A day in the life of a dental assistant

Dental assistants are in high demand in dental offices and they perform many of the tasks that are crucial to successful operation of the business. Many dental assistants’ duties are determined by the dentist in whose office they work, so the average work day varies by office. A majority of dental assistants perform a combination of patient care, office maintenance and laboratory duties.

Just a few examples of typical responsibilities are:

• Sterilizing and disinfecting instruments
• Making patients comfortable before their treatments
• Handing instruments and materials to the dentist during procedures
• Keeping the patient’s mouth clear and dry during procedures
• Making impressions and casts of teeth
• Taking x-rays
• Scheduling and confirming patient appointments

While lying in the dental chair, waiting for the procedure to begin, patients are likely to agree that dental assistants contribute greatly to their comfort and peace of mind. As dental practices grow and it requires more work to maintain them, dental assistants will be vital assets in successful practices. Their dedication to the job allows dentists to complete procedures as efficiently as possible. Dentists have more time to devote to better patient care when dental assistants manage the organizational needs of a dental practice.