Dental Assistant FAQ

What is a Dental Assistants?

Dental Assistants are multi-skilled professionals that provide patient care, laboratory and dental office functions.

What Does a Dental Assistant Do?

The exact jobs Dental Assistants may perform will vary from state to state depending on State Law and Dental Association Rules and Regulations. Generally, the dental assistant’s job duties may include preparing patients for exams and dental procedures, sterilizing and disinfecting instruments, preparing dental instrument trays, preparing materials for dental impressions, taking x-rays, and performing other procedures under the direct supervision of the dentist.

Dental Assistants often work chairside assisting the dentist with instruments, providing patient suction, applying decay-preventive material to the teeth, making impressions, caring for and repairing removable dentures and instructing patients on postoperative and general oral health care. Most dentist offices have a dental assistant appointed to be in charge of infection control measures, and compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulations.

Dental front and back office duties may include appointment scheduling, welcoming patients, maintaining treatment records, patient billing and receivables, ordering and maintaining dental supplies and materials.