What’s the scope on dental assistants? In a simple answer, dental assistants are the one who assist the dentist every time there are dental procedures while maintaining the high standards of dental practice.

Patient care and office duties are usually the services given by dental assistants. The services of assistants is to assist the dentist during the procedure, developing x-ray of patients, preparing the patient before a treatment, preparing the materials when making impressions, disinfecting and sterilizing equipment and instruments, preparing the materials needed for the treatment of each patient. In terms of office duties, a dental assistant must obtain and maintain records, schedule the patients for a smooth flow of service, prepare the billing statements, handle the payments properly, and monitor the instruments and equipment needed in the office.

Laboratory works can also be done by dental assistants as long as they have undergone training to do lab works such as making temporary crowns and making dental cases. There are some instances that dentists delegate the removal of sutures, putting cavity preventive agents on the teeth and anesthetics on the gums. Dental assistants need to maintain and monitor tools when the procedure is going on. Instructing patients about general oral healthcare and postoperative care can also be done by Dental assistants.

The working environment of a dental assistant is solely on Dentist’s office, aiding the dentist with its practice. The responsibility is quite big right? But don’t worry because in terms of salary, dental assistants are well compensated with their work. With the help of a dental assistant, the dentist can focus on the more expensive procedures and treatment and you can see that its demand will grow more in the future.

What skills should a dental assistant should have in order to be successful?

It is very important that you are reliable enough for the work involved, as well as being a team player and having the ability to work with other people. A dental assistant is under the supervision of his or her boss which is the dentist and considered to be very important in the office team.

For an entry-level assistant, there are no formal training required. Though there are some institutions which offer dental assisting programs and training, but majority of dental offices only require assistants who have gained experience through on-the-job training so that the dental assistants will be familiar with the scope of their work. Most dental offices and clinics hire dental assistants that come from a reputable dental training school. But the most important asset must be the ability of the dental assistant to work with as a team, and that each member of the team works comfortably with each other.
The work of a dental assistant can be part-time and full-time depending on the office and the assistant if they require you to have evening, weekends, and/or holiday work. Research shows that majority of dental assistants work as a part-time employee since 2008.

Due to the increasing demands of dental assistants, a very promising career awaits for aspiring dental assistants. Therefore getting into this career would be a great idea.