Dental Assistant Careers

By allied health world contributing writer
Published: January 12th, 2010

How does a dental assistant’s role differ from that of a dental hygienist?

A dental assistant does not spend much one-on-one time with patients. Rather than being involved in the cleaning and maintenance of the teeth like hygienists, assistants help dentists with the restorative side of dentistry. While laws in each state vary, dental assistants do not typically have to be certified because they are under the direct supervision of dentists. On the job training is usually sufficient.

Learn more about dental assistant training.

Do all dentists have dental assistants?

It can depend on the specific office and how busy they are but most offices have at least two assistants (sometimes more) for each dentist.

What other professionals do dental assistants come in contact with?

Dental assistants first and foremost work side-by-side with dentists. They set up their equipment and tools as necessary and transfer these to the dentist during dental procedures. Assistants also work frequently with those individuals who work at the front desk and make appointments, handle billing and insurance. Dental assistants also communicate with other dentists or orthodontists who may have already started work on a patient and need to be consulted. For instance, if a patient moves from another state while in the middle of treatment, or if a patient has braces, copies of their x-rays and other records may be needed.

Learn more about dental assistant salary.

Which tasks are within a dental assistant’s realm of practice?

While the actual duties a dental assistant is able to perform can vary by state, the following are examples of one state’s tasks a dental assistant is able to perform. Whether a dental assistant performs these or they are handled by another professional in the office, such a hygienist, is dependent on the specific office.

Perform mouth mirror inspection of the oral cavity
Chart existing restorations or conditions
Phone in prescriptions at the direction of the dentist
Receive and prepare patients for treatment, including seating, positioning chair, and placing napkin
Complete laboratory authorization forms
Place and remove retraction cord
Perform routine maintenance of dental equipment
Monitor and respond to postsurgical bleeding
Perform coronal polishing procedures
Place amalgam for condensation by the dentist
Remove sutures
Dry canals
Tie in archwires
Apply topical fluoride
Select and manipulate gypsums and waxes
Perform supragingival scaling
Mix dental materials
Expose radiographs
Evaluate radiographs for diagnostic quality
Provide patient preventive education and oral hygiene instruction
Perform sterilization and disinfection procedures
Provide pre and post-operative instructions
Place and remove dental dam
Pour, trim, and evaluate the quality of diagnostic casts
Size and place orthodontic bands and brackets
Assist with basic restorative procedures, including prosthodontics and restorative dentistry
Place, cure and finish composite resin restorations
Place liners and bases
Place periodontal dressings
Take and record vital signs
Clean and polish removable appliances and prostheses
Apply pit and fissure sealants
Prepare procedural trays/armamentaria set-ups
Place orthodontic separators
Size and fit stainless steel crowns
Take impressions
Place and remove matrix bands
Fabricate and place temporary crowns
Maintain field of operation during dental procedures through the use of retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing and removing cotton rolls, etc.
Perform vitality tests
Place temporary fillings
Carve amalgams
Process, mount and label dental radiographs
Remove temporary crowns and cements
Remove temporary fillings
Apply topical anesthetic to the injection site
Monitor nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia
Maintain emergency kit
Remove permanent cement from supragingival surfaces
Remove periodontal dressings
Fabricate custom trays, to include impression and bleaching trays, and athletic mouthguards
Recognize and respond to basic medical and dental emergencies
Remove post-extraction dressings
Place stainless steel crown