Log In
Dental Assistant to Practice Administrator (DA to PA) Curriculum

Dental Assistant to Practice Administrator (DA to PA) Curriculum

Dental assistant and practice administrator are NOT the same jobs.

Yet:

Many dental assistants find themselves:

  • Being cross-trained for this role.
  • Helping the front office.
  • Transitioning full time into this role.

This five-module series will cover:

  • Changes and challenges that lie ahead when taking over this role.
  • Job responsibilities and what education is needed.
  • Recognizing the most important priorities and tackling them.
  • Developing goals and incentives to help your team and practice grow.
  • Establishing yourself as a leader and gaining respect.
  • Overcoming imposter syndrome.
  • Building a plan to take your practice to the next level.

Module 1 - Role Reversal

  • Are you ready?
    • Discuss the changes and challenges ahead
  • Do you have what it takes?
    • Review the potential adjustments you could experience when moving from a position of constant movement to a job requiring more desk time

Module 2 - Education is Key

  • What does your new role entail?
    • Review what new responsibilities may fall to you
  • Education is key to success
    • Understand the dedication needed to learn the ins and outs of your new role

Module 3 - Tackling Obstacles

  • Priorities
    • Learn how to recognize the most pressing challenges facing your practice and how to tackle them
  • Goals
    • Discuss how to develop goals and incentive to help your team and your practice grow

Module 4 - Leadership

  • Establishing yourself
    • Review steps to assure you establish yourself as the leader with your team
  • Gaining respect/Understand the importance of communication
    • Explore how to overcome team feelings of "you're just the dental assistant, how are you going to manage us?"

Module 5 - Building Your Practice

  • What's Next?
    • Discuss the next steps to build a plan to take your practice to the next level
This comprehensive course is designed for dental professionals transitioning from a hands-on clinical role to a management position. It covers the unique challenges, responsibilities, and skills required to excel in your new role as a dental office manager.
Your educators:
Tija Hunter, CDAwas named one of the Top 25 Women in Dentistry and has an impressive resume, including former VP of the American Dental Assistants Association and author of six CE study courses. 
Kevin Henry has more than 16 years of experience in the dental publishing industry, speaks to dental assistants throughout the country, and was named one of the top five influential voices in the industry.

Completion Requirements:
Each module ends with a quiz to reinforce your learning. Upon finishing the full course and passing all quizzes, you will receive 5 CE credits and a Certificate of Completion.

  • Contains 4 Component(s), Includes Credits

    In this last session Tija and Kevin discuss building a plan to take your practice to the next level.

    Module 5 - Building Your Practice

    • What's Next?
      • Discuss the next steps to build a plan to take your practice to the next level

      Completion Requirements:

      Each module ends with a quiz to reinforce your learning. Upon finishing the full course and passing all quizzes, you will receive 5 CE credits and a Certificate of Completion.

    • Contains 2 Component(s)

      In this session Tija and Kevin discuss how to establish yourself as the Practice Administrator and effective ways to gain respect and understand the importance of communication. Review steps to assure you establish yourself as the leader of your team. Explore how to overcome team feelings of "you're just the dental assistant, how are you going to manage us?".

      Module 4 - Leadership

      • Establishing yourself
        • Review steps to assure you establish yourself as the leader with your team
      • Gaining respect/Understand the importance of communication
        • Explore how to overcome team feelings of "you're just the dental assistant, how are you going to manage us?"

      Completion Requirements:

      Each module ends with a quiz to reinforce your learning. Upon finishing the full course and passing all quizzes, you will receive 5 CE credits and a Certificate of Completion.

      Kevin Henry

      With more than 16 years in the dental publishing industry, Kevin Henry is the former group editorial director for Dental Products Report and managing editor for Dental Economics. He now serves as the co-founder for IgniteDA.net, a community designed to empower, enlighten and educate dental assistants. He speaks to dental assistants throughout the country, reminding them of the important role they play every day in their practice. Kevin was recently named as one of the top five influential voices in the industry on Twitter. You can follow him at @kgh23.

      Tija Hunter, CDA

      Tija Hunter, CDA, EFDA, CDIA, CDSO, MADAA, began her dental assisting career in 1981 and has never looked back.  Tija was named one of the Top 25 Women in Dentistry by Dental Products Report Magazine; 2015. She is a member of the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) where she holds the honor of Master, is former Vice President (2017) and sits on national counsels. Tija is an editorial board member for Dental Products Report Magazine, contributor to Dental Products Report, Dental Assisting Digest, and Dental Economics Magazines. She is founder of the Dental Assistants Study Club of St. Louis. She is the director of the Dental Careers Institute with five locations in the United States. Tija is also the author of six CE study courses. She is a national speaker and is a certified trainer in nitrous oxide in several states. Her passion is education and equipping dental teams with the knowledge to grow.

    • Contains 2 Component(s)

      In this session Kevin reviews priorities and goals. Learn how to recognize the most pressing challenges facing your practice and how to tackle them. Discuss how to develop goals and incentive to help your team and your practice grow.

      Module 3 - Tackling Obstacles

      • Priorities
        • Learn how to recognize the most pressing challenges facing your practice and how to tackle them
      • Goals
        • Discuss how to develop goals and incentive to help your team and your practice grow

      Completion Requirements:
      Each module ends with a quiz to reinforce your learning. Upon finishing the full course and passing all quizzes, you will receive 5 CE credits and a Certificate of Completion.

      Kevin Henry

      With more than 16 years in the dental publishing industry, Kevin Henry is the former group editorial director for Dental Products Report and managing editor for Dental Economics. He now serves as the co-founder for IgniteDA.net, a community designed to empower, enlighten and educate dental assistants. He speaks to dental assistants throughout the country, reminding them of the important role they play every day in their practice. Kevin was recently named as one of the top five influential voices in the industry on Twitter. You can follow him at @kgh23.

    • Contains 2 Component(s)

      In this second module, Kevin discusses how learning is the path to growth and success!

      Module 2 - Education is Key

      • What does your new role entail?
        • Review what new responsibilities may fall to you
      • Education is key to success
        • Understand the dedication needed to learn the ins and outs of your new role

      Completion Requirements:
      Each module ends with a quiz to reinforce your learning. Upon finishing the full course and passing all quizzes, you will receive 5 CE credits and a Certificate of Completion.

      Kevin Henry

      With more than 16 years in the dental publishing industry, Kevin Henry is the former group editorial director for Dental Products Report and managing editor for Dental Economics. He now serves as the co-founder for IgniteDA.net, a community designed to empower, enlighten and educate dental assistants. He speaks to dental assistants throughout the country, reminding them of the important role they play every day in their practice. Kevin was recently named as one of the top five influential voices in the industry on Twitter. You can follow him at @kgh23.

    • Contains 2 Component(s)

      In this first module Tija and Kevin discuss the potential changes and challenges ahead in your new role, including the potential adjustment you could experience when moving from a position of constant movement to a job requiring more desk time.

      Module 1 - Role Reversal

      • Are you ready?
        • Discuss the changes and challenges ahead
      • Do you have what it takes?
        • Review the potential adjustments you could experience when moving from a position of constant movement to a job requiring more desk time


      Completion Requirements:
      Each module ends with a quiz to reinforce your learning. Upon finishing the full course and passing all quizzes, you will receive 5 CE credits and a Certificate of Completion.

      Kevin Henry

      With more than 16 years in the dental publishing industry, Kevin Henry is the former group editorial director for Dental Products Report and managing editor for Dental Economics. He now serves as the co-founder for IgniteDA.net, a community designed to empower, enlighten and educate dental assistants. He speaks to dental assistants throughout the country, reminding them of the important role they play every day in their practice. Kevin was recently named as one of the top five influential voices in the industry on Twitter. You can follow him at @kgh23.

      Tija Hunter, CDA

      Tija Hunter, CDA, EFDA, CDIA, CDSO, MADAA, began her dental assisting career in 1981 and has never looked back.  Tija was named one of the Top 25 Women in Dentistry by Dental Products Report Magazine; 2015. She is a member of the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) where she holds the honor of Master, is former Vice President (2017) and sits on national counsels. Tija is an editorial board member for Dental Products Report Magazine, contributor to Dental Products Report, Dental Assisting Digest, and Dental Economics Magazines. She is founder of the Dental Assistants Study Club of St. Louis. She is the director of the Dental Careers Institute with five locations in the United States. Tija is also the author of six CE study courses. She is a national speaker and is a certified trainer in nitrous oxide in several states. Her passion is education and equipping dental teams with the knowledge to grow.