A different approach to staff training

Pacific Smiles Staffing Solutions is an Australian Registered Training Organisation established specifically to deliver outstanding training and education to Dental Assistants. Registered to provide a nationally recognised Certificate III in Dental Assisting, Pacific Smiles Staffing Solutions offers a variety of flexible course delivery modules for maximum suitability to Dental Assistants and the dentists who employ them.

All dentists know the benefits of a well trained and productive DA but there are often daunting challenges to involve their employees in much-needed training courses. Some courses require the employees to be released during the work-day, which is not very suitable for the employer; others demand the employee's time after-hours, which is difficult for many employees to sustain. Then there is the problem of geography in the case of some regional and rural practices and the big issue of cost.

What if one Registered Training Organisation could solve all of these problems and provide the training and education required by your Dental Assistants? And what if you, as an employer, could access government subsidies for the employees that you send into training?

The company also provides short courses in Dental Implant Nursing and Infection Control for Dental Assistants. Coming soon is a Practice Management course.

A dentist recently wrote this endorsement just two weeks after the completion of an intensive 4-week block of training for his nurse: "As a result of your training, our new Dental Assistant is proving to be a fantastic asset to our team even at this early stage. Her knowledge and understanding far outweighs any of our Dental Assistants who have undertaken training in the past. She is enthusiastic and willing to learn and absorb any information we can give her".

Comments from some of the participants of the 4-week block included: "an awesome course, very knowledgeable and supportive trainers"; "Being with a trainer who has so many years experience meant we learnt a lot that wasn't in the textbook"; "The trainer's past experience gave me a real insight into the role of a dental assistant and helped me feel more confident in my ability"; and "Loved everything about the course but especially all the practical activities in the surgery".

Quality is the key to these wonderful outcomes. For example, the distance learning course provides one-on-one support for your Dental Assistant to maximize learning as they work through the training materials, in a systematic order as set out the in easy-to-follow study and assessment guide, supplemented by residential weekend workshops, if required.

Helen Gayner, Manager of Pacific Smiles Staffing Solutions, said "Training has historically been a strain on the employing dentist but now there is an option to access skilled and professional trainers in a way that suits you, your employees and your practice. And possibly get paid by the government to do it".

The next classroom training courses will commence on July 6 in Sydney and July 20 in Newcastle. Residential workshops for both Sydney and Newcastle commence from July 3.

For full details of residential workshops and training dates for all courses plus more information about Pacific Smiles Staffing Solutions please see www.pacificsmilesstaffingsolutions.com.au.