A dental assistant performs a variety of patient care, lab and office duties while working alongside dentists to provide assistance, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job includes making patients as comfortable as possible in the dental chair and preparing them for treatment. In addition to transferring hand instruments and materials to dentists, dental assistants also keep patients’ mouths dry and clear by using suction devices.
Dental assisting duties additionally include instructing patients on postoperative and general oral health care. Assistants must wear personal protective equipment, including gowns, gloves, masks and eyewear and typically work in well-lit and clean environments. Dental assistants must have good communication skills, enjoy working with their hands and have good manual dexterity, according to the American Dental Association.
Potential Dental Assisting Duties
Dental assistants can work in solo or group dental practices or in specialty practices such as oral surgery (removal of teeth and treating facial deformities), orthodontics (straightening teeth), endodontics (root canal therapy), periodontics (treatment of gum problems), prosthodontics (replacement of lost teeth) and pediatric dentistry (treatment of children).
Dental Duties:
- Sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment
- Prepare and lay out instruments and materials required to treat each patient
- Obtain patients’ dental records
- Prepare materials for impressions and restorations
- Take and process dental x-rays
- Remove sutures
- Apply topical anesthetics to gums or cavity-preventive agents to teeth
- Remove excess cement used in the filling process
- Place rubber dams on the teeth to isolate them for individual treatment
- Take impressions and make study casts (models) of the teeth and mouth
- Clean and polish removable appliances
- Make temporary crowns
Office Duties:
- Confirm appointments and receive patients
- Keep treatment records
- Send bills and receive payments
- Order dental supplies and materials
Dental Assisting Job Opportunities
The number of dental assisting jobs is expected to grow faster than those of many other occupations in the coming years. That’s because the population is growing, and more middle-aged and older people are retaining their natural teeth. In addition, there’s an increased focus on preventative dental care for younger generations, which will increase demand for dental services.
Dentists also are more likely to use assistants to help perform routine tasks, allowing them to dedicate more of their own time to complex procedures. A number of job openings also will stem from the need to replace dental assistants who transfer to other career fields, retire or leave for other reasons.
Dental Assisting Education
While many assistants receive on-the-job training, many dentists prefer an assistant with experience or training through a dental-assisting program. These programs are available at community colleges, trade schools, technical institutes or the Armed Forces. Programs include classroom and lab instruction as well as practical experience in dental schools and offices and usually take a year or less to complete. While 1-year programs result in a certificate or diploma, 2-year programs lead to an associate degree.
Training can include oral anatomy, health, pathology, dental terminology, microbiology, the names of instruments, dental materials, radiology, practice management and infection control procedures. Different dentists have their own styles of performing duties, so even the assistant with formal education must adapt to each individual office's situation.
Each state also has different standards and requirements for when dental assistants can perform certain advanced duties, or expanded functions, such as placing amalgam (silver) fillings or rubber cup coronal polishing. Programs for entry-level dental assistants require a high school diploma or equivalent, and some even require science or computer-related courses before admitting a student. Those interested in pursuing dental assistance should take high school courses in biology, chemistry, health and office practices.
Dental Assisting Accreditation and Certification
The Commission on Dental Accreditation within the ADA has approved more than 200 dental-assisting training programs. Some states require licensure or registration, which means students must pass a written or practical exam. Other states require assistants to complete state-approved education courses of 4 to 12 hours in length.
Some states register other dental assisting credentials with little or no education required. In addition, other states require assistants undergo continuing education to maintain their licensure or registration. Certification is available through the Dental Assisting National Board and acknowledges an assistant’s professional competence, although it’s not always required to work as an assistant. Assistants usually qualify for the exam by graduating from an ADA-accredited program or having 2 years of full-time/4 years of part-time experience.
Assistants must maintain current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and might have to earn continuing education credits for annual recertification. Some dental assistants advance to becoming office managers or instructors, while others become dental product sales representatives or insurance claims processors for dental insurance companies. Meanwhile, others return to school to become hygienists.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics (Retrieved 2 October 2009). “Dental Assistants”
American Dental Association (Retrieved 2 October 2009). “Dental Team Careers: Dental Assistant”
Related Reading:
How to Get Back to Basics to Whiten Teeth
How to Become a Medical Assistant
YaShekia King - From the ripe age of 7, YaShekia King knew she wanted to be a writer and author. She has since obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from ...
