with current and potential customers, communicating elements such as a brand’s message, values, and identity. Marketing is also team-driven where it is important to collaborate with coworkers to remain aligned. Attention to detail arises while conducting dental procedures and detailed documentation. This is mirrored in the marketing field when you have to manage campaigns and analyze data. Analyzing data is essential to track performance and guide decision making requiring sharp attention to detail. Lastly, the fast-paced environment of a dental office forced me to perfect my time management and organization skills to ensure proper workflow. Being able to prioritize and multitask are essential skills in marketing when managing projects and meeting deadlines.
My transition from the dental profession to marketing has been a rewarding journey. While these two careers may seem like two polar opposites, the skills I have developed as a dental assistant have provided me with a solid foundation for my career in marketing. I am excited to continue my career in marketing.
Visit my LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-milford-10036b175 to connect with me and send me a message!