Dental Assistant, Dental Assisting, Job Description
Posted on July 25, 2013 Written by Cathy AllenDental Assistant
A Dental Assistant is a vital member of the dental health team. As a dental assistant, you will enjoy a broad range of exciting and challenging duties.
The main duties include:
- Chairside Assistant: Assists the dentist in providing dental treatment.
- Prepares and maintains dental instruments, supplies and equipment.
- Collects and records patient health histories
- Patient management during dental procedures
- Instrument transfer
- Dental procedure isolation techniques
- Prepares dental materials cements, amalgam, composite, impression materials, etc...
- Dental charting
- Supervises prevention and management of dental medical emergencies
- Inventory control and management
- Patient and Community Educator
- Delivers patient personal oral care instructions
- Delivers community dental health presentations
- Plans, assembles and mans health fair booths
Registered Dental Assistants with Expanded Functions: RDAEF
Dental assistants may be trained to perform a special group of duties called expanded functions. Expanded functions are dental procedures that may be performed independently by a Registered Dental Assistant.
- Chairside Assistant
- Takes dental x-rays
- Polishes the teeth to remove stains and soft deposits
- Applies topical fluoride treatments
- Takes impressions and bite registrations
- Applies pit and fissure sealants
- Places and removes periodontal dressings
- Removes surgical sutures
- Pre-selection of orthodontic bands
- Places and removes orthodontic ligature ties, placing orthodontic separators
- Adaptation of temporary crowns
- Places topical medications
- Removes excess cement from fabricated restorations and orthodontic bands
Dental Laboratory Procedures
- Pours impressions to make stone and plaster models Trims models
- Fabricates mouth guards, temporary crowns, custom impression trays.
- Prepares casting models and dies
- Fabricates orthodontic retainers and other appliances
NOTE: Expanded functions are regulated by each state. Please contact your state for specific Expanded Functions http://www.danb.org/main/statespecificinfo.asp
Sterilization Assistant
- Manages the dental office infection control plan to meet OSHA, CDC and standards.
- Handles instrument cleaning, sterilization/disinfection, and re-circulation
- Performs dental treatment room disinfection
