Duties of a Dental Assistant
Thinking of becoming a dental assistant? Dental assisting can be a very rewarding career. As a dental assistant, you’ll have the opportunity to help people, perform dental procedures, have flexible work hours, earn a competitive salary, and work almost anywhere!
The field of dental assisting is in high demand and there are dental offices almost anywhere you go. This career path has many benefits.
Working as an assistant in a dental office can mean performing all sorts of tasks. Familiarize yourself with the duties of the dental assistant to determine if this is the right career path for you.
- Assist the dentist in treatments and procedures—dental assistants assist dentists, which means that they learn and help with all dental procedures and treatments. This could include anything from routine cleaning to oral surgery.
- Taking and developing x-rays—when a new patient comes into the office, they will need x-rays done to determine their oral health and potential needs. In cases of tooth damage, x-rays may also need to be done.
- Getting patients’ medical history information and recording it—dentist assistants often get medical information from patients and keep patients records.
- Sterilizing and prepping instruments and equipment before procedures and treatments—before treatments and procedures, dental assistants are often required to sterilize and prepare all instruments and equipment.
- Educating patients on oral hygiene practices such as brushing and flossing—dental assistants spend a lot of time with patients. Whether young or old, many patients need education or a refresher on proper oral hygiene practices. This will help them to form good habits to improve their overall oral health.
- Take impressions of patients’ teeth—patients often need impression taken for orthodontic work, retainers, and other producers. This is usually done by a dental assistant.
- Help patients to feel comfortable—dental assistants spend a lot of time with their patients. Dental assistants can help patients feel at ease before, during, and after procedures.
- Performing office management tasks—many dental assistants schedule appointments, answer phone calls, ordering supplies, and perform other office management tasks. This will differ based on the office you’re working in.
- Taking patients’ insurance information down and dealing with billing—many dental assistants perform tasks that deal with insurance and billing. This may include collecting information, issuing statements, contacting insurance companies, contacting patients, and more.
- Provide direct patient care in all specialties—dental assistants work in all kinds of dental work, including orthodontics, pediatric, periodontics, and oral surgery. They can get a chance to learn under each specialty and assist in patient care and procedures.
If you’re interested in becoming a dental assistant, learn more about this exciting career path at Dental Essentials School of Dental Assisting.