Dental Assisting - details?

[Ateeb T Khan]

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Just wondering what exactly are your (pre-dental students doing chair side assisting) responsibilities when u assist ur dentist????

Here are mine;

When clinic opens; lubricate all high speeds (we have air powered aka sh##ty ones)

Do sterilization, seat/dismiss patients, take patient history , getting charts b4 patient arrives, developing x rays , setting up room w/ necessary instruments, fluoride treatment, suctioning during procedures, answer front desk phone when no one available/busy .

Now ur turn!

 

[DSpagnoli]

lubricate all high speeds (we have air powered aka sh##ty ones)

😕

Most high speeds are air powered....maybe I am missing something..

 

[bumpski20]

same as you minus taking patient history and developing x-rays (they are digital and i dont have my radiology license anyway).

also- retract for io pictures, take pictures, pour molds (but only once and a while and never for records, i still get a few air bubbles), run patient's appliances through the ultrasonic, mix cements for brackets and load and pass bands. I work at an ortho office, good stuff

 

[Ateeb T Khan]

from what i understand, there are electric handpieces as well .. which are quieter and more powerful.

 

[DRHOYA]

The ones we have are air-powered as well......work perfectly. As far as a typical assisting responsibility goes. Ex: For a crown-preparation procedure.........set up room, set up instruments, bring in patient, have chart ready, chair-side assist during procedure, escort patient out to front desk, bring instruments to sterilization room to ultrasonic first....lubricate hand pieces....go back to room and sterilize it, and set up for next patient. And repeat. However, if longer time between patients, then I'll pour the stone model from that crown prep......do some lab work if it needs to be done (suck downs....polishing etc..) And run the autoclave when it needs to be run.......organize the supply room, order supplies. We have a special old stainless steel autoclave from 1959 that we only use after big surgeries with a lot of instruments...........its called "The Dinosaur" by office staff😉.

 

[yuppers]

😕

Most high speeds are air powered....maybe I am missing something..

Yup, I have only seen one that wasn't air powered. It was at a specialist's office and he was telling me how the electric high speed has digital setting and more torque..... I love it.

 

[DSpagnoli]

Yup, I have only seen one that wasn't air powered. It was at a specialist's office and he was telling me how the electric high speed has digital setting and more torque..... I love it.

Damn these old school dental schools making us use these "sh*tty" ones....

Get use to using an air powered highspeed 👍

 

[yuppers]

Also, are you guys/gals working as a assitants for money or volunteering?

 

[yuppers]

Damn these old school dental schools making us use these "sh*tty" ones....

Get use to using an air powered highspeed 👍

Dang, I might go MD... (Note: that was extreme sarcasm for those people who have trouble detecting it)

 

[Ateeb T Khan]

I started by volunteering (shadowing)... then got hired as 'intern' doing sterilization and helping out staff w/ watever they needed...now i do actual chair side assisting and love it! .

as a dental assistant, im paid.. which is awesome b/c im getting paid 2 learn

 

[rewJW]

I work at a high-volume multi-specialty office and am the lucky 'specialists' assistant' so my day varies depending on which day of the week we're talking about. I work with the oral surgeon 1-2 days a week, periodontist 1 day a week, pedodontist 1 day a week. I don't get to work with the orthodontist too much since I'm not an RDA and in my state, you can't do much in ortho if you're not an RDA. The day(s) I'm not with a specialist, I'm chairside with one of our generalists. I am also the assistant in charge of signing out and signing in and generally tracking all of our lab cases (crowns, partials, night guards, etc.) for ALL doctors. It's a ton of work dealing with 4 GPs worth of lab cases, and my office deals with 3 separate dental labs.

(And btw, our high speed handpieces must be lubricated as well. They're mostly midwest styluses.)

So .. my overall duties include: running water lines in morning to get 'stagnant water' out of lines; changing chairside traps and taking my turn changing the main trap; setting up for each procedure; bringing patient back; going over medical history; taking x-rays now that I have my NJ state dental radiography license; scanning x-rays (we have an indirect digital system); sitting for procedures - suctioning, passing instruments, mixing amalgam, curing bond & composite ... everything else that goes with it; mixing cements, pulp paste, temporary filling materials, etc.; choosing shades for composites/lab cases; charting and perio charting with doctors for general exams; entering tx plan into computer as doctor is explaining it to patient; going over estimate of tx plan with patients; giving patients their next appointments; cleaning and disinfecting operatories between patients; sterilizing instruments when sterilization technician isn't there or is unavailable; pouring up models; sending out and receiving lab cases; calling the lab 58910850 times a day whenever a doctor has a question about a lab case; ensuring computers are logged off and chairs are put up (so cleaning crew can clean the floor around them) and all units turned off at night; ensuring operatories are fully stocked

Additionally I help out the front desk when (if ever) I have nothing to do in the clinic ... pulling charts, confirming appts, filing charts, etc.

For OS and perio, my special duties include: going over consent forms with patients & going over post-op instructions. Taking blood pressure readings. Giving oral hygiene instructions (perio only).

For pedo, my special duties include: behavior management (i.e. restraining children or putting them in a papoose as directed by the dr.), sweet-talking children into cooperation, ensuring our prize box doesn't have any broken toys in it (you'd be AMAZED how many children break toys then put them back in the box each day)

For pedo and perio only, it is my responsibility to order all supplies these specialists need. (Thank the lord somebody else does it for OS and the generalists.)

I don't think I get paid as much as I ought to given all of my duties, but I LOVE my job and would not trade it for anything (well, except for going to d-school, lol). My boss is an awesome guy and a great mentor who has taught me a lot - heck, I've learned a lot from EACH of the dentists I work for. I am very happy that my office has a branch in Newark where I'll be going to dental school. Against most of the advice I've been given, I am going to try working Saturdays while in d-school because I need at least a little cash flow. I'll get to stay with the same company, just different doctors in a different office.

Btw, I don't expect that anybody is actually going to read this ridiculously long post. 😀

 

[Ateeb T Khan]

For those dental assistant's out there.. do u guys have any tips for me as far as the ergonomics of dental assisting goes...

I tend to not keep my back straight (unintentionally happens) instead of bending knees cuz i want to get all close to patients mouth (during procedures) and get the water (suctioning) ,especially during perios. Other wise, i cant be precise and some water (spray) manages to land on patients chin etc.

So, n e tips u guys use .. do u guys use chair.. or stand...

 

[Ateeb T Khan]

holy shiznits revJW wow thats quite alot,
I thought i was a cool kid doing suctioning but man those are alot of responsibilities and im sure u r learning alot.

Can u enlighten me on how u got ur x-ray certification (how much, which school/center u went (in in south jersey-cherry hill), how long is the course, can it be done during school year or only summer)

Thanking in advance,
ateeb

 

[bumpski20]

I started by volunteering (shadowing)... then got hired as 'intern' doing sterilization and helping out staff w/ watever they needed...now i do actual chair side assisting and love it! .

as a dental assistant, im paid.. which is awesome b/c im getting paid 2 learn

basically the same...started shadowing. I was supposed to start "interning" at the office at the start of the fall08 semester (we didn't really go over what I would be doing or whether or not I would be getting paid...just knew id be going there a lot for class credits). They wound up firing one of the assistants that summer and since I was there shadowing and going to be there in a few months regularly anyway, they hired me in her spot. I get paid and do chair side assisting. even though i cant do nearly as much as RDAs, since its an ortho practice, we have 5 chairs sometimes new patients in every chair every 15 minutes so I wind up seeing a lot of different cases. I do the most chair side assistance during longer procedures tho (adding braces, fitting for or adding appliances like distal jets or expanders, and suctioning when they are removed)

 

[fxteef]

So, n e tips u guys use .. do u guys use chair.. or stand...

There are assisting chairs where I work but I never sit (unless doing prophy or finishing crown/bridge on Dr. side). When standing I try to keep my back as straight as possible. I used to have a really sore back but now I do just fine assisting that way for 10 hour days. I think the key is to bend the knees and not feel like you have to have your head right over the pt's mouth the whole time (you don't have to see everything the DDS does on each tooth to suck spit out of pt's mouth).

 

[Ateeb T Khan]

thanks, ill try the bending the knees thing cuz some days ill notice that i just kill my lower back

 

[pandabearrr]

thanks man, ill try the bending the knees thing cuz some days ill notice that i just kill my lower back

The rule of thumb is assistant's chair is 4-5 inches higher than the doctors but when I'm sitting, I try to sit a little lower and turn my chair to the right, especially since I'm left handed, just so I can lean forward more instead of hunching. It really sucks though when you have crappy chairs.

 

[Ateeb T Khan]

Dude im left handed too.. n was wondering ... the high/low handpieces n stuff (usually on the right) CAN be switched to other side right?? how are they in dental school.... or should i practice w/ the drills nstuff being on the right n get used to it

Thanking in advance,
Ateeb

 

[fishy19]

I started working as an assistant as an after HS job and then I only had basic responsibilities inc. assisting in all chairside procedures, setting up/breaking room the rooms, pouring up models, and developing x-rays

When I started working in NY during college(no license needed to take x-rays) I learned to take FMX's and besides all of the above I learned all of the insurance/front desk work. At my one jobs now taking x-rays and managing the front desk are my main responsibilities. At the other job I currently have, I am more of a floater helping out whereever I can assisting, cleaning/setting up the rooms, or answering the phone.

When I interned at different specialists office's (not paid) I mostly just observed and occasionally assisted. Other than that I would help set up the rooms.

As for electric vs air-powered drills, the electric are much nicer and the dentists I know that switched to them will never switch back but they are much harder to repair and usually repairs have to be sent out to a handpiece specialist.


🙂

 

[fxteef]

Dude im left handed too.. n was wondering ... the high/low handpieces n stuff (usually on the right) CAN be switched to other side right?? how are they in dental school.... or should i practice w/ the drills nstuff being on the right n get used to it

Thanking in advance,
Ateeb

Ateeb I think you should stick with your dominant hand. I know dentists that do just fine practicing left handed. Some have "backwards" rooms, others have rooms that work for both R and L handed dentists (their assistants don't enjoy the change very much though). Hopefully whatever school you go to can accomodate, but you could try to find L handed students from whatever school you want to go to and ask how easy it is working L handed w/the setups.

 

[velospresso]

Kinda sorta on the ergonomics point...some assistants backs get sore from hunching over (unless you have loupes) or whatever reason. It helps out a lot to do some crunches or other ab stuff, its amazing how much support you can get from your core and that helps out alot with stiffness/posture. Best of luck!

 

[rewJW]

holy shiznits revJW wow thats quite alot,
I thought i was a cool kid doing suctioning but man those are alot of responsibilities and im sure u r learning alot.

Can u enlighten me on how u got ur x-ray certification (how much, which school/center u went (in in south jersey-cherry hill), how long is the course, can it be done during school year or only summer)

Thanking in advance,
ateeb

I went to Camden County College in Blackwood for my dental radiology license. I did NOT like the lecture teacher (basically all she did was talk about herself each class) but the clinic teacher was great. The course cost $350 + $70 book + $150 DANB exam (or alternatively, $160 for NJ state exam, I went with cheaper DANB) + $60 for license ... so ... over $600 later, I don't recommend doing it if you're not planning on assisting for long. Personally, I went through with it because I didn't want to be stuck just assisting without an x-ray license if I didn't get in again this year, and also, I'm going to stay with my office and assist one day a week through d-school, so it'll be useful for me to have it. Eventually I'll earn all that money back, lol. My course was 15 weeks, one night a week. There are shorter courses. You should be able to find a list of qualified programs by googling.

Burlington County College has a program too, that is closer to Cherry Hill than Blackwood. I think the program may even be in Cherry Hill. I don't know anything about it other than that it exists.

 

[rewJW]

Dude im left handed too.. n was wondering ... the high/low handpieces n stuff (usually on the right) CAN be switched to other side right?? how are they in dental school.... or should i practice w/ the drills nstuff being on the right n get used to it

Thanking in advance,
Ateeb

I work with 2 dentists who are left handed. It's a pain for me as an assistant because I have to lay the suctions over the patient and swing the tray around to the other side, because the chairs are designed for right handed docs, but it's still doable. It doesn't seem to be too different for the doctors because they can still access everything they need. They use the same handpieces as right handed dentists.

Not all chairs can be as readily used by lefties .. at least in my experience. My office just expanded and the new chairs they bought have bracket trays that cannot be swung around to the left, so if a lefty dentist uses that chair they have to work with the tray hanging over the patient. This coupled with suctions still having to cross over the patient ... essentially, wires everywhere. It doubly sucks.

I would assume that the chairs at most dental schools are easily converted between righties and lefties, though.

 

[dingdong33]

I work with 2 dentists who are left handed. It's a pain for me as an assistant because I have to lay the suctions over the patient and swing the tray around to the other side, because the chairs are designed for right handed docs, but it's still doable. It doesn't seem to be too different for the doctors because they can still access everything they need. They use the same handpieces as right handed dentists.

Not all chairs can be as readily used by lefties .. at least in my experience. My office just expanded and the new chairs they bought have bracket trays that cannot be swung around to the left, so if a lefty dentist uses that chair they have to work with the tray hanging over the patient. This coupled with suctions still having to cross over the patient ... essentially, wires everywhere. It doubly sucks.

I would assume that the chairs at most dental schools are easily converted between righties and lefties, though.

the dentist whom i worked for is a lefty, and the trays were just switched to the other side to accommodate him. yet, it was really annoying handing instruments to him as an assistant since the cabinet along with my tray is on my left side instead of my right. so, i need to twist every time i get an instrument from my tray to hand to him.

 

[Kneecoal]

I work at a high-volume multi-specialty office and am the lucky 'specialists' assistant' so my day varies depending on which day of the week we're talking about. I work with the oral surgeon 1-2 days a week, periodontist 1 day a week, pedodontist 1 day a week.

You don't happen to be at that specialist center in midtown, do you? I know that's not a very specific description , but I recently saw a post on craigslist for a place that offered those exact kinds of opportunities (I can't find the post and thus the name of the office), and you could volunteer, or work part time or full time, but it was structured like an internship - as in it was a year-long sort of thing. It sounded really interesting and like a great opportunity.

 

[rewJW]

You don't happen to be at that specialist center in midtown, do you? I know that's not a very specific description , but I recently saw a post on craigslist for a place that offered those exact kinds of opportunities (I can't find the post and thus the name of the office), and you could volunteer, or work part time or full time, but it was structured like an internship - as in it was a year-long sort of thing. It sounded really interesting and like a great opportunity.

Nope, my office is in central NJ. I was hired straight up, no internship or shadowing there first - I started out as the sterilization tech and quickly worked my way to chairside. But I got really lucky because that's probably not easy to find. I just kind of happened upon it as a patient. My insurance changed, I had to go to a new dentist, this is where I was 'assigned' and I went for a recall ... got to talking to the assistant (now my coworker! lol) ... put in an application, and got hired.

I do think that working in a multi-specialty (or even multi-GP) type place is a good experience because it opens your eyes to so much; different styles of working between docs, different personalities and ways to handle patients, etc.