Dental Assistant Duties
What Are Dental Assistant Duties
If you are interested in becoming a dental assistant, there are many dental assistant duties that you should be aware of. Of course, when you go to school in order launch a career in this field, you will learn more about dental assistant duties. Nonetheless, it is a good idea to have an understanding of dental assistant duties before you apply to dental school. That way, you can better determine whether or not this career is the right choice for you.
The most basic of the dental assistant duties is to assist the dentist in any way he or she needs. As such, dental assistant duties may vary quite substantially from one dentist's office to the next. In addition, state regulations may have an impact on the dental assistant duties you can expect to perform. For example, in some states, dental assistants are not permitted to take x-rays while other states allow dental assistants to take them and to develop them for the dentist.
Since dental assistant duties involve helping the dentist in any way he or she needs, these duties can range from answering phones and maintaining patient records all the way to cleaning patient's teeth. In many offices, however, multiple dental assistants are on duty at a given time. One of these assistants may focus more on the paperwork aspect of the job while the others may work more closely with the patients and their oral care.
In many cases, dental assistant duties involve cleaning the patient's teeth in preparation for the dentist’s examination. Dental assistant duties may also involve educating the patient about how to properly care for his or her teeth.
Dental assistant duties may also involve helping the dentist while performing surgical procedures. In this case, the dental assistant duties are mostly limited to handing the dentist tools and ensuring the patient’s mouth is free of debris. In this way, the dentist can perform his or her duties in a more efficient and effective manner while keeping the patient safe.
