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Article ID: 16616
Title: Dental Assistant Duties
By: Courtney Ramirez

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Dental Assistant Duties

dental assistant

Certified dental assistant duties include many of the daily tasks in a dentist’s office. They can work in private dental offices or large dentistry centers. Certified dental assistants can also go on to teach other dental assistants in schools and training programs.

Duties Of The Certified Dental Assistant
Certified dental assistants are trained dental professionals who assist dentists with helping patients. After completing their coursework at dental assistant school, they provide a variety of support functions in a dental office. Certified assistants have passed a certification test with the Dental Assisting National Board. This certification is recognized in more than 30 states. They shouldn’t be confused with dental hygienists, who take care of patients’ teeth with cleaning procedures.

Dental Assistants And Patients
When it comes to patients, dental assistants are primarily responsible for keeping patients comfortable and handling their records. With new patients, the dental assistant will take the patient’s history and introduce them to the basic office procedures.

Dental assistants will escort the patient to the dentist chair and get them ready for the treatment. They will get the equipment ready for dental procedure and will place the protective bib on the patient.

After the dental treatment, the dental assistant will give patients instruction on any post procedure care. He will also instruct patients on basic dental hygiene, like brushing and flossing.

Dental Assistants And Dentists
The main portion of the dental assistant’s job will be assisting the dentist with dental procedures. This will include several pre-procedure duties, including making sure the dental instruments are clean and prepared for use. In addition, the dental assistant may apply topical anesthetic to the patients’ gums or place rubber dams around teeth that need to be isolated for procedures.

During dental procedures, a dental assistant will act like an extra set of hands for the dentist. The assistant will hand the dentist tools when she needs them. During the examination, the dental assistant will use the suction tool to keep the patient’s mouth free of saliva. Post-procedure, a dental assistant may remove sutures and excess cement used in the procedures.