U.S. Dept. of Labor code 31-9091.00Market Standard — pending BLS/OEWS enrichment

Dental Assistants

Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.

What this job is about

Assist dentists in providing quality dental care to patients.

What this work involves, step by step

AI can help most with the planning, drafting, and paperwork below — not the hands-on parts.

1
Prepare treatment area and instruments
Sterilize or disinfect instruments and set up instrument trays for dental procedures.
2
Record patient information
Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
3
Assist during dental procedures
Provide assistance to the dentist during various dental procedures and manage emergencies.
4
Instruct patients on oral hygiene
Educate patients on oral hygiene practices and plaque control programs.
5
Manage appointments and billing
Schedule appointments, prepare bills, and maintain patient records using software.

Tools used in this work

Henry Schein DentrixMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office software

Free — no credit card required. 200 messages included.