Dental Assistant Dental assistants work side by side with dentists to increase efficiency in providing care. They greet patients, make them comfortable, and prepare them for examinations.
Assistants take and develop dental x-rays and record patient histories and blood pressures.
They sterilize instruments and pass them to the dentist during exams and treatments. Mixtures for cleaning and filling teeth are prepared by assistants, and they make impressions of teeth for study models. Dental assistants show patients how to brush and floss their teeth and instruct them on oral care following surgery, placement of a filling, or other treatments. They maintain patient records and clean removable dentures. Licensure, Certification, and Registration Voluntary certification examinations are given by the Dental Assisting National Board, Incorporated.