Dental Assistant Health

April 23, 2015

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Stay Healthy Performing Dental Assistant Duties

Two female dental assisting students in class

There’s no way to avoid sickness all the time but these three tips are essential for your health.

Whether you’re a Dental Assisting student or a full-fledged Dental Assistant, you probably spend a great deal of time around dental patients. And as you probably already know, these patients won’t always practice the sanitary precautions dental staff members are required to take before entering a work area. You don’t want to subject yourself to others’ bacteria and sickness while performing your Dental Assistant duties, so make sure to take these steps while training or working to maintain your health as best as possible.

Wash your hands

Germs are all over the place. Frequent hand-washing before and after a dental procedure will help protect you from lingering viruses and only takes a few seconds to complete. Carry an alcohol-based hand rub with you for times when soap and water aren’t available. Your Dental Assistant duties will require plenty of hands-on work, so hand washing is probably the best action you can take to stay healthy.

Cover your mouth and nose

You know you don’t like it when others sneeze and fail to cover up. Return the favor, and keep your outbursts to yourself. Let’s take this a step further – rather than using your hand (and later spreading more germs), turn your arm and use your sleeve if you don’t have a tissue handy.

Disinfect your belongings

Chances are, at least one person that you regularly deal with in a dental setting is sick at any given time. Why take the chance of letting another drag you down with them? Keep disinfecting wipes/sprays on-hand and use them often. Maybe others will see how healthy you are and pick up the habit, themselves.

There’s no way to avoid sickness all the time, but your chances are much greater if you actively work to maintain cleanliness. These practices are important in any work setting, but they become increasingly crucial when dental assistant duties include working so closely with dental patients, as well as handling the tools dentists regularly use to clean patients’ mouths.

First Institute’s Dental Assisting Program

Are you ready to begin your career as a Dental Assistant? Contact First Institute at 815-459-3500 for more information on our Dental Assistant program.

Learn more about First Institute’s Dental Assistant Program:

Become a Dental Assistant