Alysha Stannage has always loved variety

She found dental nursing was a great way to mix up practical hands-on work with admin duties.

Alysha Stannage dabbled in a few different things before she found her calling.

After high school, she took a job doing marketing, while also running her own business making handmade festival and clubbing clothing.

Eventually she decided it was time for a career change.

“Dental assisting just kind of fell into my lap,” she says. “I was moving on from a job in marketing and trying to find my next career path, then I came across a job in dental nursing.

It’s a really busy, active job, which I was after, and something I could progress in, so it really appealed to me.”

Alysha worked for a dental practice for a year-and-a-half, then decided to formalise her qualification by doing a Certificate III in Dental Assisting with Chisholm and a traineeship at Rye Family Dental Care.

“I’d heard good things about Chisholm,” she says. “I really enjoyed the course and my teacher was super supportive. She helped out whenever the students needed it and dedicated a lot of time to helping us get everything done.”

Alysha did so well at Chisholm, she was even nominated as Trainee of the Year at the 2022 Chisholm Education Awards.

As a dental nurse, her days are varied and interesting.

Sometimes she helps out as a receptionist. Other days she does the social marketing for the dental practice, drawing on her previous marketing experience.

But the bulk of her time is spent getting everything ready for the dentist to see patients and cleaning the equipment after each appointment.

She also takes notes for the dentist to refer back to.

“It’s a good balance of everything,” Alysha says. “We have to understand everything that’s happening and it’s pretty hands-on. It definitely keeps your brain busy.”

Alysha encouraged others looking for an exciting, varied career to consider dental assistance.

“If you’re really eager to have a busy job where you are very active, then dental assisting is for you,” she says. “You have to be a good team player, but it’s a really good job and career that allows you to keep bettering yourself and progressing in the field.”

And if you’re already working in dental assistance, it’s a good idea to get qualified, according to Alysha.

“I am definitely using the skills I learned at Chisholm on the job,” she says. “I already had some understanding, but it just helped with things like infection control, and a better understanding of the things the dentist talks about.”