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JOB DESCRIPTION:

A Dental Assistant is a vital member of the dental health team. As a dental assistant, you will enjoy a broad range of exciting and challenging duties. The main duties include:

Chairside Assisting: Assists the dentist in providing dental treatment.

• Preparing and maintaining dental instruments, supplies and equipment.
• Collecting and recording patient health histories
• Patient management during dental procedures
• Instrument transfer
• Dental procedure isolation techniques
• Preparation of dental materials.cements, amalgam, composite, impression materials,etc.
• Dental charting
• Prevention and management of dental medical emergencies
• Inventory control and management
   

Expanded Functions

In Minnesota, dental assistants may be trained to perform a special group of duties called expanded functions. Expanded functions are dental procedures that may be performed independently by a Licensed Dental Assistant. Some of the Minnesota Expanded Functions include:

• Taking dental x-rays
• Polishing the teeth to remove stains and soft deposits
• Applying topical fluoride treatments
• Taking impressions and bite registrations
• Applying pit and fissure sealants
• Placing and removing periodontal dressings
• Removing surgical sutures
• Pre-selection of orthodontic bands
• Placing and removing orthodontic ligature ties, placing orthodonticseparators
• Adaptation of temporary crowns
• Placing topical medications
• Removing excess cement from fabricated restorations and orthodontic bands

Dental Infection Control Procedures

• Managing the dental office infection control plan to meet OSHA, CDC and ADA standards
• Instrument cleaning, sterilization/disinfection, and re-circulation
• Dental treatment room disinfection

Dental Laboratory Procedures

• Pouring impressions to make stone and plaster models
• Model trimming
• Fabricating mouth guards, temporary crowns, custom impression trays.
  Preparing casting models and dies
• Fabricating orthodontic retainers and other appliances

Business Office Procedures

• Appointment Scheduling and Confirmation
• Telephone Techniques
• Patient Reception
• Patient Records Management
• Business Records Management
• Accounting/Book keeping Procedures
• Patient Insurance Processing
• Preparation of Written Business Communications

Patient and Community Education

• Delivering patient personal oral care instructions
• Delivering community dental health presentations
• Planning, setting-up and manning health fair booths