1. DENTAL AUXILIARIES
DR. M. DHIVYA LAKSHMI

2. DEFINITION
A dental auxiliary can be definedas ‘A person who
is given responsibilities by a dentist so that he or
she can help the dentists render dental care, but
who is not himself or herself qualifiedwitha dental
degree’.
- Slack (1960)

3. CLASSIFICATION - WHO
1. NON OPERATING
AUXILIARY:
A) CLINICAL: a person who
assists the dentist in his
clinical work but does not
carry out any
independent procedures
in the oral cavity.
B) LABORATORY: a person
who assist the
professional (dentist) by
carrying out certain
technical laboratory
procedures.

4. CLASSIFICATION - WHO
2. OPERATING AUXILIARY:
This is a person who not
being a professional is
permitted to carry out certain
treatment procedures in the
mouth under the direction
and supervision of a
professional.

5. REVISED CLASSIFICATION
Slack GL, Burt BA (1981)
NON OPERATING AUXILIARIES
 Dental surgery assistant
 Dental secretary/ receptionist
 Dental laboratory technician
 Dental health educator
OPERATING AUXILIARIES
 School dental nurse (New Zealand type)
 Dental therapist
 Dental hygienist
 Expanded function dental auxiliaries
NEW TYPES OF DENTAL MANPOWER
 Dental licentiate
 Dental aides
 Community dental health coordinator
 Oral preventive assistant
 Advanced dental hygiene practitioner

6. DENTAL SURGERY ASSISTANT
 1885 – Dr. C. Edmund Kells
of New Orleans
 Woman as “lady in
attendance”
 Help dentist in business
office as well as chair.
 Perform non – technical
work that do not require any
or much training
 Dentist can concentrate &
devote full attention to care
of patient.

7. DUTIES
RECEPTION OF THE
PATIENT
PREPARATION OF THE
PATIENT FOR ANY
TREATMENT

8. DUTIES
Preparation and provision of all necessary
facilities, such as mouthwashes, napkins.

9. DUTIES
STERILIZATION CARE
PREPARATION OF
INSTRUMENTS PATIENT
INSTRUCTIONS

10. DUTIES
MIXING
MATERIALS
AFTER
TREATMENT
PATIENT
CARE
PREPARATION OF
SURGERY FOR
NEXT PATIENT

11. DUTIES
PRESENTATION
OF DOCUMENTS
ASSISTANCE WITH
X-RAY
AFTER CARE OF
GA PATIENTS

12. DENTAL SECRETARY / RECEPTIONIST
 Assists the dentist with his
secretarial work and patient
reception duties.

13. DENTAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
 Is a non- operating
auxiliary who fulfills the
prescriptions provided by
dentists regarding the
extra oral construction and
repair of oral appliances
and bridge work.
DUTIES :
 Casting of models from
impressions made by the
dentist.
 Fabrication of dentures,
splints, orthodontic
appliances, inlays, crowns &
special trays.

14. DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATOR
 This is the person who
instructs in the
prevention of dental
disease and who may also
be permitted to apply
preventive agents intra
orally.

15. THE NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL DENTAL NURSE
 in 1921 first training school
for dental nurse –
‘Dominion Training School
for Dental Nurses’ was
opened in Wellington, New
Zealand.
 Sir Thomas Hunter, a
founder of the New Zealand
dental association and a
pioneer in the
establishment of a dental
school in New Zealand.
 Training – 2 years
 Assigned to school by
government
 Expected to provide care
for children at nearly 6
month interval

16. DUTIES

17. DUTIES

18. DUTIES

19. DUTIES

20. DENTAL THERAPIST
 This is an operating
auxiliary , who is permitted
to carry out the
prescription of a
supervising dentist, certain
specified preventive and
treatment measures
including the preparation of
cavities and restoration of
teeth.
 They are like school dental
nurse but their role is quite
different, they are not
permitted to diagnose and
plan dental care. They are
permitted to work based on
the written treatment plan by
the dentist.
 Course duration – 2 years

21. DENTAL HYGIENIST
 A dental hygienist is an
operating auxiliary
licensed and registered to
practice dental hygiene
under the laws of the
appropriate state,
province, territory or
nation.
 USUAL FUNCTIONS:
Scaling
Fluoride app, Pit & Fissure
Sealants
Screening
Oral Hygiene Instruction

22. EXPANDED FUNCTION DENTAL
AUXILIARY ( EFDA)
 An EFDA is a dental
assistant or a dental
hygienist in some cases,
Who has received further
training in duties related to
the direct treatment of
patients, though still
working under the direct
supervision of a dentist.
 In 1960, the American Dental
Association advocated
careful examination of the
values of delegating to
expanded functioning
personnel those duties which
were reversible (i.e., did not
include the cutting of soft and
hard tissues)

23. DENTAL ASSISTANT IN
EXPANDED FUNCTION
DENTAL HYGIENIST IN
EXPANDED FUNCTION
DUTIES
 Retraction of gingiva
 Impressions for cast
restorations, space
maintainers, orthodontic
appliances.
 Etching of teeth
 Determine root length &
filling of trial endodontic
filling points
 Pit & Fissure Sealants
 Retraction of gingiva
 Impressions for cast
restorations, space
maintainers, orthodontic
appliances
 Temporary stabilization
 Debridement of periodontal
surgical site
 Suture placement

24. DENTAL LICENTIATE
 A semi-independent
operator trained to
perform Dental
prophylaxis , cavity
preparation n filling,
Extractions under L.A,
drainage of dental
abscess & early
recognition of more
serious dental problems.

25. DENTAL AIDE
 Performs elementary
first-aid procedures
including:
 extraction of teeth under
L.A, control of
hemorrhage,
 Recognition of dental
disease which requires
the transfer Of patient
to dental office.

26. FRONTIER AUXILIARIES
 Include capable lay people,
nurses & former dental
assistants with minimal
training.
 FUNCTIONS:
 Dental prophylaxis
 Dental Health Education
 Relief of pain
 Referral
 Fluoride Rinse programs
 Simple denture repairs