Expanded Dental Assistant Duties: Performing More Technical Functions
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Expanded dental assistant duties usually means completing specialized training and performing more complex tasks in a dental office. Your responsibilities go beyond the normal dental assistant job description although a licensed dentist is always required to supervise your work.
Depending on the practice setting where you are employed, you may have more or less tasks once you qualify to become an expanded function dental assistant or EFDA.
Smaller private practices may still require you to perform clerical jobs like filing, making appointments or answering phones. But in all likelihood, these will be taken cared of by another co-worker if you are working in a bigger clinic or facility so you can concentrate on performing the expanded dental assistant duties that you trained for.
What You Need To Become An EFDA
Unless you specifically enrolled in a dental assisting program that includes expanded functions, you will need further studies beyond the one or two-year education that prepared you to become a regular dental assistant.
If you are eyeing to be an EFDA, then you need to comply with at least two requirements that will be asked of you when you apply for expanded functions dental assistant programs.
1. Complete an accredited dental assisting program. This status is granted by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and guarantees your training is at par with the standards of employers. It will also qualify you for the Dental Assistant National Board certification exam. If you pass this test, you will become a Certified Dental Assistant. And most expanded dental assistant duties training programs require you to be a CDA to be admitted.
2. Build a strong foundation with at least two years work experience. Your clinical duties as a regular dental assistant may include sterilization of instruments and equipment, and preparation of these before a procedure.
If you perform simple chairside assisting, you will be on hand while a dentist treats a patient. But you will never be allowed to actually perform even simple procedures, like making temporary fillings, no matter how familiar you are with them.
However, it is this experience that will be your ticket once you apply for expanded functions certificate programs. Schools require this and the more you have, the better your chances of acceptance. Other requirements may include x-ray and CPR certification.
Additional Duties
What are the expanded dental assistant duties you will train for? Among the skills you will learn are how to place sealants, carve amalgam and composite restorations, place bases and liners and place and remove matrix bands, wedges and rubber dams.
Handling power equipment used for temporary crowns, amalgam polishing and making temporary soft relines is one of the expanded functions you will become proficient at.
Most patients come in for permanent crowns. But this will take time so a temporary crown must be placed. An expanded function dental assistant is permitted to perform this simple procedure once he is certified. They may also remove cement from the gums. But all these are done under the supervision of a licensed dentist.
By upgrading your skills, you place yourself in a position where you can advance in the workplace and earn more. If you are passionate about helping people with oral health care, learning expanded dental assistant duties is a good opportunity.
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