Dental Assistants are responsible for a variety of duties, including working alongside dentists during examination and treatment of patients. Seeing to patient comfortable, obtaining dental records, and preparing patients for treatment are frequently the major duties of a Dental Assistant.

Dental Assistants may be responsible for sterilizing instruments, preparing trays procedures, and instructing patients on postoperative oral health. Taking dental x-rays and processing film, removing sutures, applying topical anesthetics, preparing materials for impressions, and performing some laboratory functions may be included in a Dental Assistant's duties. Dental Assistants will be trained in and responsible for safety procedures that minimize risks associated with oral care and use of x-ray machines.

Office duties for a Dental Assistant may include scheduling appointments, keeping records, ordering and stocking supplies and materials, processing insurance claims, and even billing and receiving.

Course work to become a Dental Assistant will include dental terminology, anatomy, preventive care, nutrition, diseases, pathology, radiology, anesthesiology, and patient interaction. Students can expect to be required to get practical experience in clinics or dental offices before certification. Dental Schools offering degrees often provide settings for Dental Assistant experience in their own dental offices.

Dental Office Administration Below

Missouri College (St. Louis, MO)
A dental office administrative assistant will find employment in group practices and private offices with periodontists, orthodontists, perfectionists, oral surgeons, general dentists and dental insurance companies. The graduate will be able to combine the skills of a dental assistant graduate with those of a computer office assistant. Graduates will become accomplished in the skills needed for the smooth operation of a modem dental office, with emphasis on the computer as the major tool. Our degree and diploma programs* are offered in a variety of specialties within the Business, Health Care, Information Technology (IT), Massage Therapy, and Visual Communications industries.

Also See: Dental Assisting Schools and Colleges