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Registered Dental Assistant

The Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
and the dentist work together to deliver
patient treatment and care. Depending on the
procedure, multiple instruments and
materials may be used throughout a single
appointment. The assistant will provide the
required tools and instruments to the dentist
as needed, as well as perform other tasks,
such as ensuring the treatment area within
the mouth is clean, dry, and visible
throughout the procedure.

FIGURE 1. 2-RDA AND DDS

Outside of treatment delivery, the assistant may perform a multitude of tasks with or without the
direct supervision of the dentist. These tasks may include, taking x-rays and impressions, placing
topical or rubber dams, and creating temporary restorations. They also provide patient education
and post treatment instruction, sterilize and disinfect their instruments and operatories, stock
treatment rooms and manage clinical inventory. In certain offices, administrative duties may also
be assigned to the dental assistant, such as entering billing codes for completed treatment and
scheduling upcoming appointments for patients. The dentist heavily relies on their assistant to
help them administer quality patient care in an efficient manner.

Registered Dental Hygienist
The Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) works as a sole provider in a separate treatment room,
independent of the dentist and assistant. The dental hygienist provides preventive care, non-
surgical periodontal therapy and oral health education to patients. Hygiene appointments
commonly referred to as “cleanings,” are essential in helping patients avoid oral infections and
disease. By removing plaque build-up and stain, strengthening the teeth with fluoride and
educating patients on proper home care techniques, the hygienist helps to prevent future oral
health problems from occurring. Patients visit their hygienist on a routine basis, generally every
6, 9 or 12 months. During this visit, the hygienist will provide an oral cleaning, record
information on the health of the bone and tissues surrounding the teeth as well as update x-rays
(if needed). The dentist will also visit the hygiene operatory during this routine visit, in order to
review the information collected by the hygienist and perform a Recall Examination.
If a patient develops infection or disease involving their gum tissue or bone, they may need to
visit their hygienist more frequently in order to receive non-surgical periodontal therapy. Such
treatment commonly includes root planning, which is the removal of plaque and calculus from
the root of a tooth. A hygienist may obtain additional certification, which will allow them to
administer local anesthetic. This is useful as patients may require freezing for their cleaning
appointments in order to avoid discomfort, and the hygienist will be able to accommodate this
without having to interrupt the dentist. Additional to preventive and non-surgical periodontal
care, the hygienist is responsible for sterilization of their instruments, as well as disinfection,
stocking, and preparation of their operatory. In certain instances, they may also enter treatment
and schedule patients for their follow-up hygiene visits.
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