Dental assistants assist the dentist in providing dental treatment. They
call this "working at chair-side."
Their tasks include preparing the patient for treatment and preparing the
treatment room. Dental assistants also maintain the instruments and prepare
the materials the dentist uses.
Marlene Robinson is the executive director of a dental assistants' association.
She says the work is like a nurse assisting a surgeon. "We keep the field
of operation clear so the dentist can see whatever he is working on."
Dental assistants also take steps to prevent infection from developing
or spreading.
Dental assistants provide the patient with education and information. They
talk about what the dental treatment is all about and what the dentist will
do. They explain proper oral hygiene. Oral hygiene means keeping the teeth
clean to prevent decay and other dental problems. "Good communication is
paramount," says Robinson.
Besides assisting the dentist at chair-side, qualified dental assistants
provide independent patient care. They take molds of teeth, do checkups with
children, take x-rays, polish teeth, apply varnishes or desensitizing materials
to the teeth, and apply sealants. Sealants help prevent tooth decay while
a child's teeth are forming.
In many dental practices, dental assistants also work at the front desk.
They perform office management tasks. This includes scheduling appointments,
keeping the books, billing patients, sending claims to insurance companies,
ordering supplies and so on. Those with additional training might do specialized
work such as assisting dental surgeons.
Each state has individual regulations and restrictions regarding this profession.
A dental assistant's tasks may differ from location to location. The name
may differ also.
Dental assistants can be credentialed or not credentialed. Credentialed
workers have completed training and demonstrated certain skills. In the U.S.,
credentialed assistants are allowed to perform tasks that non-credentialed
workers cannot perform.
Miriam Swartz is a dental assistant who graduated from an accredited program.
She is the president of the Massachusetts Dental Assistants Association and
has been a member of the American Dental Assistants Association for 30 years.
Swartz says that many dental assistants work in large dental practices with
more than one dentist. Fewer numbers work in a one-dentist office. Swartz
adds that the military employs a great many dental assistants.
Working hours vary. Some dental practices open during regular business
hours. Other dental practices, such as those located in shopping malls, stay
open in the evening and on weekends.
Many dental assistant jobs are part-time jobs. Some dental assistants work
at two part-time jobs.
Swartz says there are other opportunities for experienced dental assistants.
"You don't necessarily have to do chair-side," she remarks "You can advance
and expand and stay in the dental field but do other things."
According to Robinson, dental assistants can also assist dental researchers,
work for dental supply companies doing sales or other jobs, teach dental assisting
or work for community health. A few are private consultants.
Some dental assistants work for temporary employment agencies. They provide
temporary services to dental practices, perhaps filling in for a vacationing
employee.
All agree that a person with a physical disability would have difficulty
performing the chair-side work. Wheelchairs do not usually fit in the chair
space, and dental assistants move around while they are working with a patient.
A person with a disability could work at the front desk. However, finding
a job that did not require chair-side work could be challenging.