What Does A Dental Assistant Do?

A dental assistant can be viewed as an extra set of hands for the dentist or dental surgeon. Anyone serving as a dental assistant in a dental clinic will find that the role will offer them a wide variety of duties that are challenging and provide them with dynamic and invigorating work. This article will discuss the requirements of a dental assistant and what duties they may be expected to perform.

The chief requirement of a dental assistant is that they possess excellent "chair assisting skills". This means that they need to be able to: prepare and maintain dental instruments, supplies and equipment; collect and record patients' health histories; manage patients during dental procedures; swiftly transfer required instruments from the tray to the dentist; prepare dental materials such as composites, amalgams and cements; know and use dental procedure isolation techniques; handle dental charts; prevent and manage dental emergencies; manage and control dental inventory.

A dental assistant may also be required to perform "expanded functions" which may involve duties such as: placing and removing rubber dams, matrices and wedges; applying cavity liners and bases; placing, condensing, carving and contouring amalgam restorations; and placing and finishing composite resin restorations, including sealant material.

However, the term "expanded functions" also means that under the law a dental assistant is forbidden from doing certain things such as: examining, diagnosing or planning dental treatment; cutting any hard or soft tissue; prescribing medicines, drugs or lab authorizations; performing pulpotomy, pulp capping or any other endodontic procedure; performing final placement of fixed or removable dental prosthetic appliances; administering anesthesia; and taking impressions other than those intended for diagnostic casts and study models.

Whatever a dental assistant is authorized to do under the banner of "expanded functions" has to be done under the direct supervision of a dentist or in a dental facility; meaning that the dentist herself has to diagnose the patient's condition, prescribe treatment and authorize the procedure, as well as remain in the dental office as the expanded function dental assistant directs the procedure. The dentist is required to evaluate the work performed by the dental assistant before the patient is dismissed.

In addition, a dental assistant should know and be able to carry out dental infection control procedures. These procedures include dental office infection control plan management to conform to CDC, OSHA and ADA standards. Other parameters requiring expertise include sterilization, disinfection, instrument cleaning and dental treatment room disinfection.

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