Dental Surgery Assistant

The dental assistant will perform many tasks requiring both interpersonal and technical skills. Responsibilities may include:
assisting the dentist during a variety of treatment procedures
taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays)
asking about the patient's medical history and taking blood pressure and pulse
serving as an infection control officer, developing infection control protocol and preparing and sterilizing instruments and equipment
helping patients feel comfortable before, during and after dental treatment
providing patients with instructions for oral care following surgery or other dental treatment procedures, such as the placement of a restoration (filling)
teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health;
(e.g., tooth-brushing, flossing and nutritional counselling)
taking impressions of patients' teeth for study casts (models of teeth)
performing office management tasks that often require the use of a personal computer
communicating with patients and suppliers (e.g., scheduling appointments, answering the telephone, billing and ordering supplies)
helping to provide direct patient care in all dental specialties, including orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, periodontics and oral surgery