▁States ▁of ▁America ▁▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Occ up ational ▁Emp loyment ▁Statistics , ▁in ▁the ▁USA ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁there ▁are ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 3 3 7 , 1 6 0 ▁D ental ▁Ass ist ants : ▁they ▁all ▁should ▁have ▁the ▁following ▁personal ▁qual ities : ▁▁ ▁demonstrate ▁sens itivity ▁to ▁the ▁patient ' s ▁needs ▁ ▁show ▁em path y ▁ ▁" say ▁the ▁right ▁thing ▁at ▁the ▁right ▁time " ▁ ▁be ▁s inc ere ▁ ▁be ▁a ▁good ▁listener ▁ ▁be ▁trust ▁worthy ▁ ▁Un like ▁Australia , ▁in ▁the ▁USA ▁dent al ▁assist ing ▁is ▁a ▁registered ▁profession ▁represented ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁D ental ▁Ass ist ants ▁Association ▁( AD AA ) ▁and ▁members ▁should ▁possess ▁both ▁front ▁des k ▁and ▁chair side ▁skills . ▁ ▁Rout ine ▁duties ▁include : ▁▁ ▁Ens ure ▁that ▁patients ▁are ▁comfortable ▁in ▁the ▁dent al ▁chair ▁ ▁P rep are ▁patients ▁and ▁the ▁work ▁area ▁for ▁treat ments ▁and ▁procedures ▁ ▁Ster il ize ▁dent al ▁instruments ▁ ▁Hand ▁instruments ▁to ▁dent ists ▁during ▁procedures ▁ ▁D ry ▁patients ’ ▁mouth s ▁using ▁su ction ▁h oses ▁and ▁other ▁equipment ▁ ▁Inst ruct ▁patients ▁in ▁proper ▁or al ▁h yg iene ▁ ▁Process ▁x ▁ray s ▁and ▁complete ▁lab ▁tasks , ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁a ▁dent ist ▁ ▁Keep ▁records ▁of ▁dent al ▁treat ments ▁ ▁Sch edule ▁patient ▁appoint ments ▁ ▁Work ▁with ▁patients ▁on ▁b illing ▁and ▁payment ▁ ▁Ext ended ▁duties ▁may ▁include