Characteristics of a Professional Dental Assistant

Becoming a dental assistant in Houston, TX, involves more than acquiring the knowledge and developing the hands-on skills necessary to perform a variety of duties. Being professional and responsible adds character to your personality and work ethic, which are very important in a work environment.

Professionalism: Professionalism is an attitude that is apparent in everything you do or say, in or out of the dental office. Professionalism is what distinguishes people who think of it as just “having a job” from those “pursuing a career.” You chose an exciting and challenging career when you decided to become a dental assistant professional. Dental assisting requires dedication, commitment to continuing education, integrity, and responsibility. The professional dental assistant is a vital member of the dental health care team. A highly skilled dental assistant will develop the qualities of a team leader. Assistants will be able to lead and take responsibility for her/his actions and help develop other team members to become efficient at their skills. The dental assistant must take pride in her appearance and always look her/his best. Many patients always welcome a friendly and pleasant disposition. Dental assistants must show compassion and care for patients, being most helpful before and after dental procedures.

Responsibilities ( Consent Forms): Assistants prepare for dental procedures before the doctor is in the treatment room. Assistants are responsible for all necessary consent forms signed by the patient before treatment is rendered. All dental assistants will learn tray set-ups for all dental procedures and learn how to educate their patients about the treatment being done. Assistants are also responsible for giving patients post-operative instructions on surgical procedures and/or any other dental procedures.

Sterilization: In a dental office, dental assistants are exposed to patient’s blood and saliva. It is imperative to protect yourself by wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Other responsibilities include sterilizing dental instruments and disinfecting the treatment rooms. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers and regulates those disinfectants to be used by dental offices. All containers with disinfectants are to be labeled, and hazardous materials are to be mentioned. During the patient’s treatment, the equipment and treatment room surface becomes contaminated with saliva or by aerosol containing blood and/or saliva. Barriers are in place for surfaces and equipment protection. Plastic wraps and plastic bags are most commonly used as barriers.

Auto-Clave: The assistants will maintain the autoclave and biosensor monitoring records properly. Assistants are required to keep proper records on employee immunizations for Hepatitis B. According to OSHA guidelines, any accidents incurred by either an employee or patient need to be logged in a record book. Assistants will keep up with biohazard containers and schedule for pick-up to dispose of them properly. Infection control is a rapidly expanding and changing area within the dentistry profession. Everyone in the dental office must grasp the importance of good infection control. Dental offices are required by law to provide annual OSHA and HIPPA compliance updates to all employees in order to protect them from unknown pathogens.

Dental Laboratory: Assistants are also responsible for all dental laboratory cases. All cases should be disinfected, wrapped, and boxed for pick-up from the outsourced dental laboratory. A system should be in place to keep up with patient cases, pick-ups, and deliveries. These are some of the duties and responsibilities that any dental office expects from a Registered Dental Assistant. Never take this position lightly; remember you are an essential part of the dental health profession. For further information, please contact the Greatwood Dental Assisting Program.