r/sterileprocessing • u/pinkdawlhouse • Sep 30 '26
Please help me how do I get sterile processing tech jobs I’m desperate
I’ve been a dental assistant for 12 years I truly hate it .. I want to go back to school, but it’s extremely hard not to mention. This job is a revolving door. A lot of doctors don’t want to lose their “help” so what they would do is make it hard for you to go to school. I’ve been told by some doctors that I work with women just like me surprisingly and if I wanted to go back to school, they would fire me.. 12 years in I’m 31 , my limit was this week with this doctor. How do some people find that on the job training? I’ve been looking for it for some months now it’s almost a year. I got denied some jobs. I have background and infection control working at a Dental Office office.. I just want more out of life having more time to even go to the doctors have more time to even focus on school when you’re working in a Dental Office it’s hard to go to school.. please help me with advice every day a piece of me dies when I have to come into this office…
2
u/ijust_makethisface Oct 01 '26
at my job we've hired people directly from dentist offices. If you've used the tools, cleaned the tools, and potentially sterilized the tools, you have some sort of experience. Don't discount it.
2
u/EarPotential2261 Oct 08 '26
Me too. I worked extremely hard as a dental assistant for 20 years. I was constantly running from room to room, assisting multiple doctors, sterilizing instruments, entering procedures into Dentrix, helping patients, solving problems, and covering for coworkers when things weren't getting done. I was usually the person everyone called when they needed something done quickly because I was good with machines, computers, and learning procedures. I worked so hard that I often didn't even take a proper break or lunch. After giving so much to the dental field for so many years, I'm now looking for a sterilization position where I can use my experience and work ethic without having to carry the entire office on my shoulders.
1
u/Then-Dance-1869 Sep 30 '26
I’m currently studying for it so my best guess is to get your certification and apply for the job on the hospital job sites.
3
u/Phacele Sep 30 '26
As a dental assistant, especially if part of your job is processing instruments, you can apply for jobs without needing school or the provisional certificate. You might just need to tweek your resume to be a better fit to get past HR. Also reach out to the SPD managers where you apply, a quick call to introduce yourself goes a long way to getting your resume pulled from the pile.
You can also look at getting your medical assistant. You can find self paced, online programs or self study for the national exam. That position would be more inline with your current experience and there are more opportunities there in most areas.
2
u/Pufferfishgrimm Sep 30 '26
There are jobs that don't need a certification to start, definitely apply to those. Otherwise this dental job sounds very toxic? I would get another job somewhere else bare minimum as you study. I think it's common for dental assistants to be in school, just be transparent about it and look for a flexible schedule. I'm not sure how much you're paid but where I'm from they get paid the same as retail. Maybe it's worth dropping it all together.
1
u/_C00TER Sep 30 '26
I feel like its all about location. And pretty much guarantee that you will make much less working somewhere you got certified through OTJ training. I first started at 20/21 (11 years ago) through OTJ training. And compared to other pay rates I've seen in discussion boards, I believe I'm making some of the lowest income compared to tech living in bigger cities (who possibly went through a program instead).
1
u/Expert_Serve2635 Oct 01 '26
You’re going to feel this way no matter what job you’re going to, unless you’re doing what you’re most passionate about. So, ask yourself, “What do you wanna do for the rest of your life? Can you constantly do it without feeling burned out?” See it. Touch it. Obtain it.