Foundational Assisting Principles
Dental Assistants are truly amazing when you consider all they do. Of all the things there are to do and learn these five are the most important.
Connection
We take for granted how much people dislike and fear coming to the dentist. It is your responsibility to do everything you can to help them feel safe, comfortable, and trusting of what we do. Time spent with a patient is never wasted or better spent. You are their concierge to make sure that their experience is the best we have to offer.
Always Hold Two Things
Holding 8 things would be nice, but two will do. You should never be holding just one thing. Your other hand should have the next instrument, the suction to keep the patient from drowning, or the air water to rinse/dry the tooth off.
Suction!
When the mouth prop comes out, forget everything else and suction as the patient feels like they are going to die and wanted the suction 30 seconds ago. Next time you get a filling this is all you will remember.
Anticipation
Try to always be thinking about what is next. Assisting is like dancing, not much has to be said as one partner leads and the second reads and anticipates.
If You Don’t Know?
Fake it or get someone to help without the patient seeing. They don’t want to know this is the first time you are doing something. They have full confidence in us and don’t want to know otherwise. If we run out of something or you can’t find an instrument, use body language & clues the patient can’t see. You don’t have to know everything; you just have to be willing and know how to find the answers.