Dental assistant

                          DENTAL ASSISTANT

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prepares treatment room for patient by following prescribed procedures and protocols.
• Prepares patient for dental treatment by welcoming, comforting, seating, and draping patient.
• Provides information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
• Provides instrumentation by sterilizing and delivering instruments to treatment area; positioning instruments for dentist's access; suctioning; passing instruments.
• Provides materials by selecting, mixing, and placing materials on instruments and in the patients mouth.
• Provides diagnostic information by exposing and developing radio graphic studies; pouring, trimming, and polishing study casts.
• Maintains patient appearance and ability to masticate by fabricating temporary restorations; cleaning and polishing removable appliances.
• Helps dentist manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drug and oxygen supply, and emergency telephone directory.

• Educates patients by giving oral hygiene, plaque control, and postoperative instructions.

Salary:$25,000-$55,000


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.

 

Reflection: I would not like to be a dental assistant soon enough because i already am always terrified to go to the dentist.