Dental Assistant (Expanded Function)

Job Title

Dental Assistant

Duties

The duties of the Dental Assistant include:

• Performs routine and complex alloy and composite restorations, including those requiring pin retention, cusp build-ups, multi-surface restorations, and incisal angle replacement.
• Selects, adapts, seats, and cements stainless steel crowns and fabricates and places temporary crowns and bridges.
• Places bases and liners, contours matrices, carves and polishes restorations, and finishes complex restorations independently within established guidelines.
• Performs advanced chairside assisting while allowing the dentist to transition to the next patient.
• Applies and removes rubber dams, removes sutures, applies periodontal dressings, and takes preliminary impressions.
• Performs oral prophylaxis and advanced calculus removal using ultrasonic and hand instruments.
• Conducts expanded dental laboratory functions, including mounting casts on articulators and pouring final impressions.
• Actively participates in quality assurance/quality improvement activities, community outreach, and patient education.
• Exercises greater judgment in selecting instruments and techniques, with work reviewed periodically rather than continuously.