by Cynthia Wall

Created on: November 30, 2008

Watching a dentist work with a well-trained dental assistant is like watching a dance. The dental assistant anticipates his every move and has the requested instrument ready before the words leave his mouth. Not to be confused with a dental hygienist whose job it is to clean the patient's teeth, the dental assistant works with the dentist in procedures as simple as fillings to those as complex as oral surgery. The dental assistant also may have a number of office and laboratory duties such as sterilizing instruments, preparing procedure trays, making casts of teeth from impressions, making temporary crowns, and cleaning and polishing removable appliances. Those who also have office duties may schedule and confirm appointments, greet patients, keep treatment records, send bills and receive payments, and order supplies.

However, it is at chairside that the dental assistant is most valuable and most dental assistants will tell you that working directly with the patient and dentist is the most gratifying part of their job. The dental assistant makes the patient comfortable in the chair and prepares him/her for the procedure. During whatever treatment is being given, the dental assistant hands instruments and other materials to the dentist and suctions out the patient's mouth to keep it dry. The dental assistant removes excess cement during fillings and places rubber dams on teeth to isolate them for treatments. Dental assistants with specialized training may help with any number of complicated procedures. Afterwards, it is the dental assistant who instructs the patient on post-procedure care and general oral health, and it is often the dental assistant who will remove sutures when the patient returns for a postoperative check.

In 2006, there were 280,000 licensed dental assistants; in 2016, there are expected to be 362,000. As dentistry grows in scope so does the role of dental assistants. Preparation for this career starts in high school when prospective students should study biology, chemistry, health, and office practices. There are currently over 270 dental-assistant training programs approved by the American Dental Association. Most are at community colleges and take 1 year or less to complete although many programs are combined in a two year program that leads to an associate degree. Licensing varies from state to state. Some dental assistants have learned their job totally through on the job training, but having certification before applying makes a candidate

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