Job Duties Custom List 31-9091.00 — Dental Assistants
- Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
Occupations with related tasks Save Table: XLSX CSV
- Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
- Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
- Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
- Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.
- Purge wastes from equipment by connecting equipment to water sources and flushing water through systems.
- Install and set up medical equipment, using hand tools.
- Record sterilizer test results.
- Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
- Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.
- Maintain records of inventory or equipment usage and order medical instruments or supplies when inventory is low.
- Stock crash carts or other medical supplies.
- Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards.
- Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
- Attend hospital in-service programs related to areas of work specialization.
- Deliver equipment to specified hospital locations or to patients' residences.
- Assist hospital staff with patient care duties, such as providing transportation or setting up traction.
- Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
- Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
- Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
- Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.
- Purge wastes from equipment by connecting equipment to water sources and flushing water through systems.
- Install and set up medical equipment, using hand tools.
- Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
- Clean, maintain, and sterilize instruments or equipment.
- Prepare surgical equipment and pass instruments or materials to veterinarians during surgical procedures.
- Provide assistance with euthanasia of animals or disposal of corpses.
- Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
- Prepare examination or treatment rooms by stocking them with appropriate supplies.
- Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
- Fill medication prescriptions.
- Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
- Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
- Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
- Administer medication, immunizations, or blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.
- Collect laboratory specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, for testing.
- Perform office reception duties, such as scheduling appointments or helping customers.
- Record information relating to animal genealogy, feeding schedules, appearance, behavior, or breeding.
- Provide emergency first aid to sick or injured animals.
- Educate or advise clients on animal health care, nutrition, or behavior problems.
- Prepare feed for animals according to specific instructions, such as diet lists or schedules.
- Write reports, maintain research information, or perform clerical duties.
- Perform hygiene-related duties, such as clipping animals' claws or cleaning and polishing teeth.
- Perform enemas, catheterizations, ear flushes, intravenous feedings, or gavages.
- Perform accounting duties, such as bookkeeping, billing customers for services, or maintaining inventories.
- Exercise animals or provide them with companionship.
- Place orders to restock inventory of hospital or laboratory supplies.
- Sell pet food or supplies to customers.
- Dust, spray, or bathe animals to control insect pests.
- Administer anesthetics during surgery and monitor the effects on animals.
- Groom, trim, or clip animals' coats.
- Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
- Clean, maintain, and sterilize instruments or equipment.
- Prepare surgical equipment and pass instruments or materials to veterinarians during surgical procedures.
- Provide assistance with euthanasia of animals or disposal of corpses.
- Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
- Prepare examination or treatment rooms by stocking them with appropriate supplies.
- Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
- Arrange treatment supplies to keep them in order.
- Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
- Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
- Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
- Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
- Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
- Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
- Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
- Schedule patient appointments with physical therapists and coordinate therapists' schedules.
- Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
- Record treatment given and equipment used.
- Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
- Train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
- Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
- Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, adjusting fit as needed.
- Participate in patient care tasks, such as assisting with passing food trays, feeding residents, or bathing residents on bed rest.
- Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
- Arrange treatment supplies to keep them in order.
- Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
- Set up medical laboratory equipment.
- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
- Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
- Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
- Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
- Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
- Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
- Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
- Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.
- Change dressings on wounds.
- Schedule appointments for patients.
- Inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies or equipment.
- Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission.
- Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
- Keep financial records or perform other bookkeeping duties, such as handling credit or collections or mailing monthly statements to patients.
- Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
- Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
- Set up medical laboratory equipment.
- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
- Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.
- Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance.
- Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
- Restrain patients to prevent violence or injury or to assist physicians or nurses to administer treatments.
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients, alone or with assistance, to prevent bedsores.
- Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation.
- Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
- Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains.
- Transport portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments.
- Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.
- Collect and transport infectious or hazardous waste in closed containers for sterilization or disposal, in accordance with applicable law, standards, or policies.
- Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel.
- Collect soiled linen or trash.
- Provide physical support to patients to assist them to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
- Separate collected materials for disposal, recycling, or reuse, in accordance with environmental policies.
- Take and record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff.
- Stock utility rooms, nonmedical storage rooms, or cleaning carts with supplies.
- Stock or issue medical supplies, such as dressing packs or treatment trays.
- Transport bodies to the morgue.
- Supply, collect, or empty bedpans.
- Serve or collect food trays.
- Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms.
- Carry messages or documents between departments.
- Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
- Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.
- Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance.
- Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
- Restrain patients to prevent violence or injury or to assist physicians or nurses to administer treatments.
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients, alone or with assistance, to prevent bedsores.
- Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation.
- Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care.
- Set up treating or testing equipment, such as oxygen tents, portable radiograph (x-ray) equipment, or overhead irrigation bottles, as directed by a physician or nurse.
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
- Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
- Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation.
- Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
- Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
- Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
- Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
- Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements.
- Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
- Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves.
- Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in urine.
- Supply, collect, or empty bedpans.
- Communicate with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support.
- Record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff.
- Gather information from caregivers, nurses, or physicians about patient condition, treatment plans, or appropriate activities.
- Wash, groom, shave, or drape patients to prepare them for surgery, treatment, or examination.
- Prepare or serve food trays.
- Change bed linens or make beds.
- Exercise patients who are comatose, paralyzed, or have restricted mobility.
- Restock patient rooms with personal hygiene items, such as towels, washcloths, soap, or toilet paper.
- Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.
- Record height or weight of patients.
- Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
- Collect specimens, such as urine, feces, or sputum.
- Provide information, such as directions, visiting hours, or patient status information to visitors or callers.
- Administer medications or treatments, such as catheterizations, suppositories, irrigations, enemas, massages, or douches, as directed by a physician or nurse.
- Apply clean dressings, slings, stockings, or support bandages, under direction of nurse or physician.
- Stock or issue medical supplies, such as dressing packs or treatment trays.
- Explain medical instructions to patients or family members.
- Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel.
- Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
- Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care.
- Set up treating or testing equipment, such as oxygen tents, portable radiograph (x-ray) equipment, or overhead irrigation bottles, as directed by a physician or nurse.
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
- Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
- Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation.
- Clean, disinfect, or calibrate scopes or other endoscopic instruments according to manufacturer recommendations and facility standards.
- Assist physicians or registered nurses in the conduct of endoscopic procedures.
- Prepare suites or rooms according to endoscopic procedure requirements.
- Position or transport patients in accordance with instructions from medical personnel.
- Collect specimens from patients, using standard medical procedures.
- Perform safety checks to verify proper equipment functioning.
- Maintain or repair endoscopic equipment.
- Place devices, such as blood pressure cuffs, pulse oximeter sensors, nasal cannulas, surgical cautery pads, and cardiac monitoring electrodes, on patients to monitor vital signs.
- Maintain inventories of endoscopic equipment and supplies.
- Attend in-service training to validate or refresh basic professional skills.
- Conduct in-service training sessions to disseminate information regarding equipment or instruments.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in endoscopy.
- Clean, disinfect, or calibrate scopes or other endoscopic instruments according to manufacturer recommendations and facility standards.
- Assist physicians or registered nurses in the conduct of endoscopic procedures.
- Prepare suites or rooms according to endoscopic procedure requirements.
- Position or transport patients in accordance with instructions from medical personnel.
- Prepare treatment areas and electrotherapy equipment for use by physiotherapists.
- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.
- Document patient information, such as notes on their progress.
- Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes.
- Instruct patients in proper body mechanics and in ways to improve functional mobility, such as aquatic exercise.
- Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
- Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, or heat, light, sound, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
- Clean work area and check and store equipment after treatment.
- Communicate with or instruct caregivers or family members on patient therapeutic activities or treatment plans.
- Measure patients' range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
- Train patients in the use of orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
- Monitor operation of equipment and record use of equipment and administration of treatment.
- Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
- Attend or conduct continuing education courses, seminars, or in-service activities.
- Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, such as crutches.
- Perform postural drainage, percussions, or vibrations or teach deep breathing exercises to treat respiratory conditions.
- Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
- Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
- Perform therapeutic wound care.
- Prepare treatment areas and electrotherapy equipment for use by physiotherapists.
- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements.
- Perform support duties, such as preparing materials, keeping records, maintaining supplies, and scheduling activities.
- Document clients' progress toward meeting established treatment objectives.
- Implement treatment plans or protocols as directed by speech-language pathologists.
- Collect and compile data to document clients' performance or assess program quality.
- Assist speech-language pathologists in the remediation or development of speech and language skills.
- Select or prepare speech-language instructional materials.
- Assist speech-language pathologists in the conduct of client screenings or assessments of language, voice, fluency, articulation, or hearing.
- Prepare charts, graphs, or other visual displays to communicate clients' performance information.
- Test or maintain equipment to ensure correct performance.
- Conduct in-service training sessions, or family and community education programs.
- Assist speech-language pathologists in the conduct of speech-language research projects.
- Perform support duties, such as preparing materials, keeping records, maintaining supplies, and scheduling activities.
- Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.
- Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.
- Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.
- Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.
- Unpack, sort, count, and label incoming merchandise, including items requiring special handling or refrigeration.
- Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.
- Prepare prescription labels by typing or operating a computer and printer.
- Provide customers with information about the uses, effects, or interactions of drugs.
- Process medical insurance claims, posting bill amounts and calculating copayments.
- Perform clerical tasks, such as filing, compiling and maintaining prescription records, or composing letters.
- Prepare, maintain, and record records of inventories, receipts, purchases, or deliveries, using a variety of computer screen formats.
- Deliver medication to treatment areas, living units, residences, or clinics, using various means of transportation.
- Operate capsule or tablet counting machine that automatically distributes a certain number of capsules or tablets into smaller containers.
- Greet customers and help them locate merchandise.
- Answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary.
- Compound, package, and label pharmaceutical products, under direction of pharmacist.
- Calculate anticipated drug usage for a prescribed period.
- Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.
- Assemble, clean, or maintain equipment or materials for patient use.
- Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.
- Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.
- Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.
- Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
- Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
- Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.
- Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.
- Attend continuing education classes.
- Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.
- Evaluate the daily living skills or capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients.
- Communicate and collaborate with other healthcare professionals involved with the care of a patient.
- Work under the direction of occupational therapists to plan, implement, or administer educational, vocational, or recreational programs that restore or enhance performance in individuals with functional impairments.
- Alter treatment programs to obtain better results if treatment is not having the intended effect.
- Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
- Design, fabricate, or repair assistive devices or make adaptive changes to equipment or environments.
- Attend care plan meetings to review patient progress and update care plans.
- Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual or creative arts or games.
- Teach patients how to deal constructively with their emotions.
- Order any needed educational or treatment supplies.
- Perform clerical duties, such as scheduling appointments, collecting data, or documenting health insurance billings.
- Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.
- Assemble, clean, or maintain equipment or materials for patient use.
- Organize or clean blood-drawing trays, ensuring that all instruments are sterile and all needles, syringes, or related items are of first-time use.
- Dispose of contaminated sharps, in accordance with applicable laws, standards, and policies.
- Draw blood from veins by vacuum tube, syringe, or butterfly venipuncture methods.
- Dispose of blood or other biohazard fluids or tissue, in accordance with applicable laws, standards, or policies.
- Conduct standards tests, such as blood alcohol, blood culture, oral glucose tolerance, glucose screening, blood smears, or peak and trough drug levels tests.
- Collect specimens at specific time intervals for tests, such as those assessing therapeutic drug levels.
- Enter patient, specimen, insurance, or billing information into computer.
- Draw blood from capillaries by dermal puncture, such as heel or finger stick methods.
- Conduct hemoglobin tests to ensure donor iron levels are normal.
- Transport specimens or fluid samples from collection sites to laboratories.
- Collect fluid or tissue samples, using appropriate collection procedures.
- Explain fluid or tissue collection procedures to patients.
- Train other medical personnel in phlebotomy or laboratory techniques.
- Perform saline flushes or dispense anticoagulant drugs, such as Heparin, through intravenous (IV) lines, in accordance with licensing restrictions and under the direction of a medical doctor.
- Administer subcutaneous or intramuscular injects, in accordance with licensing restrictions.
- Draw blood from arteries, using arterial collection techniques.
- Monitor blood or plasma donors during and after procedures to ensure health, safety, and comfort.
- Calibrate or maintain machines, such as those used for plasma collection.
- Serve refreshments to donors to ensure absorption of sugar into their systems.
- Match laboratory requisition forms to specimen tubes.
- Process blood or other fluid samples for further analysis by other medical professionals.
- Provide sample analysis results to physicians to assist diagnosis.
- Document route of specimens from collection to laboratory analysis and diagnosis.
- Determine donor suitability, according to interview results, vital signs, and medical history.
- Organize or clean blood-drawing trays, ensuring that all instruments are sterile and all needles, syringes, or related items are of first-time use.
- Assist coroners at death scenes or at autopsies, file police reports, and testify at inquests or in court, if employed by a coroner.
- Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
- Apply cosmetics to impart lifelike appearance to the deceased.
- Join lips, using needles and thread or wire.
- Close incisions, using needles and sutures.
- Incise stomach and abdominal walls and probe internal organs, using trocar, to withdraw blood and waste matter from organs.
- Clean and disinfect areas in which bodies are prepared and embalmed.
- Dress bodies and place them in caskets.
- Make incisions in arms or thighs and drain blood from circulatory system and replace it with embalming fluid, using pump.
- Remove the deceased from place of death and transport to funeral home.
- Perform the duties of funeral directors, including coordinating funeral activities.
- Attach trocar to pump-tube, start pump, and repeat probing to force embalming fluid into organs.
- Reshape or reconstruct disfigured or maimed bodies when necessary, using dermasurgery techniques and materials such as clay, cotton, plaster of Paris, and wax.
- Pack body orifices with cotton saturated with embalming fluid to prevent escape of gases or waste matter.
- Conduct interviews to arrange for the preparation of obituary notices, to assist with the selection of caskets or urns, and to determine the location and time of burials or cremations.
- Insert convex celluloid or cotton between eyeballs and eyelids to prevent slipping and sinking of eyelids.
- Assist with placing caskets in hearses and organize cemetery processions.
- Maintain records, such as itemized lists of clothing or valuables delivered with body and names of persons embalmed.
- Wash and dry bodies, using germicidal soap and towels or hot air dryers.
- Arrange for transporting the deceased to another state for interment.
- Perform special procedures necessary for remains that are to be transported to other states or overseas, or where death was caused by infectious disease.
- Supervise funeral attendants and other funeral home staff.
- Serve as pallbearers, attend visiting rooms, and provide other assistance to the bereaved.
- Direct casket and floral display placement and arrange guest seating.
- Arrange funeral home equipment and perform general maintenance.
- Press diaphragm to evacuate air from lungs.
- Assist coroners at death scenes or at autopsies, file police reports, and testify at inquests or in court, if employed by a coroner.
