Dental Assistant

What does a Dental Assistant do?

Performs paraprofessional tasks and oral hygiene duties. Supervises dental assistant functions. Related DoD Occupational Subgroup: 133000.

Duties and responsibilities

• Assists the dentist in the delivery of dental care. Receives patient, examines dental health record, and prepares patient for treatment. Adjusts the dental chair and selects and arranges instruments, materials, and medicaments for use. Measures and records blood pressure. Prepares syringe for injection of anesthetics. Retracts tissues and maintains clear operating field. Prepares materials for making impressions and restoring defective teeth. Performs expanded function dental assisting duties as required in support of dental treatment. Records entries in individual health dental records indicating condition of the oral cavity and treatment accomplished.
• Performs dental health duties. Performs oral prophylaxis and periodontal scaling procedures utilizing hand instruments and/or ultrasonic scalers. Applies anticariogenic agents and places sealants. Polishes restorations and instructs patients in dental health maintenance. Assists in planning, developing, and conducting comprehensive dental health programs.
• Exposes and processes dental radiographs/images. Adjusts radiographic equipment settings. Exposes intraoral/extraoral radiographs/images utilizing conventional and/or digital radiographic equipment. Processes, labels, and mounts film as applicable. Selects templates to identify appropriate film position and orientation. Practices and enforces accepted radiation safety standards.
• Engages in general dental duties. Follows infection control procedures and guidelines. Cleans, sterilizes, and sharpens dental instruments. Conducts sterilization equipment monitoring. Performs daily inspection and user maintenance of dental equipment. Practices and enforces accepted safety standards.
• Performs dental administrative duties. Engages in dental practice management. Coordinates patient appointments utilizing an automated appointment scheduling system. Maintains dental health records, filing systems, and publications. Reviews correspondence, reports, and records for accuracy. Develops, manages, and conducts unit hazard communication and dental training programs. Performs dental materiel functions related to budgeting procurement, custodial responsibilities, and maintenance and disposition of dental supplies and equipment.
• Administers unit self-inspection program. Inspects and evaluates administrative and paraprofessional practices employed in the dental service. Interprets inspections findings and reports deficiencies and outstanding accomplishments to Chief of Dental Services (CDS). Consults with the CDS to enhance administrative and paraprofessional functions.

Specialty qualifications

Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of oral and dental anatomy; fundamentals of physiology; dental therapeutics; systemic diseases; medicines; dental materials and instruments; sterile/infection control techniques; dental treatment room and laboratory procedures; preventive dentistry; dental administration; budgeting; and user level equipment maintenance.

Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school or college level courses in biology and chemistry is desirable.

Training. The following training is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:

• 4Y031. Completion of a basic dental assistant course.
• 4Y0X1H. Completion of a minimum 2-year American Dental Association accredited degree awarding Dental Hygiene program.

Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:

• 4Y051. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 4Y031. Also, experience in functions such as assisting the dentist in the delivery of patient treatment, exposing dental radiographs, performing oral prophylaxis procedures, and maintaining dental equipment.
• 4Y071. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 4Y051. Also, experience performing and supervising functions such as assisting the dentist in the delivery of patient treatment, exposing dental radiographs, and performing oral prophylaxis procedures and dental administrative duties.

Other. The following are mandatory as indicated:

• For entry into this specialty:
• Normal color vision as defined in AFI 48-123, Medical Examinations and Standards.
• A minimum age of 18 years prior to entry into technical training.
• See attachment 4 for additional entry requirements.
• For entry into H shred, prior qualification in and possession of PAFSC 4Y051/71.
• For award and retention of AFSCs 4Y051H/71H, must maintain current State Licensure as a Dental Hygienist.
• For award and retention of these AFSCs, must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and AFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security.

Civilian career paths

Comparable civilian careers for this field pay roughly $28,450–$208,000 per year (median salaries; varies by role and location):

• Acute Care Nurses: $75,330
• Anesthesiologist Assistants: $115,390
• Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians: $59,100
• Clinical Nurse Specialists: $75,330
• Community Health Workers: $42,000
• Critical Care Nurses: $75,330
• Dental Assistants: $41,180
• Dental Hygienists: $77,090
• Dental Laboratory Technicians: $42,110
• Dentists, General: $158,940
• Diagnostic Medical Sonographers: $75,920
• Dietetic Technicians: $30,110
• Embalmers: $47,630
• Emergency Medical Technicians: $36,650
• Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health: $46,850
• Health Education Specialists: $56,500
• Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars: $51,840
• Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary   $99,090
• Histology Technicians: $54,180
• Histotechnologists: $54,180
• Home Health Aide:  $27,080
• Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: $48,820
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists: $74,690
• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians: $54,180
• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists: $54,180
• Medical and Health Services Managers: $104,280
• Medical Assistants: $35,850
• Medical Equipment Preparers: $38,800
• Medical Equipment Repairers: $51,610
• Medical Records Specialists: $44,090
• Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: $37,350
• Neurodiagnostic Technologists: $44,090
• Nuclear Medicine Technologists: $79,590
• Nuclear Technicians: $84,190
• Nurse Anesthetists: $183,580
• Nurse Midwives: $111,130
• Nursing Assistants: $30,850
• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: $76,340
• Occupational Health and Safety Technicians: $53,340
• Occupational Therapy Aides: $30,180
• Occupational Therapy Assistants: $62,940
• Ophthalmic Medical Technicians: $37,940
• Ophthalmic Medical Technologists: $44,090
• Opticians, Dispensing: $38,530
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: $208,000
• Orderlies: $30,030
• Orthodontists: $208,000
• Paramedics: $36,650
• Patient Representatives: $44,090
• Pharmacy Aides: $29,280
• Pharmacy Technicians: $35,100
• Phlebotomists: $36,320
• Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators: $34,720
• Physical Therapist Aides: $28,450
• Physical Therapist Assistants: $59,770
• Physician Assistants: $115,390
• Psychiatric Technicians: $35,030
• Radiation Therapists: $86,850
• Radiologic Technologists and Technicians: $61,900
• Registered Nurses: $75,330
• Respiratory Therapists: $62,810
• Skincare Specialists: $36,510
• Surgical Assistants: $51,840
• Surgical Technologists: $49,710