The Algonquin Careers Academy is known to produce highly competent, confident, and dedicated graduates that fill us with pride. Ajax Mouloudi is now a full-time dental assistant who tutors dental assistant students part-time. Once a flight attendant, Ajax could have never predicted that she would enjoy learning about, and later working on, teeth. Much less, have a tooth tattoo! Like many other Canadians, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic took her by surprise. With flights grounded, Ajax had time to explore other career options.

Her sister in-law had taken our intra-oral dental assistant course and Ajax got to see her often during her studies. Struggles with her own dental health moved Ajax to follow her natural sense of curiosity and explore the dental assistant career path. She’s certainly glad she did. “It’s wonderful going to work everyday and you’re excited to go in and the atmosphere is great and welcoming and you feel fulfilled at the end of the day,” she remarks. Keep reading to discover her story and why Ajax recommends the Intra-Oral Dental Assistant program at ACA.

Ajax Values The Experience Provided By Our Expert Faculty

Throughout our discussion, Ajax credited our expert faculty with an enriching learning experience that helped her understand course material well, gain confidence, and eventually land a position that she loves. To this day, she contacts her instructor, Rebecca when she has questions. “She found a way to deal with any obstacle that came up for students,” Ajax said fondly remembering her instructor’s flexibility and willingness to provide clarity whenever it was needed.  “The teachers are really there to help so, if you don’t ask the questions, you won’t get your answers,” she explains.

Our intra-oral dental assistant students can expect support in the classroom and beyond

She offers valuable advice for future intra-oral dental assistant students urging them to forge strong relationships with all of our staff members. For example, when she needed to photocopy something, our receptionist was ready to help. In addition, our financial officer was always ready to answer her questions.

The Intra-Oral Dental Assistant Program At ACA Prepared Ajax To Succeed In Her Job Search

ACA doesn’t just provide our students with the information they need to thrive in their future positions but also, the soft skills, hands-on experience, and professional connections they need to enter the field. For example, after graduating, one of Ajax’s instructors reached out to her notifying her of job openings in her personal network. In addition, job postings are hung up on campus, allowing students who have completed their practicum to explore their options before they’ve even graduated.
 

Our intra-oral dental assistant program prepares students to succeed during their job search and working in the field

Landing a position is of course just the beginning of your career. Ajax shared some qualities that can ensure a lasting path to success saying: “Empathy is one of the strongest muscles you can flex as a dental assistant. 80% of your patients will have some sort of dental anxiety or nervousness.” In order to combat this widespread issue, Ajax suggests establishing positive connections with patients right away to alleviate their fears, ensuring that they have a good experience, return to the clinic, and enjoy better oral health. It’s clear that Ajax possesses a great deal of empathy for her patients which is undoubtedly an inspiration to us all.

Our Program Activated Ajax’s Self-Belief

Ajax’s journey at ACA wasn’t always a breeze. “Quite honestly, at the beginning of the program, I didn’t do so well. I had to retake a test in the first course, anatomy.” Despite memorization being a challenge, Ajax describes an intense drive to do better. She kept telling herself: “Stick it out. It’s just one year.”

From there, she climbed to the top of her class and now here she is, working full-time as a dental assistant, tutoring, and open to teaching in the future. “A failure does not define your future success…you can pick yourself up and do it,” she says. When asked what advice she would give to future students in an intra-oral dental assistant program, she admonishes them to revise modules regularly to maximize information retention and efficiency, ask our instructors for help whenever you need it, follow infection control or IPAC procedures, and always floss.

 Ready to follow in Ajax’s footsteps and start your intra-oral dental assistant career?

Contact ACA to learn more!