The Dental Assistant provides dental assisting and related clinical support to faculty, students (Dental (DDS, Graduate and Post-Graduate), Dental Assisting and Hygiene) and accompanying persons (e.g. parents, guardians, spouses) within their assigned clinical area. The role provides chairside assisting to students to support their patients, including preparing models and specialized dental devices, assisting with taking and developing oral photographs and providing education on oral hygiene procedures and care of dental devices to patients and their families. The Dental Assistant facilitates sterilization of equipment and adherence to infection control procedures and ensuring clinic protocols, policies and procedures are followed. The work varies according to the schedule assigned (morning, day, or evening), the function of the assigned clinical area (Oral Surgery, Children's Clinic, Adult Clinic, Endodontic Clinic, Emergency Clinic, Radiology, Dental Outreach Community Service (DOCS), etc.), time of year (start, mid- or end-of-term), and the needs of the patients, students or faculty.
