Duties of a Dental Assistant

Dental assistants provide patient care and chair-side support as dentists complete exams and procedures. Most visibly, people may see dental assistant’s passing instruments, but that’s just the beginning of their technical skills. Other technical duties of a dental assistant include:

• Assisting with dental procedures such as fillings, crowns, and extractions
• Taking & pouring dental impressions (molds of the mouth)
• Preparing patients for surgery
• Operating equipment and monitors
• Talking with patients
• Performing administrative tasks
• Preparing examination areas
• Cleaning up after procedures
• Sterilizing equipment

Dental assistants can perform some polishing or explain proper dental hygiene to patients, but most often, their patient contact occurs when working with a dentist on procedures that could benefit from extra help. Dental assistants differ from dental hygienists in that dental hygienists perform much more unsupervised work on patients.

Skills Needed to Be a Dental Assistant

If you’ve decided to pursue a career in dentistry, you may be wondering, “what does it take to be a dental assistant?” Because the duties are so broad, there are a variety of skills you need.

Technical Skills

One of the primary jobs of  dental assistants is to help dentists perform procedures. Dental assistants work closely with dentists to perform tasks such as fillings, crowns, and other procedures. Some technical skills needed include:

• Knowledge of advanced dental procedures in order to anticipate the order of operations
• Ability to take X-rays, blood pressure readings, and dental impressions
• Knowledge of dental materials and maintaining equipment
• Ability to spot a dental emergency

Legally, a dental assistant needs to know CPR in order to respond in an emergency as well.

To be allowed to do more advanced functions, such as taking x-rays or performing coronal polishes, many states require dental assistants to be licensed or certified, and those requirements vary by state.

People Skills

Not everybody loves going to the dentist. A dental assistant is often the first face that patients see when they walk through the door, so you need to be friendly and compassionate. That’s why good people skills are so important. You’re going to have to:

• Settle patients in and prepare them for their check-up, surgery or procedure
• Ask about their medical history
• Be a good listener
• Help patients feel comfortable before, during, and after treatment
• Be a good communicator, as you’ll provide oral hygiene and care instructions after procedures or surgery

Admin Skills

A lot of jobs come with administration duties, and this one is no different. On top of your technical abilities and people skills, you’ll be asked to do a variety of admin tasks on a daily basis. The scope of those tasks will vary from office to office, but could include:

• Performing office management tasks, including computer-based work
• Communicating with patients to schedule appointments, make reminder calls, and even sorting out billing issues
• Monitoring and ordering supplies when needed

How to Become a Dental Assistant

Shark Dental Academy offers one of the quickest paths to becoming a dental assistant. This is where you will learn the appropriate technical skills required for the job. Other dental assisting programs can take between one and two years to complete, depending on if the desired outcome is a certificate, diploma, or associate’s degree. With our unique curriculum focused on the practical skills of the dental assisting, you will earn a diploma of dental assisting in only 14 weeks!

After your education, Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) licensure is required in 39 states. It’s a multiple choice exam which tests your knowledge of radiation and sterilization safety in a dental office. After you pass that exam, along with the diploma from our school, you will be ready to work in the field!

Dental Assistant Career Information

Dental Assisting is forecast to be one of the fastest growing healthcare occupations in the coming years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 11% from 2018 to 2028, meaning the job outlook is much faster than the average for all occupations. The national median annual salary was $38,660 in May 2018.2 For regional data check the BLS website (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319091.htm). Earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area.