What Dental Assistants Do

Duties of a Dental Assistant

Is it just me, or do you always see the dental assistant more than the dentist when you go to check on your pearly whites? You may ask yourself, what all do these wonderful people do? (Maybe even I want to be one?) Well, dental assistants perform a wide variety of tasks. Including:

• • Answering questions from patients before an appointment
  • Preparing patients for procedures by giving instructions and making them comfortable
  • Sterilizing dental equipment and instruments, and storing for easy access
  • Assisting the dentist with x-rays
  • Assisting with lab work
  • Keeping patient records
  • Scheduling follow-up appointments
  • Assisting with invoicing and billing needs
  • Teaching patients proper dental care and dental hygiene
  • Helping the dentist with their procedures, including getting supplies, passing instruments, and keeping the mouth of the patient dry with a suction tube
  • Preparing the exam room for the dentist by ensuring it’s stocked and organized

• Dental assistants are also able to receive expanded functions such as coronal polishing, sealant application and nitrous oxide monitoring after six months in the field.

I think it is safe to say that dental offices would not be the same without dental assistants. What’s your least/most favorite part of going to the dentist?