Medical Pathway Research

Dental Assistant

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Duties and Responsibilities: The duties of a dental assistant are among the most comprehensive and varied in the dental office. The dental assistant performs many tasks requiring both interpersonal and technical skills. Although state regulations vary, responsibilities may include:

• assisting the dentist during a variety of treatment 
• procedures

• taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays)

• asking about the patient's medical history and taking 
• blood pressure and pulse

• serving as an infection control officer, developing 
• infection control protocol and preparing and sterilizing 
• instruments and equipment

• helping patients feel comfortable before, during and 
• after dental treatment

• providing patients with instructions for oral care 
• following surgery or other dental treatment procedures, 
• 
  
• such as the placement of a restoration (filling)

• teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to 
• maintain oral health;

• (e.g., tooth brushing, flossing and nutritional counseling)

• taking impressions of patients' teeth for study casts 
• (models of teeth)

• performing office management tasks that often require 
• the use of a personal computer

• communicating with patients and suppliers (e.g., 
• scheduling appointments, answering the telephone, 
• billing and ordering supplies)

• helping to provide direct patient care in all dental 
• specialties, including orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, 
• periodontics and oral surgery

Salary: From $23,550 to $47,580

Education: High School Diploma

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Reflection: Do you think you would like to be one? Why? Why not? I honestly would not like to be one. I think it is an interesting career for those who have only High School Diploma's, but it isn't the job I'm pursuing as of now.