dental assistant

Education

• Bachelor's degree
• or equivalent experience

Work setting

• Dental practice

Tasks

• Prepare patients for dental examinations
• Prepare plaster models and moulds
• Order dental and office supplies
• Perform administrative functions for the dental laboratory
• Prepare dental instruments and filling materials
• Maintain and order supplies
• Perform reception and clerical duties
• Sterilize and maintain instruments and equipment
• Educate patients concerning oral hygiene
• Schedule and confirm appointments
• Perform intra-oral duties
• Take and develop X-rays
• Record dental procedures performed on patients
• Invoice patients for dental services
• Take preliminary impressions for diagnostic casts

Supervision

• 1 to 2 people

Certificates, licences, memberships, and courses

• Healing arts radiation protection (HARP) Certification
• Certification by the National Dental Assisting Examining Board

Technical expertise (dental)

• Plastering
• Polishing

Computer and technology knowledge

• MS Excel
• MS Outlook
• MS PowerPoint
• MS Windows
• MS Word

Equipment, eystems and controls experience

• Medical and biomedical equipment and systems

Area of specialization

• Full dentures
• Crowns and bridges
• Ceramic or porcelain application
• Chrome castings

Work conditions and physical capabilities

• Fast-paced environment
• Work under pressure
• Tight deadlines
• Repetitive tasks
• Physically demanding
• Manual dexterity
• Attention to detail
• Ability to distinguish between colours
• Sitting
• Combination of sitting, standing, walking
• Standing for extended periods
• Bending, crouching, kneeling
• Hand-eye co-ordination
• Large workload

Personal suitability

• Client focus
• Efficient interpersonal skills
• Flexibility
• Judgement
• Team player
• Accurate
• Dependability
• Excellent oral communication
• Excellent written communication
• Initiative
• Interpersonal awareness
• Reliability

Employment terms options

• Early morning
• Evening

Experience

• 1 year to less than 2 years

Employment terms options

• Shift
• Morning
• On call
• Day
• Weekend