What Does a Dental Assistant Do?

Administrative Skills

The key administrative skills for dental assistants require excellent organization, professionalism, and the ability to juggle multiple tasks at once.

• Depending on the workplace, assistants usually need at least basic computer skills and an understanding of the essential documents and forms used throughout the office.
• With a large amount of patient records, dental assistants may benefit from experience in digital asset management.
• Organization and time management are key to progress in the workplace. The dental assistant is part of that workflow and needs to carry their weight.
• Detail-oriented professionals do well in dental assistant positions. Since these professionals take care of such a wide variety of tasks, the sharper eye they have the better.

People Skills

Dental assistants work directly with both patients and co-workers on a daily basis. With this in mind, it’s important that dental assistants treat others with respect and follow traditional professional protocols.

• It’s key for dental assistants to be warm and friendly. Holding conversation with patients helps them feel more comfortable and at ease.
• Clear communication with respectful language, especially when discussing sensitive or health-related information, is essential.
• Dental assistants need to be approachable and easy to work with in order to keep a positive environment and maintain functionality in the workplace.
• Dental assistants may be asked to take on different responsibilities at a moment’s notice. In these cases, they need to remain flexible in the workplace, maintain a good work ethic, and go with the flow.

Technical Skills

Dental assistants are often in charge of inspecting and cleaning the necessary equipment before procedures. They are also tasked with working with their hands on a regular basis.

• When working with x-ray machines, dental assistants make sure that the machines are working properly, have sufficient film, and are sanitized.
• Dental assistants need to know how to work with dental-specific materials, including how to handle tools, make dental impressions, and more.
• Dental assistants also need to be good with their hands, with great hand-eye coordination, when using tools and equipment.
• Employers also expect dental assistants to be able to take good notes and provide excellent documentation in patients’ files. Additionally, they need to employ critical-thinking and good judgement at all times.

Pediatric

Dental assistants who wish to work with children and younger patients can find work in pediatric special dentistry practices. While these practices may have fewer clients, those working as pediatric dental assistants are typically more involved in their patients’ care from early childhood through adolescence. Most states require certification through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), which we discuss further below.

Periodontics

Periodontal assistants are specialized dental assistants that work on the gums, connective tissue, and bones around the teeth. They work alongside periodontists, which is a specialized dentist, and offers them support around the office through clerical, surgical, and organizational tasks. Common hands-on practices carried out by periodontal assistants include using a periodontal pocket probe to measure the spaces between the teeth and gum line, taking x-rays, educating patients on gum health, and more.

Endodontics

Endodontic dentistry focuses on the health of the inner pulp of the teeth. Dentists in this area need dental assistants to help them carry out a variety of key procedures, including root canals. Endodontic assistants also prepare patients for treatment, from ensuring their basic comfort to starting the beginning stages of a given endodontic treatment for the dentist. Additionally, assistants keep meticulous patient records, help schedule appointments, sanitize equipment and instruments, take specialized x-rays, and pass the proper endodontic instruments to the dentists as they work.

Prosthodontics

Dentists in this area of the field specialize in replacing damaged or missing teeth with dental implants, bridges, dentures, and crowns. Dentists need prosthodontic assistants who can construct bite and mouth guards and custom trays, make casts and diagnostic impressions, perform acrylic repairs, prepare materials for procedures, and more.

• If you are thinking of a career as a dental assistant, it’s possible that you might be a good fit for work as a dental hygienist. Take a look at our How to Become a Dental Hygienist page to learn more.
• For those interested in the administrative and record-keeping side of healthcare, you might consider training in medical billing and coding.
• If you want to expand the types of patients you’ll work with and procedures you’ll carry out, consider checking out programs for medical assistants.
• Students interested in dental assisting will find many overlapping characteristics with professionals working as surgical techs.
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is also a popular path for students with these types of interests.

1. For students and others who are interested in becoming a dental assistant, what’s an important thing for them to know right from the start?

Dental assisting is an exciting career with a lot of growth opportunities. If you are interested in a career in healthcare, enjoy helping people, and like a varied and fast-paced work environment, dental assisting could be a great career for you.

2. Are there any standout requirements for dentalassistants by state, in terms of education or being competitive for a job? What’s some advice you could offer for students who want to know how to become a dentalassistant in their state?

Every state has different job titles and requirements for dental assistants. This can be confusing to navigate, but the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) has each state’s requirements listed on its website. You can look up the dental assisting requirements in your state by visiting DANB’s search-by-state map.

3. What’s one important thing that prospective dentalassistants should know about training and certifications in the field?

Because every state has different requirements for dental assistants, there is no single approach to training or education. However, the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) is the national certifying board for dental assistants. DANB exams and certifications are recognized or required by 38 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Earning DANB certification can help you advance your career and meet state requirements. Additionally, those who earn DANB certification report higher wages and higher job satisfaction than those who do not hold certification. You can learn more about DANB’s national certification by going to danb.org.

4. What are the advantages or disadvantages of completing formal requirements/training in dental assisting, compared to those who enter the field and rely on on-the-job training?

In almost every state, you can work as a dental assistant and perform basic duties without any training or education.

However, there are many benefits to completing a dental assisting program. In some states, completing an approved dental assisting program or course may be required to perform more advanced duties. There are a lot of dental assisting programs out there, so it can be hard to know where to start. If you can, try to attend a dental assisting program that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). You can view the list of the CODA-accredited dental assisting program on DANB’s website.

It’s also important to make sure that any program or course you attend meets your state’s requirements. Many states recognize or require CODA-accredited dental assisting programs to meet state licensure or registration requirements. Other states may approve specific courses to be eligible to perform certain functions. That’s why it’s important to check your state’s requirements. You can look up the dental assisting requirements in your state by visiting DANB’s search-by-state map.

In addition to meeting state requirements, attending a dental assisting program is valuable because of the information you learn. You will gain more in-depth knowledge and the foundation to help you succeed in your career.

5. What are some excellent online resources for students and others interested in learning more about dental assisting?

If you’re looking to learn more about dental assisting, visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website, which has detailed information about the dental assisting job outlook, wages, and other employment information.

Additionally, the DALE Foundation, the official DANB affiliate, has a free online video series that includes interviews with dental assistants about their careers and advice for future dental assistants.

6.How can dental assisting students position themselves for success? Is an externship a big part of that?

There are many paths to becoming a dental assistant, but if you can go to a dental assisting program that meets the requirements in your state, you will be off to a great start. Definitely pursue an externship if you can. Many dental assisting programs will provide an externship opportunity as part of the program. Externships provide great experience to supplement your classroom learning with on-the-job experience and build your familiarity and comfort with the fast past of a dental office.