The role of a dental assistant ranges from providing office support, to providing basic supportive dental procedures, to working chairside to assist dentists in providing advanced restorative care.
Primary role:
- Collecting patient data, including taking and processing X-rays, for dentist diagnosis
- Assisting the dentist with the delivery of instruments and preparation of dental materials
- Counseling patients about dental disease prevention
Skills and education:
- On-the-job training
- Vocational or technical schools
- Regional Occupational programs
- Community college
License and permit categories:
- Dental assistants (DA) have no licensing requirements
- Registered dental assistants (RDA) are licensed professionals
- Registered dental assistants in extended functions (RDAEF) receive an additional license after advanced training
- Orthodontic assistants and dental sedation assistants receive permits after successfully completing specialized training
Dental assistant resources