About Dental Assisting
What is a Dental Assistant?
A dental assistant is an individual that helps the dentist in every way possible, which enables the dentist to provide efficient, high-quality care to patients. According to the American Dental Association, "dental assistants greatly increase the efficiency of the dentist in the delivery of quality oral health care and are valuable members of the dental care team." Download the following document to learn specifically about our Expanded Functions/Radiology Program, as approved by the Florida Board of Dentistry.
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Dental assisting is a job that delivers competitive pay ($12-25/hr), demands professionalism and provides rewarding job security. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2018-2028, job growth in this field is estimated at 7%, making it one of the fastest growing professions (Source). Not only will your job provide more than adequate pay and job security, but many benefits are typically provided (paid vacation, sick leave, health insurance, etc.).
Essential Skills for a Dental Assistant
Strong Communication Skills
Enjoy Working With Your
Hands & Mind
Driven by a Career With Responsibility
Remediable Tasks of a Dental Assistant
Also Referred to as Expanded Functions
The tasks 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. Dental assistants perform the following duties:
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Packing and removing retraction cord
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Placement and removal of cotton rolls
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Making temporary crowns and bridges
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Making night guards and bleaching trays
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Taking intraoral and extraoral radiographs
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Placing and removing rubber dams and matrices
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Placing and removing periodontal or surgical dressings
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Applying topical fluorides which are approved by the ADA or FDA
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Placing and removing temporary restorations with hand instruments only
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Removing excess from dental restoration and appliances with hand instruments only
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Polishing dental restoration (fillings and crowns) with slow speed hand pieces, rubber cups and bristle brushes
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Taking and recording a patient's blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, case history and oral temperature
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Removing sutures
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Taking preliminary impressions
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Applying topical anesthetic
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Irrigation and evacuation of debris
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Applying fosse and fissure sealants
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*Please download the following document to review all remediable tasks.