A Day in the Life of a Dental Assistant
1) Interacting with Patients
For starters, dental assistants spend a large part of their day interacting with patients. These interactions can take place in many forms, such as educating patients about proper oral hygiene, providing post-op information, and scheduling follow-up appointments.
2) Performing Dental Procedures
Dental assistants frequently complete specific procedures solo, such as coronal polishing, fluoride applications, and administering a topical anesthetic to patients to prep for dental treatments. However, for more advanced procedures such as fillings, tooth extractions, and root canals, dental assistants will be present to "assist" the dentist by passing them instruments, sterilizing tools, etc.
3) Taking X-rays
Dental X-rays are utilized to diagnose and treat dental conditions. From identifying cavities to monitoring developing teeth, X-rays help assess what's happening in a patient's mouth to ensure that proper steps are taken for further treatment.
4) Using Dental Instruments
While dentists use a large assortment of instruments to treat patients, dental assistants are trained to use many of the basic instruments, including cotton pliers, mouth mirrors, saliva ejectors, and many more.
5) Performing Administrative Tasks
In smaller offices, dental assistants often perform administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, answering the phone, handling billing and insurance matters, and ordering supplies. In larger practices, they may also strive to stay on top of daily reports from the lab and digitize X-rays or patient images.
As you can see, there's quite a bit that goes into the life of a dental assistant! Not everyone is qualified to handle these responsibilities, so if this sounds like something you might enjoy then consider enrolling in a 10-week dental assistant program today!
Dental Assisting Institute has served Central Florida since 2000. We offer a 10-week entry-level dental assistant training program, or for those dental assistants who already have on-the-job training, we offer CPR classes, Florida X-ray & EFDA certification classes in just one day!
Dental Assisting Institute Inc.
4326 Park Blvd. N.
Suite C-West
Pinellas Park, Florida 33781
(727) 547-4899
http://www.dai-fl.com/
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