Being A Dental Assistant: What You Really Do

In this job description guide, you will find out what do Dental Assistants do and what is their typical work day like.

After reading this, you will have a much better idea on whether you will like working as a Dental Assistant or not.

Dental Assistants assist dentist, set up equipment, prepare patient for treatment, and keep records.

We asked Dental Assistants how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

74% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 73% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

On a daily basis, Dental Assistants Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures. They Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.

1 of the main responsibilities as A Dental Assistant is to Record treatment information in patient records.

Some may also Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.

In a normal work day, another thing that Dental Assistants do is they Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.

In addition to that, they Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies..

A typical day for A Dental Assistant look like this:

We asked some Dental Assistants a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

Besides the “typical day” things that Dental Assistants do, they Make preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts. They might also Fabricate and fit orthodontic appliances and materials for patients, such as retainers, wires, or bands.

A typical week or month for them might include:

In a typical work week as A Dental Assistant, you can expect to work Less than 40 hours per week.

Do Dental Assistants work in an office-style work environment?

Do Dental Assistants work in a warehouse-style work environment?

Do Dental Assistants work outdoors?

You can read more about these career personality types here.

You will like this career if you are someone who likes following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the careers require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.