What Are the Responsibilities of a Dental Assistant?

The average Chair side Dental Assistant will be responsible for:

• Making Patients as comfortable as possible in the dental operatory.
• Preparing patients for treatment.
• Obtaining dental records.
• Passing instruments to the dentist.
• Keeping patient’s mouth dry by using air suction and other devices.
• Sterilizing and disinfecting instruments and other dental equipment.
• Prepare tray setups for dental procedures as needed.
• Instructing patients on postoperative and general oral health care.

• Prepare materials for making impressions and restorations.
• Expose radiographs and process dental x-ray film as directed by the Dentist.
• Remove dental sutures (Excludes wire sutures in Alabama).
• Apply topical anesthetic to gums or cavity-preventive agents to teeth.
• Remove excess cement used in crown and bridge procedures.
• Setting up patient exam rooms.
• Place rubber dams on teeth for individual isolation.

Other Duties of Dental Assistants

The Average Dental Assistant with Laboratory Duties will be responsible for:

• Making casts of the patient’s mouth and teeth by using dental impressions.
• Cleaning and polishing removable appliances.
• Making temporary crowns.
• Making casting molds

The Average Dental Assistant with Office Duties will be responsible for:

• Answering office phones.
• Scheduling and confirming patient appointments.
• Greeting and receiving patients.
• Filing patient records.
• Updating patient treatment records.

• Financial services.
• Ordering clinic supplies and materials.
• Performing data entry.
• Managing office finances.