National Occupation Code (NOC): 33100

Dental assistants assist dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists during the examination and treatment of patients and perform clerical functions. Dental laboratory assistants assist dental technologists and technicians in preparing and fabricating dentures and other dental devices. Dental assistants work in dentists' offices, community health centres, clinics and in educational institutions. Dental laboratory assistants are employed in dental laboratories.

Follow This Occupation Share

Job Duties for Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants

Dental assistants

• Prepare patients for dental examination and assist the dentist during examinations and dental treatments
• Sterilize and maintain instruments and equipment
• Prepare dental instruments, fillings, compounds and various dental materials
• Take and develop X-rays
• Polish teeth and clinical crowns and apply fluoride and sealant
• Take preliminary impressions for diagnostic casts
• Educate patients concerning oral hygiene
• Perform clerical duties such as prepare invoices, process payments, schedule patient appointments, record dental procedures performed and order dental and office supplies
• May perform intra-oral duties such as remove sutures, take and record vital signs, apply desensitizing agents, topical anaesthetic, anticariogenic agents and coronal whitening, fabricate, place, and remove temporary crowns and restorations, and apply and remove rubber dams
• May also perform pulp vitality testing as well as periodontal screening and recording.

Dental laboratory assistants

• Prepare plaster models and moulds from dental impressions
• Prepare wax bite-blocks and impression trays
• Cast gold or metal alloys for bridges and denture bases
• Pack plastic material in moulds to form full or partial dentures
• Mould wax over denture set-up to form full contours of artificial gums
• Make orthodontic bands from gold, silver, stainless steel or other metals
• Finish metal framework of dentures and polish and buff dentures to obtain natural finish.

Alternate Job Titles

• Ceramic Denture Caster
• Ceramic Denture Mechanic
• Ceramic Denture Moulder
• Certified Dental Assistant
• Certified Intra-oral Dental Assistant
• Chair-side Assistant - Dental
• Dental Aide
• Dental Assistant
• Dental Clinical Assistant
• Dental Laboratory Assistant
• Dental Laboratory Bench Worker
• Dental Laboratory Technician Assistant
• Dental Technician Assistant
• Denture Bench Moulder
• Denture Finisher
• Denture Framework Finisher
• Denture Packer
• Denture Setter
• Denture Trimmer-polisher
• Denture Wax Pattern Former
• Intra-oral Dental Assistant
• Licensed Dental Assistant
• Occlusion Rim Former - Dentures
• Orthodontic Band Maker
• Plaster Moulder - Dentures
• Preventive Dental Assistant
• Registered Dental Assistant