If you are thinking about a career as a dental assistant in Florida, you may wonder: Can dental assistants’ clean teeth in Florida? It’s a common question, and the answer is somewhat nuanced. Though dental assistants serve a critical supportive role for the licensed dental professional, there are particular dos and do not for what they are allowed to perform, especially concerning cleaning teeth.
In this blog post, we’ll explore whether dental assistants in Florida are allowed to clean teeth, what tasks they are permitted to perform, and how dental assistants can further their careers to expand their responsibilities.
Understanding the Role of a Dental Assistant
Dental assistants are an integral part of a dental team, performing a variety of tasks to help dentists provide effective care to patients. These tasks typically include:
- Assisting during procedures: Preparing the treatment area, handing tools to the dentist, and ensuring the patient is comfortable.
- Taking X-rays: Operating radiology equipment to capture images of the patient’s teeth and jaw.
- Sterilizing equipment: Maintaining a clean and sterile environment by disinfecting instruments and work areas.
- Patient care: Providing instructions for home care, assisting with procedures like fillings or crowns, and helping patients feel at ease.
However, when it comes to cleaning teeth—a procedure known as prophylaxis—dental assistants in Florida have limitations. Let’s take a closer look at the guidelines that govern whether a dental assistant can perform this task in the state.
Can Dental Assistants Clean Teeth in Florida?
In Florida, the role of a dental assistant is bound by the Do’s and Don’ts provided in the state’s regulations. Dental assistants should not perform teeth cleaning-prophylaxis-only if they possess additional certifications. Teeth cleaning involves the removal of plaque, tartar, and stains from the visible surface of the teeth. This normally and usually falls within a dental hygienist’s scope of practice and not within the dental assistant’s in Florida.
Dental Hygienists vs. Dental Assistants: Understanding the Difference
While both dental assistants and dental hygienists work in dental offices, their roles and responsibilities are distinctly different:
Dental Assistants: These are mainly the assistants to the dentist, helping him during the treatment, office work, preparation of the patients, and other routine work. Dental assistants may perform some tasks like X-rays, sterilization, and teaching the patients, but they cannot do work that involves direct contact with the patient for treatment, such as cleaning the teeth, without special training.
Dental Hygienists: Those licensed professionals who are competent and specifically taught to clean teeth, check signs of oral disease, and perform procedures for prevention. In Florida, dental hygienists can clean teeth, apply fluoride treatments, take X-rays of teeth, or even instruct patients about good oral hygiene. They attend more classes than the assistants and get extensive licensing, after which they work independently.
What Can a Dental Assistant Do in Florida?
Although dental assistants in Florida are not allowed to clean teeth, they have a range of important duties that are vital to the dental practice. These include:
- Assisting with Procedures: Dental assistants can prepare the patient and the treatment area, hand instruments to the dentist, and provide suction during procedures.
- Taking X-rays: Dental assistants can perform radiographic tasks, including taking digital X-rays or traditional radiographs, but must be certified to do so.
- Sterilizing Instruments: Ensuring that the dental office meets infection control standards by sterilizing instruments and preparing them for use.
- Patient Education: Explaining dental procedures, offering guidance on oral hygiene, and providing post-procedure care instructions.
- Assist in Restorative Procedures: Dental assistants can assist in the application of materials for fillings, crowns, and other restorative treatments under the supervision of the dentist.
- Expanded Functions: In Florida, dental assistants who hold the Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) certification can perform certain advanced duties, such as placing temporary fillings, applying sealants, and taking impressions. However, cleaning teeth is not within the scope of the EFDA role.
How Can Dental Assistants Expand Their Role in Florida?
While dental assistants cannot clean teeth directly, there are ways to expand their role and take on additional responsibilities. In Florida, dental assistants can pursue specialized certifications that allow them to perform more advanced functions, including:
- Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA): As mentioned earlier, dental assistants with the EFDA certification can perform certain advanced tasks like placing fillings, applying sealants, and taking impressions. However, it does not authorize them to clean teeth.
- Radiology Certification: Dental assistants can become certified to take X-rays by completing a radiology certification course.
- Coronal Polishing Certification: In some cases, dental assistants in Florida can pursue coronal polishing certification. While this is not the same as full teeth cleaning (which is a hygienist’s role), coronal polishing involves the removal of plaque and extrinsic stains from the surfaces of the teeth, often in preparation for further treatments or to maintain oral hygiene. This certification requires additional training and approval.
What Should Aspiring Dental Assistants Know About Their Role?
Individuals who would like to begin a career as dental assistants need to be aware of their scope and practice responsibilities within this state. Dental assistants in Florida are not allowed to clean teeth, but they normally play a vital role in the dental team because of the variety of their actions that keep everything in the workplace running and make the patients feel at ease.
If you’re interested in expanding your role and taking on more patient care responsibilities, pursuing certifications such as EFDA or coronal polishing may be a worthwhile option. However, to clean teeth as part of your job, you’ll need to consider a career as a dental hygienist.
Cleaning teeth is beyond the scope of practice for dental assistants in Florida. This is a procedure, also called prophylaxis, that is reserved for licensed dental hygienists. Dental assistants provide invaluable support to dental teams by performing many critical tasks, including assisting with procedures, taking X-rays, and providing patient education.
A career as a dental assistant is a very rewarding position for someone who delights in working with patients and providing care to their dental needs. For those looking to take their role to the next level to work on cleaning the patient’s teeth, advancing your career is a step towards becoming a dental hygienist.