The worst/meanest things a dentist has ever said to a dental assistant When they say nothing. "Assistants are just spit suckers." That hurt. Needless to say, I don't work for that idiot any longer. "What are you, stupid?" I didn t care for it when the dentist talked about how pretty other women are while there was a patient in the chair. I have worked for an office for 14 years and continuously helped with filling hygiene openings and never once has anyone thanked me. :( Says She is the best, followed by a pat on the butt! CDA-COA means nothing. It makes no difference and there s no acknowledgement in pay. I feel like you re nickel and diming me. (For helping a coworker finish so we could both go to lunch.) (Said by a female dentist.) I think you may need medication. (Same female dentist) Do you like my porn collection? (Said by an older, now deceased male dentist). We don't think you re happy here anymore. (This was said after seven years and annual raises for positive performance). But I was also told I was the best. My 20-plus-year career has been interesting and at times heartbreaking. This is not a career I would encourage for others. Your daughter probably won't go to college, she'll probably get pregnant. I m proud to say she is a senior in college and will continue for her doctorate in physical therapy. She graduated fourth in her high school class of 230. She seems pretty smart to me! She was voted top athlete in high school, and this year she made it to the NCAA in Track & Field. You re fired. I'm afraid I'm going to have to deny your request for a salary increase. Your socks don't match your outfit. SUCTION! SUCTION! See, that wasn't hard to do, was it?
I will slap you off the chair. If you want to make more money, go back to school. I don't pay my hygienist to clean (instruments, developer, etc.). That's what I have you for. If you want a raise, feel free to find another job. My dad is sick and dying and my now-former boss told me that was a real pain in the ass for her. Do I need to remind you whose name is on the door? You should be more careful where you put your latex. The doctor acted like I move to slow (and I do not). (Not said to me, but to a coworker) I could have just killed you! I wanted to kill you right then and there! I had a doctor tell me that he didn't care if I had to take my shirt off for the patient and flash him. I needed to do whatever it took to "sell" dentistry. I need an experienced assistant. My worst things ever said would be a tie between two things. First, the doctor asked if I was eating in my sleep because I had gained a few pounds. He does not like overweight people. Second, I was injured at work, and I had to battle workers compensation to finally get the surgery I needed. The last day I worked before my surgery, the dentist told me I should have lied to my physician by saying I didn't know how I got hurt, and I should have used my personal insurance through my husband s company. I think that's too much money per hour for JUST a dental assistant. The doctor told me I talk too much to patients. I'm sorry the next patient is already waiting. I'll explain in our next appointment. Hoser. The doctor told me to get my head together and my shit straight! (I was having a bad day.)
You're too old to get a job anywhere else. I gave a mini blind to the office to block the patients from viewing the staff lounge when they pulled into the parking lot. My boss, after having it installed, said, "That's the most selfish, self-serving gift I've ever gotten and I completely don't appreciate it!" Then he fired me. After dealing with the most vengeful, hateful coworker for 10 years, the rest of the staff and I had had enough so I talked to the doctor about what we could do. He (in not so many words) told me I'd be fired for bringing problems to his attention. I'd been an employee for 20 years. One year later, the doctor fired the hateful employee for an endless list of offenses. I feel like I'm doing two-handed dentistry. Haven't we talked about this before? Didn't I tell you that once already? If you don't think you can get it, don't take it (an X-ray). You are taking too long. All that stuff does not need to be cleaned. Speak English! I was told that I was unreliable. What's up with your hair? You can't compete with (a coworker) because she is too gifted and talented. I really don't care that you are having a tough time making ends meet. I can teach a monkey to this. I wouldn't exactly celebrate your braces coming off; I have no choice. Your bite is a disaster. You definitely deserve a raise, but we are not going to give you one at this time. Use your head!
I had a dentist yell, NO! at me during an interview when I asked a simple question. The question should not have caused such a reaction. This incident happened quite some time ago. It was my first time to sit chairside with a real patient in a joint project with the local university involving very new dental students and dental assisting students. The faculty dentist got into position with his hands at ready for the patient's oral cavity. The self-medicated patient was slipping out of the chair and should have been dismissed. I maneuvered around the light the dentist brought down way too low, trying to place the mirror and explorer in his carefully positioned hands. He whipped off his miners-type loupes and embarrassed me in front of all of the students and dental assisting faculty. Loudly, he asked what move did I expect him to perform, and I responded, "Well, in this setting, I anticipate aerobics class movements are necessary!" This was my introduction to chairside assisting with a real patient and real dentist. I went on to do fairly well, completing assisting and hygiene. While in hygiene this particular dentist was one of my biggest fans. When I finished school he wanted to hire me. I learned later that it was not his nature to speak so harshly to an assistant or hygienist. That particular situation was simply awful, and I just happened to be there. Let me do it myself. The dentist told me I looked handicapped while assisting. I was subbing for the dentist, and needless to say I didn't take the job when it was offered to me. Are you stupid? Do you even know what you re doing? Do you even have a brain? After seven years working for this female dentist, she said, "We've been trying to make this work but I don't like you and I think you should start looking for another job. During an interview, I was asked, "What can you do?" Let me guess you flossed for the first time in six months today. On a job interview at a local hospital dental clinic, the dentist had me sit in an old dental chair (circa 1900) for the entire interview. He then sat at his desk, took off his shoes, and put his feet up on his desk, crossed. He then handed me an X- ray and asked me what I would do with the tooth on the film. I responded that I would do nothing with the tooth since I am not a dentist and am responsible for taking diagnostic films, not diagnosing them. With that, the interview was over and I quickly informed the HR person that I would like to withdraw from
consideration for the position. What's the matter with you? Are you stupid or something? This was said chairside in front of a patient because the dentist was frustrated and tired. After my doctor asked for an X-ray of No. 14, he verbally chastised me in front of the patient for not including Nos. 11 and 12! We have to let you go. You are the least valuable person in this office. This was said even though I'm the one who comes in 30 minutes early and stays late without pay every day. Are you just stupid? What kind of stupid school did you go to? Do you know anything? The previous week the doctor had told everyone that I was an amazing assistant. He yelled these things while a 13-year-old boy was in the chair. The boy was scared and in tears because the doctor threw the instruments across the room. Needless to say, I am not employed as a dental assistant right now. I m keeping up my CEs but looking for a different profession. Life is too short to be stressed about going to work every day. I love assisting and caring for patients, but I also really like being respected. Do you know how to take a PA? This was said after I d been taking X-rays for 17 years. I had been taking cephs and was out of practice taking PAs. As the doctor was filing down the edges of my teeth, he said, "Girls have soft, rounded edges, unlike what you currently have. After I was kept up most the night with an infant and a toddler (13 months apart) I showed up to work at 8 a.m. and the doctor said, "If you're going to come in looking like THAT, don't bother." I didn't tell you to think! Why don't you go play in traffic? That patient is so dumb. We could train a monkey to do your job! A former employer told me on the phone that he knew what my problem was and that I needed an "orgasmic catharsis" and that he would provide it for me.
You're being fired. Do you even think before you do something? Didn't you learn anything in your DA program? The dentist told the entire staff that we would never receive a raise. We can get anyone to be a dental assistant. Just go stand outside a movie theater. I hope you realize you are NEVER going to amount to much. I was on externship right after graduating from a one-year dental assisting school. At the end of the externship, the dentist told me I wasted my money. I was crushed and very insecure for a long time. I'm glad I got over that. I've been working for over 15 years now and am a hygienist as well. You did not follow my instructions. I didn't even charge Mrs. X for her cleaning today because you left plaque everywhere. You can be replaced!