Index

Intro
Main Duties
Employment Requirements
All Titles
Exclusions

Intro

Dental assistants assist dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists during the examination and treatment of patients and perform clerical functions. Dental assistants work in dentists’ offices, community health centres, clinics and in educational institutions.

In some provinces there are two levels of dental assistants: Level I – chair-side assistant and Level II – intra-oral assistant. Progression from Level I to Level II is possible with education, training and licensure.

Main Duties

Dental assistants perform some or all of the following duties:

Prepare patients for dental examination and assist the dentist during the examination
Sterilize and maintain instruments and equipment
Prepare dental instruments and filling materials
Take and develop X-rays
Polish teeth and clinical crowns and apply fluoride and sealant
Take preliminary impressions for diagnostic casts
Fabricate and place temporary crowns and restorations
Educate patients concerning oral hygiene
Invoice patients for dental services
Schedule patient appointments and record dental procedures performed
Order dental and office supplies
May perform intra-oral duties such as remove sutures, take and record vital signs, apply desensitizing agents, topical anaesthetic, anticariogenic agents and apply and remove rubber dams.

Employment Requirements

Completion of an eight-month to one-year college or other program in dental assistance
or
Completion of secondary school with on-the-job training is required.
Licensing is required to perform intra-oral duties in all provinces. In Quebec, intra-oral duties are not performed by dental assistants.

All Titles