 Hello everybody. Let's talk about delivering dental care as a dental assistant. So this could be good as an overall review or if you're a new dental assistant, you have just graduated. This might help you kind of determine what steps you need to take from. You see a patient in your schedule, you know you have to see them, you know you have to prepare, you have to get the dentist, you have to help the dentist, sign them out. So let me kind of tell you how that all works. And I do have some notes. So if you guys see me look off to the side, that's what that's for. Okay, just to let you know I didn't want to forget anything for you. So basically you need to know your patients and the first thing to do is to check the patient schedule for that day. I typically like to divide it from the morning to the afternoon appointments but it depends on how many patients you see. If you're only seeing four patients all day then you can probably look at the whole day that will be easier for you. If you're seeing 10 patients that day or more than you might want to divide it to the morning in the afternoon. What I liked to do if possible if you had enough trays enough tools enough instruments was I like to set up for my morning patients. I like to get all of the trays set up stack them on top of each other put them in the cupboard. And that way if you do get behind let's say after your first patient or your second patient. That's okay because you know you have to clean everything up disinfect sterilize it all, but then once you're all done that you just have to reach into the cupboard take out your tray that's already set up put it on the table there, and then put everything together so that's what I like to do, but as a dental assistant though depending on how many rooms you might be working out of how many trays you have you might not have to do that so keep that in mind, but the more organized you are the better. So basically the rule of thumb is like they said you want to look at the schedule for that day to see what patients are you seeing what are their names and what are they in for, or what are they in for a tooth extraction are they into do an amalgam a composite a crown a bridge. All of these things are good to know, and the dentist will likely have a schedule as well. If they check it on the computer if there's a piece of paper, but both of you guys should have access to that at all times, especially if there's any changes. So let's say the second patient of the day cancels well reception is going to have to let you know, either they change that in the computer on paper or both. It really depends on your office. So after you've looked at the schedule now you have to make sure you have the right charts. Sometimes patients have the same name. It has happened where the wrong chart has been pulled. So you have the right chart double check. So that way when you do bring the patient back you don't want to be taking out the chart and then saying, Oh, you're not Mr. Smith, I have the wrong chart you never want to look like you don't know what you're doing, or somebody messed up in front of the patient. So have the chart have the schedule know what you are doing. And then what you want to do is bring the patient back so of course they're going to be in the waiting room. You're going to call their name and then they're going to follow you back into the laboratory. Have the patient have a seat check if there's any medical changes dental changes, write that down in the term and then let the dentist know that they're all set and ready to go. Now where is the dentist going to be they could be in their office they could be checking other hygiene patients, they could be doing other things but let the dentist know as soon as the patient arrives you are ready. And I do always suggest to go back to the patient and make small talk you don't want to leave the patient alone for too long because they might be nervous. And it's just much better to make small talk and to leave them alone for 20 minutes. They're checking their watch they don't know what's happening where did the assistant go where's the dentist. So I suggest staying in the room with the patient, talk about the weather talk about the weekend talk about anything you want to talk about make small talk with them, talk about their procedure that they are doing that day maybe they have questions. Let's see if they have any questions, because when the dentist walks in, you want everything to be prepared so while you're waiting for the dentist to come in, maybe even before you let the dentist know that they're ready for you, you are ready for the dentist to come maybe check to make sure you have everything set out properly. Let's just say you're doing a composite. Make sure you have the patient's chart, you have the topical out you have the local anesthetic out because we know the first thing the dentist is going to do is give local anesthetic they're going to prepare for that tooth right you need to put the tooth to sleep. Unless it's a small cavity then they might not be using anesthetic I'm sure the dentist will let you know, hopefully you guys had talked about that before the patient came back. So you know what to set up for because there are times when they wouldn't use local anesthetic for a very small cavity that needs to be fixed but if they are. So that's the first thing that they're going to do is say hi to the patient give them local anesthetic and then possibly put on the rubber dam but then you want the anesthetic. Sometimes the rubber dam is done before the anesthetic has started working sometimes it's put on afterwards it really depends. But either way that's the first thing that the dentist is going to do and then they're going to leave the room for maybe 10 minutes because you can't really get started until the anesthetic has taken effect. And don't leave the patient talk to them, because that's another way to prevent a medical emergency is stay with the patient at all times make sure they're doing okay, especially after local anesthetic is done. Now I would typically also take this time to make sure again, I had everything on the trade do you have what is needed for a composite procedure and any extras that you might need maybe not on the trade. You know where they are if you need to quickly grab it, you don't want to be leaving the room because you forgot the rubber dam material, or you don't want to be leaving the room because you forgot the topical get everything they're ready to go and make sure things are organized. So when the dentist walks in they're not really walking into a mess either. Well that happens, I would depending on if you're a new dental assistant or not go through the steps of the procedure in your head. Don't ask a lot of questions during the procedure because that can give the patient the idea that you don't know what you're doing, especially a new dental assistant is great to ask questions, but asked before the procedure to the dentist or asked afterwards to the dentist, not in front of the patient within reason I mean if you need to ask a question in front of the patient of course do. If it's do you prefer the ball burnisher or the PFI instrument let me know and I can pass that to you. That is okay to ask if I'm the patient but don't ask things like why are we doing this composite procedure why are you using the rubber dam but for the last patient you didn't you know things like that wait until either the beginning, or the end. Now the procedures happening practice makes perfect the more procedures you assist with the better you are going to get after the procedures done. The dentist will typically take off the rubber dam. Check the bite all of that depending on the procedure of course, and then check to see if the patient needs anything if they have any questions you as the dental assistant will be the one to maybe check again if the patient has any questions. If the dentist left the room you know check again it can't hurt do you have any questions how do you feel and give them any post op instructions, if half their tongue is numb from the anesthetic. Let them know be careful with your tongue don't bite the tongue, the anesthetic might take four hours to come out it might take six hours or could take a half an hour. You never know but give them post op instructions so they know what to expect, and then you are going to be bringing the patient out seat them again in the waiting room typically the receptionist doesn't like if the patients hanging around the front desk because they might be doing other things they might be on the phone they might be talking to other patients. So I always say to bring the patient out have them have a seat in the waiting room. Let the patient know I just have to make a few notes in your chart whether that's true or not who knows, but that way they're not in a hurry. Let them know say I just have to make a few notes in your chart it's just going to be a couple moments. If you bring your chart up front, the dental receptionist will let you know when they are ready for you they will call your name, have a seat watch TV read a magazine, and they will let you know have a nice day. So that's typically what I do, and then you might be the one going back to write up the chart, or perhaps the dentist is doing that for you and then you just have to bring the chart up to the dental. And they will either put in the codes book the next appointment, sometimes the dental assistant is the one to put in the codes and book the next appointment, but most often is going to be the dental receptionist at the front to write down the codes check the treatment plan see if there's another appointment that needs to be booked. So that is your job as a dental assistant and not to forget sorry guys I'm not done yet. So to of course go back to the room, you need to clean everything up you need to disinfect everything throw things out that need to be disposed of, and then you are going to to pre clean and then sterilize the instruments, typically in a separate sterilization area, and then set up for the next one So practice makes perfect you might feel like a fish out of water for the first little bit. Don't be afraid to ask questions don't be afraid to ask for help to other dental assistants. I was a dental assistant before as well I know how crazy how busy things can get but practice makes perfect before you know what you will be amazing and then going like oh wow like four years ago when I first started. What I was doing but now I'm actually helping other people, so hang in there because every procedure is a little bit different but you will get better and better. And every office, every dentist is different as well so what you did at another office might be different than what this dentist likes to do that this office. So keep that in mind and hang in there and good luck if you guys have any questions let me know and I'll see you in the next one.