Ever asked yourself “how to find a dental assistant near me?”
How to find a dental assistant near me?
When we have an appointment with the dentist, we realize that there’s another professional who attends us often. We refer to the dental assistant. The dental assistant is a constant figure during most treatments since he is the one who accompanies the dentist in his functions. Also, who performs some basic procedures and advises us on many issues. Have you ever asked yourself “how to find a dental assistant near me?” Just keep reading!
Below we detail what are the functions that this professional does.
The dental assistant, a multidisciplinary professional
In the same way that the nurse assists and complements the functions of the doctor, the dental assistant works in conjunction with the dentist. For this reason, they are usually handing in hand in clinics and other health centers.
For this, he receives training in basic anatomy and pharmacology, as well as inpatient care. He may also specialize in surgery and prosthetics. In this way, the professional is shown with a clear multidisciplinary profile to perform different tasks and fulfill a fundamental role at all times. Basically, he must be able to act quickly and precisely.
However, this versatility will be subject to the needs of the clinic, which will vary depending on the size and number of professionals. The larger it is, the more narrow the tasks may be. A fairly large clinic may have more than 5 dental assistants. The dental assistant is one of the most important pillars for the continuity of the operation of a dental clinic.
Dental aid and dental hygiene techniques
First, the dental assistant is trained to do some basic dental hygiene procedures. For example, in cases of stains, cavities, or dental plaque. For this, he can use tools such as suction equipment, probes, tweezers, or the drill, of course with close supervision by the dentist. In addition, this same block includes dental aid techniques, provided that the assistant has received some specific training sections, such as the following:
– Collaboration in surgical techniques giving support to the dentist.
– Application of local anesthesia.
– Making dental impressions and casts on plaster structures for diagnosis.
– Preparation of monograms and application of the different existing dental nomenclatures worldwide.
– Dental radiological techniques.
Registration and updating of the patient’s history
At the same time that the dental assistant works on these procedures, he will be able to make an initial diagnosis of the state of the teeth and gums. In this sense, it will be observed if there is any condition to notify the dentist. In this sense, he will also be in charge of keeping the patient’s history updated. He may add observations related to hygiene and repair techniques that he has carried out. This point includes, therefore, the administrative tasks related to the appointment schedule, budgets, invoices, etc.
Maintenance of the room and work tools
Good maintenance, order, and cleanliness always depend on the dental assistant, both in the workrooms and in the tools that are used. This can include disinfection and sterilization of material, for example. It is essential to guarantee biosecurity measures to avoid risks.
Customer service and advice
Finally, the dental assistant is the one who receives and dismisses the patient. In addition to advising him at all times, in person and by telephone contact. Therefore, customer satisfaction will be largely under his responsibility. In addition, he will have to know how to deal with the nerves of many people who are going to undergo uncomfortable, complicated, or painful procedures.
He will also be able to advise at all times on the topics in which he has been trained, both to patients and outside the clinics, by way of informative conferences. In this area, it is very important to be able to provide good information on how to perform proper dental hygiene to prevent diseases in the mouth.
Taking these functions into account, the dental assistant must be a friendly person with organizational and decisive capacities. The functioning, the image, and the success of the dental clinic will largely depend on him.
How to find a dental assistant near me?
In the past, you may have to check your yellow pages or ask your family/friends. Now, you don’t need all of that. You can use the Internet and in just a few clicks you can find not one but many dental assistants at once. Social media such as Facebook and Instagram are one of the best places to find a dental assistant quickly. However, if you want to search with more stringent criteria, using sites like LinkedIn is a better solution. It doesn’t matter if you live in a big city or in a fairly remote village, finding a dental assistant is a fairly easy job.