Dental Assistant

Duties and Responsibilities: The dental assistant is a multi-skilled member of the dental health team, dedicated to assisting the dentist with all phases of dentistry. Dental Assistants may perform any of the following:

• seating patients in the treatment area
• passing requested instruments to the dentist during dental procedures
• sterilization and preparation of instruments
• taking impressions of teeth for study models
• polishing clinical crowns
• exposing and developing X-rays
• providing assistance in the office with tasks such as appointment scheduling, record keeping, telephone management, and billing
• ordering supplies
• serve as office manager or receptionist, greeting patients and introducing patients to the dental practice
• manage the business aspect of dentistry including bookkeeping, accounting, and money management
• manage patient records, filing, and recall systems
• assist the dentist directly at chairside with operative, oral surgery, orthodontic, and a wide range of other procedures
• provide oral hygiene instructions, preventive dentistry & dietary counseling
• perform the expanded functions legally authorized in the state of Florida
• take x-rays, impressions, and apply fluoride and sealants
• assist with patient management by working with a wide range of population groups
• perform laboratory functions such as pouring & trimming models, constructing custom trays and fabricating temporary crowns and bridges
• assist with implementation and documentation of current infection control standards

Education: It takes a relatively short period of time to become a dental assistant. Dental assistants receive their formal education through academic programs at community colleges, vocational schools, technical institutes, universities or dental schools. Graduates of these programs usually receive certificates. Although the majority of academic dental assisting programs take nine to eleven months to complete, some schools offer accelerated training, part-time education programs or training via distance education.

Salary: $34,500

Reflection: I think I would like to be a dental assistant because you just have to help the dentist with their patient and if they help getting any think or need help doing the operation the dental assistant can help them.