Dental assistant

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Dental assistants help the dental operator (dentist or other treating dental auxiliary) provide more efficient dental treatment. Dental operators can focus more time on providing treatment when assistants oversee the necessary but menial tasks, and by effectively becoming the operator's extra hands.

1 Duties
- 1.1 Traditional duties
- 1.2 Extended duties
2 See also

[edit] Duties

The limitations to the duties dental assistants can perform is often regulated by the local dental governing body. Increasingly more assistant duties are being made legitimate to allow dental operators to focus more on dental treatment.

[edit] Traditional duties

Traditionally, tasks which dental operators require of an assistant include:

assisting the dental operator by holding and passing instruments
retracting tissues and suctioning to assist better vision of the operating field
retrieving, setting up and laying out dental equipment and dental instruments
mixing materials
sterilizing dental instruments and equipment
developing dental radiographs
charting for the dental operator
exposing radiographs

General surgery maintenance is also usually included such as mopping floors, cleaning surfaces and the cabinetry.

[edit] Extended duties

Other extended duties, many depending on local dental regulations, can include:

dental lab work, such as pouring & trimming models
filing charts
appointment scheduling
maintaining dental record keeping
taking impressions
giving post-op instructions
making temporary crowns
manage patient welfare
educate patients on oral health
complete procedures started by dentists
pack gingival retraction cord for accurate impressions
ordering dental supplies for office
placing dental sealants
rubber-cup prophy for patients

[edit] See also

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