American Career Institute Dental Assistant Degree Program

Dental assisting is an allied health profession whose practitioners function as crucial members of the healthcare delivery team. These individuals train to assist a dentist and the members of the healthcare team in administrative and/or clinical work. Dental assistants keep the offices and clinics of dentists running smoothly by performing delegated duties within the supervising dentist's scope of practice.

Clinical duties may include taking medical histories, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examinations, and assisting
the dentist at chairside during the examination by obtaining dental records, handing instruments and materials to the dentist, and keeping the patients' mouths dry and clear by using suction or other devices.

Some dental assistants prepare materials for impressions and restorations, take dental x-rays, and process x-ray film as directed by a dentist. They also may remove sutures, apply topical anesthetics to gums or cavity-preventive agents to teeth, remove excess cement used in the filling process, and place rubber dams on the teeth to isolate them for individual treatment.

Those with laboratory duties make casts of the teeth and mouth from impressions, clean and polish removable appliances, and make temporary crowns. Dental assistants with office duties schedule and confirm appointments, receive patients, keep treatment records, send bills, receive payments, and order dental supplies and materials.