▁experience ▁as ▁dent al ▁assist ants . ▁Some ▁dent ists ▁are ▁willing ▁to ▁pay ▁a ▁dent al ▁assistant - in - training ▁that ▁has ▁a ▁good ▁attitude ▁and ▁work ▁eth ic . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁USA ▁the ▁D ental ▁Ass isting ▁National ▁Board ▁offers ▁three ▁nation ally ▁recogn ised ▁cert ifications , ▁namely : ▁▁ ▁Cert ified ▁D ental ▁Ass istant ▁( CD A ) ▁ ▁Cert ified ▁Orth od ont ic ▁Ass istant ▁( CO A ) ▁ ▁Cert ified ▁Pre vent ative ▁Function s ▁D ental ▁Ass istant ▁( CP F DA ) ▁ ▁Exp and ed ▁duties ▁dent al ▁assist ants ▁or ▁expanded ▁functions ▁dent al ▁assist ants , ▁as ▁they ▁are ▁known ▁in ▁some ▁states , ▁may ▁work ▁one ▁on ▁one ▁with ▁the ▁patient ▁performing ▁rest or ations ▁after ▁the ▁doctor ▁has ▁removed ▁decay ▁Ide ally , ▁a ▁dent al ▁assistant ▁should ▁have ▁both ▁administrative ▁and ▁clin ical ▁skills ▁although ▁it ' s ▁still ▁acceptable ▁to ▁have ▁one ▁or ▁the ▁other . ▁ ▁D ut ies ▁may ▁also ▁include ▁se ating ▁and ▁prepar ing ▁the ▁patient , ▁chart ing , ▁mixing ▁dent al ▁materials , ▁providing ▁patient ▁education ▁and ▁post - oper ative ▁instructions . ▁They ▁also ▁keep ▁track ▁with ▁invent ory ▁control ▁and ▁ordering ▁supplies . ▁ ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁UK , ▁Register ed ▁D ental ▁N urs es ▁are ▁prohib ited ▁from ▁carrying ▁out ▁any ▁form ▁of ▁direct ▁dent al ▁treatment ▁on ▁the ▁patient , ▁including ▁teeth ▁wh iten ing ▁procedures , ▁under ▁the ▁G