2026 Courses and Events

Course #: 1120
Date: 11/27/2026
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Course Info: Half Day
Speaker(s):
Erin Hendricks, RDA

Topic: Dental Assistants
Tuition: $95.00
Credits: 3
Recommended For:
Dentists, Hygienists, Assistants, Students, Administrative Staff

Description:

Exceptional dental assistants do more than work efficiently, they anticipate needs, recognize subtle clinical cues, and solve problems before they become emergencies. This highly interactive workshop transforms participants into “clinical detectives” through engaging games, team challenges, competitions, videos, patient scenarios, and rapid-fire exercises designed to sharpen observation, anticipation, communication, and critical-thinking skills. Attendees learn to identify details others may overlook, improve clinical decision-making, and develop the confidence to proactively support the dental team and enhance patient care.

Learn to:

• recognize visual and verbal clues that improve clinical anticipation
• demonstrate faster clinical decision-making during common dental procedures
• apply observation techniques that reduce errors and improve patient safety
• improve communication using practical patient-centered strategies

Support for this program is provided by The American Dental Assistants' Association

Course #: 1170
Date: 11/27/2026
Time: 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Course Info: Half Day
Speaker(s):
Erin Hendricks, RDA

Topic: Dental Assistants
Tuition: $95.00
Credits: 3
Recommended For:
Dentists, Hygienists, Assistants, Students, Administrative Staff

Description:

Technical skills alone do not make an exceptional dental assistant. The most indispensable team members possess the often-overlooked abilities to anticipate challenges, manage stress, communicate effectively, and keep the clinical environment running smoothly. This interactive workshop explores the hidden side of dental assisting, including reading the room, managing difficult personalities, preventing workflow disruptions, resolving conflict, and positively influencing the entire dental team. Through a series of live simulations and practical exercises, participants will develop the interpersonal and organizational skills that distinguish outstanding assistants and gain strategies they can immediately apply in practice.

Learn to:

• demonstrate communication strategies that reduce conflict and improve teamwork
• identify behaviors that increase efficiency without increasing stress
• practice emotional intelligence skills during patient and team interactions
• develop strategies to become indispensable members of the dental practice

Support for this program is provided by The American Dental Assistants' Association