The dental assistant is an important member of the dental team. Effective utilization of a well-trained dental assistant results in more effective dental service for a greater number of people, with less time and productivity expended by the dentist. A well-trained Certified Dental Assistant is always in demand in the career market. While many assistants are employed in private dental practices, there are other fields of opportunity:

• School clinics or public health clinics
• Private hospitals or government hospitals
• Dental schools or the armed services
• Dental sales insurance companies The main duty is assisting the dentist at the chairside in the transfer of instruments, the preparation of dental materials, the sterilization of instruments, and the preparation of the treatment room. The dental assistant is also responsible for certain laboratory procedures. Most importantly, the assistant is trained to expose and process X-rays used by the dentist in diagnosis and treatment planning. Frequently the assistant is called upon to evaluate the patient’s diet and its relationship to oral health, to instruct the patient in the importance of home care, and to demonstrate proper brushing, flossing techniques, and the use of other adjuncts as prescribed by the dentist. The assistant’s duties also include appointment-making, recalls, billing, processing third-party insurance forms, ordering supplies, and complying with OSHA regulations.