An integral part of a successful dental practice, dental assistants aid the in-office dentist or dental hygienist by performing a variety of tasks throughout a patient’s visit.

Present at each stage of the appointment, the responsibilities of a dental assistant vary greatly and can range from pre-appointment clerical work such as greeting patients, scheduling future appointments, and gathering dental history to more hands-on duties like performing x-rays or creating laboratory molds.

Almost all dental assistants work in dentists’ offices.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Conducting follow-up calls
• Creating dental molds
• Diagnostic testing
• Maintaining dental equipment and tools
• Performing x-rays
• Providing aftercare instructions
• Recording dental history