1. Greet and welcome patients
When a patient arrives at the dental office, it is the duty of the dental assistant to provide warm and friendly greetings. This includes using the patient’s name, offering them refreshments, showing them to their seat in the waiting room, and getting to know them a little bit before their appointment.
2. Answer phone calls and schedule appointments
Answering phone calls promptly, professionally, and kindly is an important part of the dental assistant duties checklist. This includes taking messages, scheduling appointments, and answering questions about office policies and procedures.
3. Verify patient insurance information
Verifying patient insurance information prior to their appointment is critical for ensuring that they will be able to receive their medical care without any issues or delays with their coverage provider.
4. Collect patient health history
Before each appointment it is important for the dental assistant to collect a comprehensive health history from the patient so that the dentist can provide them with the best possible care during their visit. This includes asking about past medical conditions, current medications, and any allergies that the patient may have.
5. Prepare treatment room for patient visit
The dental assistant should be responsible for preparing the treatment room prior to each patient visit. This includes sterilizing equipment and instruments, setting out supplies, and ensuring that all necessary materials are ready to go.
6. Assist dentist during dental procedures
The dental assistant provides support to the dentist during a variety of different procedures. This includes handing them instruments, keeping an eye on their patients’ vital signs (such as heart rate and blood pressure), taking X-rays, and more.
7. Sterilize dental instruments and equipment
Properly cleaning and sterilizing all instruments is extremely important for protecting the health and safety of both patients and staff members. The dental assistant should be responsible for making sure that all instruments are properly cleaned and stored after each use.
8. Dispose of medical waste and sharps containers
Medical waste must be handled in a safe, responsible, and timely manner to ensure the continued safety of everyone at the office. The dental assistant should be aware of appropriate disposal procedures for items such as used syringes, needles, gloves, dressings, etc.
9. Order supplies and manage inventory
The dental assistant is typically in charge of ordering necessary supplies to ensure that there are no shortages during patient visits. They may also be responsible for managing inventory levels to make sure that the office has enough supplies at all times.
10. Maintain patient records
Maintaining accurate and up-to-date patient records is an important part of the dental assistant’s duties checklist. This involves updating patient charts, filing paperwork, and other administrative tasks as needed. It is also important to ensure that all patient information is kept secure in accordance with HIPAA regulations.
