I have been working as a dental assistant for the last year and a half. I recently got hired at a private practice in town.
However, I am part time, so the woman they hired full time has no experience dental assisting. She is very talkative, overshares, and anxiety ridden.
I am reserved at work and prefer to keep conversation at a minimum because I like to focus on the work for the day. When there’s constant conversation, I become overwhelmed and distracted. Before long, I’m resentful and irritated, which is not a state I like to be in or exhibit.
Since I’ve started working with her, I’ve tried to remain polite but am now struggling.
For the last few weeks, especially this week, she has been treating me like I don’t know what I’m doing. She constantly brings me to her level and questions whether I know the job. Last Thursday, she questioned whether I knew how to take a panoramic image, and after I told her yes, and walked her through the steps. She says to me, “This is great practice for both of us.”
I’m thinking to myself, wtf. Why wouldn’t I know how to take a panoramic image? I’m the last person that needs practice. You’re the one that doesn’t know how to set the machine up. She even went as far as to explain what a root canal procedure was to me like I had never done one in my life?!
In addition, she has also been following me around and butting into what I’m doing at the moment. For example, I was in the middle of a procedure and the doctor asked for a specific item that wasn’t stocked in the room. Knowing exactly what he wanted, I went to retrieve it. The coworker immediately follows me into the next room and tries to tell me what I should be looking for. She has no idea what the item is called or what it’s used for. So, yet again, a waste of my time.
Anyways, I’m trying to remain calm but it’s starting eat at me. I know that she’s new to the field but she needs to stop bringing me down to her level. I’ve told her multiple times I’ve been a dental assistant for a year plus. Just because I’m new to the practice, doesn’t me I don’t know anything about my job or how things function.
Makes me want to quit my job. I could finally do school full time.