Dental assistants provide support functions for dentists including assisting with dental procedures, lab work and office functions.
When helping with patient's dental procedures, a dental assistant may be involved with:
- Preparing dental instruments
- Gathering patient's dental records
- Handing instruments to the dentist during patient procedures
- Keeping the patient's mouth dry during procedures
- Instructing patients on proper oral healthcare
- Taking and preparing x-rays
- Applying anesthetics
Lab duties of dental assistants include making casts of teeth, creating temporary crowns and cleaning dental prosthetics.
Office support includes scheduling appointments, receiving patients in the office, billing, ordering supplies and keeping patient records.
Most dental assistants work in dentist's offices. A small portion may work in hospitals or doctor's offices. Similar to dental hygienists, up to one third of dental assistants work part-time.
Training to be a dental assistant is a great way to get into the healthcare field. It offers a great employment outlook, but additional education is needed to get into more lucrative jobs.
