Profession dental chairside assistant

Dental chairside assistants support dental practitioners in clinical treatments, as preparation and helping in practical execution and follow-up, and administrative tasks under supervision and following the orders of the dental practitioner.

Personality Type

• Social / Realistic
• Conventional / Realistic

Skills

• Communicate effectively in healthcare

  Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.

• Deal with patients' anxiety

  Recognise and handle the fears of patients undergoing a dental treatment.

• Educate on the prevention of illness

  Offer evidence-based advice on how to avoid ill health, educate and advise individuals and their carers on how to prevent ill health and/or be able to advise how to improve their environment and health conditions. Provide advice on the identification of risks leading to ill health and help to increase the patients' resilience by targeting prevention and early intervention strategies.

• Prepare dental instruments for sterilization

  Correctly transport, clean and sterilise dental instruments, packing the instruments appropriately for sterilisation and storing them properly after the procedure.

• Maintain dental station and operatory

  Maintain the dental station or operatory area in a clean, orderly and functional condition, sorting and storing instruments, linens medications, and other supplies, and oiling and cleaning equipment such as handpieces and cavitron.

• Listen actively

  Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.

• Deal with emergency care situations

  Assess the signs and be well-prepared for a situation that poses an immediate threat to a person's health, security, property or environment.  

• Educate on oral healthcare and disease prevention

  Educate patients on improving oral healthcare and preventing dental diseases, promoting brushing, flossing, and all other aspects of dental care according to the dentist`s directions and under the dentist`s supervision.

• Provide dental administrative post-treatment patient services

  Provide patient services post-treatment such as cleaning the patient`s face and mouth, checking the patient`s general condition, assisting patient as needed, relaying instructions on medication and other post-treatment care from the dentist.

• Manage infection control in the facility

  Implement a set of measures to prevent and control infections, formulating and establishing health and safety procedures and policies.

• Follow dentists' instructions

  Work directly with dentists by following their detailed instuctions.

• Interact with healthcare users

  Communicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguarding confidentiality.

• Comply with legislation related to health care

  Comply with the regional and national legislation that is relevant to one`s work and apply it in practice.

• Promote health and safety policies in health services

  Promote adherence to local, regional, national and EU Health and Safety legislation, policies, guidelines and protocols.

• Prepare patients for dental treatment

  Seat and drape the patient, explaining treatment procedures to patient if required.

• Empathise with the healthcare user

  Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.

• Work in multidisciplinary health teams

  Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.

• Perform dental radiographs

  Take and develop dental radiographs or x-rays for patients, by properly positioning the patient and film/image receptor to take intra- and extra-oral radiographs, applying all regulations for patient safety (shielding, operator protection, beam collimation).

• Assist the dentist during the dental treatment procedure

  Actively participate in the treatment procedure to retract tissue, tongue and cheek. Keep area clear and prevent saliva build-up and debris in the patient`s mouth by using a suction tip and oral evacuator, stabilising tissue and clipping sutures in oral surgery and applying force to chisel guided by dentist in the removal of impacted teeth.

• Pass dental instruments

  Pass the appropriate dental instruments to dentists as requested and in a timely manner, employing proper techniques and dexterity in passing these materials to and retrieving them from the dentist.

• Ensure safety of healthcare users

  Make sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person's needs, abilities or the prevailing conditions.

• Apply organisational techniques

  Employ a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the goals set. Use these resources efficiently and sustainably, and show flexibility when required.

• Contribute to continuity of health care

  Contribute to the delivery of coordinated and continuous healthcare.

• Follow clinical guidelines

  Follow agreed protocols and guidelines in support of healthcare practice which are provided by healthcare institutions, professional associations, or authorities and also scientific organisations.

• Apply health sciences

  Apply a broad range of bio-medical, psycho-social, organisational, educational, and societal aspects of health, disease, and healthcare to improve healthcare services and to improve quality of life.

• Develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship

  Develop a mutually collaborative therapeutic relationship during treatment, fostering and gaining healthcare users' trust and cooperation.

• Work in a multicultural environment in health care

  Interact, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.

• Provide health education

  Provide evidence based strategies to promote healthy living, disease prevention and management.

• Respond to changing situations in health care

  Cope with pressure and respond appropriately and in time to unexpected and rapidly changing situations in healthcare.

• Prepare materials for dental procedures

  Prepare dental materials such as cements, amalgam, composite, and impression materials as requested by the dentist, mixing materials for impressions and restorations and assembling syringes for anaesthesia.

• Use e-health and mobile health technologies

  Use mobile health technologies and e-health (online applications and services) in order to enhance the provided healthcare.

• Accept own accountability

  Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.

• Promote inclusion

  Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.

• Apply context specific clinical competences

  Apply professional and evidence based assessment, goal setting, delivery of intervention and evaluation of clients, taking into account the developmental and contextual history of the clients, within one`s own scope of practice.

• Turn impressions of the mouth into models

  Fabricate, trim and polish plaster and stone models of the mouth and teeth, working from impressions taken by a dental clinician.

• Observe patient throughout dental treatment

  Monitor patient's behavior during the provided dental treatment, so as to react rapidly in cases of negative reactions, under the supervision of the dental practitioner.

• Perform dental charting

  Create a dental chart of the patient`s mouth in order to provide information on tooth decay, cavities, missing teeth, the depths of gum pockets, abnormalities in teeth such as rotations, erosion or abrasions in the teeth or enamel, damage to teeth, or the presence of prosthetic teeth according to the dentist`s directions and under the dentist`s supervision.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB