Work As A Dental Assistant
Without dental assistants, patients wouldn’t be as comfortable or informed as they could be, and dentists would have a much harder time doing their job. The Dental Assistant works in multiple areas of the clinic, assisting the dentist and ensuring all procedures run smoothly. This requires a large degree of interpersonal skills to guide patients through their appointments and assure them that they’re in good hands.
In many cases, the dental assistant serves as another set of hands to the dentist, making sure the mouth is clear and all of the needed tools are available.
Dental assistants work to create a welcoming environment for patients, make the patient experience better, and also create a welcoming work environment for the staff.
Responsibilities
- Learning about the patient’s medical history, problems, and current health
- Recording patient vitals like resting pulse rate and blood pressure
- Taking X-rays and developing the results
- Preparing and sterilizing the equipment required for each procedure
- Making patients feel comfortable before and during the procedure
- Setting up appointments and follow-up checks
- Instructing the patient on post-op care and treatment
- Taking impressions or molds of teeth
- Assisting the dentist throughout procedures to keep the mouth clear
- Handing the dentist different tools and using equipment to keep the patient comfortable
- Teaching hygiene best practices to children and adults
- Working with a variety of patients from different income levels, age, and hygienic history
Skills
- Visual Knowledge – The ability to distinguish normal from abnormal spots in the mouth and effects on procedures.
- Sterilization Knowledge – Dental assistants need to reduce the risk of infection by sterilizing all tools used on the patient.
- X-Rays – The dental assistant needs to know how to take and process X-rays while keeping the patient calm and comfortable.
- Dental Impressions – The dental assistant should be able to take impressions for braces or case studies.
- Hand-eye coordination – Without bumping the dentist, the assistant should be able to pick up and hand over tools throughout the procedure.
- Communication – Speaking clearly to the dentist and the patient is crucial for both parties to understand the risks of the procedures and the specific needs of the patient.
- Listening – Dental assistants should be able to listen to their patients’ problems or feedback from the dentist and understand what should be done.
- Interpersonal skills – Smart dental assistants will be able to comfort patients and make them feel less nervous in the dentist’s chair with strong relationship-building skills.
- Organization – Dental assistants need to be organized and should be able to handle administrative tasks like setting up appointments and printing reminder notices.
- Office programs – A basic understanding of Microsoft Office and specific software for scheduling and processing medical records is a must for dental assistants.
If you think you would enjoy working with patients and learning from the dentists you work with, consider applying for a dental assistant career with Optimum Care Dental Clinic, send us your resume.