What Are the Duties of a Surgical Dental Assistant?

Surgical dental assistants help dentists with surgical procedures, including being part of the surgical process as well as helping with basic dental procedures. Although a person can earn experience through on-the-job training, she will still have to pursue either a certificate or an associate's degree in dental assisting before becoming a surgical assistant.

Prepare for Surgery

Surgical dental assistants main duty is to prepare for surgery by setting up the operating room and arranging surgical instruments and equipment for dentists to use in the room during a dental operation.

Assist Patients

Surgical dental assistants will help patients feel comfortable before a particular surgery. Assistants will monitor the patient's vital signs and issue medical fluids during surgery.

Assist Dentists

During various dental procedures, including oral exams and teeth cleaning, surgical dental assistants will hand dental instruments to the dentist or observe dentists performing duties in the exam room.

Sterilization

After a routine procedure or surgery, surgical dental assistants sterilize each piece of equipment and instrument to be used for future procedures.

Updating Patients' Records

To stay current with patients' dental conditions, assistants will keep records of patients' visits, the procedures issued during the visit, and medication that dental patients may be taking. Information regarding the patients' condition will also be documented as well as if the doctor issue restrictions, for example, whether a patient is in need of surgery.

References

• Surgical Dental Assistant
• Dental Assistants