2014 Dental Assistants Week
Dorn VAMC Dental Assistants. Front row, left to right: Jan Gives, Lynn Thornton, Amy Cleckler. Second Row, left to right: Kathy Chalmers, Laticia Bryant, Marilyn Wardley, Darlene James, Samuel Johnson, Linda Hall. Not pictured: Juliet Witherspoon, Debbie Bishop (GOPC), Lois Bell (GOPC).
March 3-7 was National Dental Assistants Week. Dental assistants are an important part of the dental treatment team.
They are often the first person a patient meets at the appointment helping put them at ease. Their chairside functions help the dentist provide efficient care, but their work doesn’t stop or even begin there.
Before a patient arrives, the dental assistant prepares the room and once the patient leaves, they clean, decontaminate, disinfect, and prepare for the next patient adhering to stringent infection control protocols.
So, the next time you are in the dental clinic, give a big “thank you” to the assistant because we could not provide your care without them!
Thomas E. Porch, DMD
Chief Dental Service
Diplomate ABOMS
