An oral surgeon assistant or dental surgery assistant is a healthcare professional that aids a dental surgeon in and out of the surgery theatre. Additionally, the assistant works with nurses, fellow assistants and other respective medical practitioners. An oral surgeon assistant salary depends on a variety of factors. What an oral surgeon assistant earns depends on the location of work, company, industry, experience, bonuses and allowances. However, there is a range with which the assistant’s salary falls under. The annual basis salary of a dental surgery assistant ranges from $31,581 to $46,348 annually. On the other hand, most of the assistants’ median salary is approximately $40,460 per annum as per a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the year 2012.
You can find an oral surgeon assistant by other names including surgical technologist and assist oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Generally, a surgical technologist is to oversee all the preparations before, after and during a surgery.
The Job
An oral surgeon assistant job require a person that works best under pressure without having to panic and guess on the instruments of use in the theatre during a surgery. Here is a detailed description of an oral surgeon assistant job.
An oral surgeon assistant welcomes a patient when they come. The assistant prepares the patient and shows him/her to the surgery area for examination. Before the dentist surgeon arrives, the dental surgery assistant (DSA) ensures that the examination room has all the instruments that the dentist surgeon will require when attending to the patient. This entails cleaning all the surgical instruments and arranging them properly.
Moreover, a dental surgeon assistant has the responsibility of calming down a nervous or anxious patient. The DSA has to be friendly and interactive with different types of people.
A DSA is also responsible for locating and checking patient’s records to confirm the details and make updates if need be. In case of new treatment, the DSA makes the changes on the patient’s records.
Another notable job of a DSA is to work closely with the dental surgeon and find out how they go about performing their duties. This will enable a DSA to know what he surgeon requires at each stage of an examination or treatment.
A surgical technologist job may also include clerical work. This includes filing, handling correspondence, monitoring supplies and checking dental laboratories to ensure they have the necessary requirements. In addition to the job, a DSA processes and prepares X rays, look after patients before and after a surgery.
Career Perspectives
Dental surgeons normally look for assistants that have a certificate in dental surgeon assistance or a two-year associate degree in the same field. However, experience is vital when it comes to being hired. You can acquire more knowledge by going for internships.
Oral surgery assistant’s jobs are making a rise. The career perspective of this profession predicts a continued rise even in the future. This is because, the field is relatively and people will continue to seek dental healthcare even during an economic recession. This will see an improvement in oral surgeon assistant salary.