Dental assistant duties are a mix of patient care, routine office work, and laboratory tasks. Those who are interested in dental assisting need to be reliable, need to be able to work well with others, and need to have good manual dexterity. The work environment for dental assistants is usually well lighted and clean. Their actual work space is near the dental chair. Some common routine dental assistant duties involve arranging instruments for dental procedures, ordering necessary materials, and laying out medicine for the dentist to use on the patient.
Dental assistant are required to follow safety methods in order to reduce risks. They need to wear protective clothing to reduce risk from the use of x ray machines and provide protective wear for patients at risk as well. They are required to wear gloves, eyewear, and protective clothing that to reduce the risk of infectious diseases. This helps protect both the dental assistant and the patients. Dental assistants work in a position that requires them to stand on their feet for a prolonged period of time. Therefore, it is recommended that they wear sturdy and comfortable shoes.
Patient Care Duties
Routine dental assistant duties involve working closely with the dentist by sterilizing and disinfecting instruments and equipment. Their responsibilities include recording patient information and maintaining patient records. They work directly with the patients to prepare them for procedures. They also make sure that patients are comfortable in the dental chair. One of their main duties is to assist the dentist during dental procedures. Dental assistant duties include handing instruments to the dentist and making sure that the patient’s mouth is dry and clear. They also provide instruction to patients on general oral healthcare and provide them with instructions for post operation care
Other dental assistant duties involving patient care include preparing patients for treatment, removing sutures, applying anesthetics to gums and applying cavity-preventative agents to teeth. Some dental assistants also are required to remove excess cement that is used during the filling process. They also are required to place rubber dams on the teeth to isolate them for individual treatment. Depending on the office, the dental assistant duties may include preparation of materials for making impressions and restorations along with processing dental x ray film.
Laboratory Duties
Depending on the requirements of the state, dental assistant duties may include some actual laboratory duties. Dental assistants with special licensing may have laboratory duties that may include preparing materials for impressions and restorations, processing dental x rays, making casts of teeth and mouth, cleaning and polishing removable appliances, and even making temporary crowns.
Those who have special licensing and experience may have extra dental assistant duties that include more involved procedures. These procedures may include such things as coronal polishing and restorative dentistry.
Office Duties
On an average day in a dental office, the dental assistant duties include office work. These office duties include scheduling appointments, confirming appointments, receiving patients, keeping treatment records, maintaining patient records, sending bills, receiving payments, and ordering office supplies.
