The dentist's job has always required more than two hands. Drilling, pulling, cleaning, and operating on teeth requires one pair of hands to operate the instruments and another pair to hand the instruments to the dentist and to hold the patient's mouth open and keep it dry and clean. Since the 1800s dentists have had assistants to help them when they could not physically perform a dental operation or examination alone.
The job of the dental assistant as we know it developed in the 20th century. Techniques in dentistry and tooth care have undergone a revolution in the past 100 years, as discoveries in chemistry and the biomedical sciences led to the development of dental radiography and improved dental instruments, materials, and treatment techniques. In addition, the discovery that fluoride helps prevent tooth decay created more work for dentists because fluoride treatments enabled many more people to keep their teeth throughout their lives. In recent decades, with greater public awareness of the importance of dental care (especially as it relates to overall health), more and more companies began providing dental insurance to employees.
These developments in the field of dental care resulted in a greater workload for dentists. As they took in more patients and performed more kinds of dental services, they had less time to perform routine tasks such as updating patients' files, instructing them on techniques of oral hygiene, and keeping the treatment area sterile. With some training, other workers learned to take on these duties, and the dental assistant became indispensable to the modern, busy dental office.
- Addiction Therapists
- Advanced Practice Nurses
- Aerospace Medicine Physicians
- Allergists/Immunologists
- Anesthesiologist Assistants
- Anesthesiologists
- Behavioral Health Technicians
- Biomedical Equipment Technicians
- Cancer Exercise Specialists
- Cardiologists
- Cardiovascular Technologists
- Child Life Specialists
- Chiropractors
- Clinical Applications Specialists
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners
- Community Health Nurses
- Community Health Workers
- Contact Tracers
- Cosmetic Surgeons
- Creative Arts Therapists
- Critical Care Nurses
- Cytogenetic Technologists
- Cytotechnologists
- Dental Hygienists
- Dental Laboratory Technicians
- Dental Therapists
- Dentists
- Dermatologists
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
- Dialysis Technicians
- Dietetic Technicians
- Dietitians
- Directors of Telehealth
- Dispensing Opticians
- Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists
- Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Emergency Nurses
- Endocrinologists
- Endodontists
- Endoscopy Technicians
- Epidemiologists
- Ergonomists
- Gastroenterologists
- General Practitioners
- Genetic Counselors
- Geriatric Nurses
- Geriatric Psychiatrists
- Geriatric Social Workers
- Geriatricians
- Grief Therapists
- Health Advocates
- Health Educators
- Health Informaticists
- Hematologists
- Histologic Technicians
- Holistic Physicians
- Home Health Care Aides
- Home Health Care and Hospice Nurses
- Hospice Workers
- Hospitalists
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
- Informatics Nurse Specialists
- Kinesiologists
- Licensed Practical Nurses
- Medical Assistants
- Medical Laboratory Technicians
- Medical Record Technicians
- Medical Screeners
- Medical Scribes
- Medical Secretaries
- Medical Technologists
- Microbiologists
- Music Therapists
- Neonatal Nurses
- Neurologists
- Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists
- Neuroscientists
- Nuclear Medicine Physicians
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists
- Nurse Anesthetists
- Nurse Assistants
- Nurse Managers
- Nurse Practitioners
- Nurse-Midwives
- Nutritionists
- Obstetricians/Gynecologists
- Occupational Health Nurses
- Occupational Therapists
- Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides
- Oncological Nurses
- Oncologists
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
- Ophthalmic Medical Technologists
- Ophthalmologists
- Optometrists
- Oral Surgeons
- Oriental Medicine Practitioners
- Orientation and Mobility Specialists
- Orthodontists
- Orthoptists
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Technicians
- Orthotists and Prosthetists
- Osteopathic Physicians
- Pathologists
- Pediatric Dentists
- Pediatricians
- Pedorthists
- Perfusionists
- Periodontists
- Pharmacists
- Pharmacologists
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Phlebotomy Technicians
- Physiatrists
- Physical Therapists
- Physical Therapy Assistants
- Physician Assistants
- Physicians
- Podiatrists
- Preventive Medicine Physicians
- Prosthodontists
- Psychiatric Nurses
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Radiologic Technologists
- Radiologists
- Receptionists
- Recreational Therapists
- Registered Nurses
- Remote Health Care Engineers
- Respiratory Technicians
- Respiratory Therapists
- School Nurses
- Senior Care Pharmacists
- Social Workers
- Special Procedures Technologists
- Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
- Sports Physicians
- Sports Psychologists
- Surgeons
- Surgical Technologists
- Toxicologists
- Transplant Coordinators
- Urologists