The job of a dental assistant comprises of multiple functions in a dentist's office. It may be clerical as he handles filing and organization of patient's dental records for easy reference and retrieval as the need arises. It also the assistants' responsibility to schedule appointments, prepare bills and receive payments from patients, complete insurance forms and retrieve patients files during consultations. He must also be able to perform inventory functions for accounting and maintaining adequacy of office and dental supplies.
Assistants perform chair-side duties by preparing the patient for the dentist's examination making sure that the patients are comfortable and help in keeping them calm. He assist the dentist by handing proper materials and tools and operating suction hose to keep the patient's mouth dry so the dentist can properly work on it. He must also possess knowledge in handling medical equipments like X-ray machines and sterilizing instruments and tools. He must also have the capability to make impressions of a patient's mouth and teeth and mix compounds for cleaning or filling teeth. Sometimes, experienced assistants perform procedures like removing sutures, applying anesthetics to gum and removing excess cement compound used in the filling process but of course under the dentist's supervision.
The position of a assistant does not require high educational background and a high school diploma is enough as the skills may be acquired in the job. However, those who want to pursue work in this position must have good mental capability and excellent communication skills as the job entails multi-tasking ability and inter personal capacity. It would be beneficial also to obtain a certification from dental assisting programs as offered in some colleges, vocational schools and technical institutes. Continuous education and trainings may lead not only to better job opportunities but also for career advancement towards dental hygienist or dental laboratory technician.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
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