What is a typical day for a dentist?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

A typical day for a dentist involves providing patient care and managing the business aspects of the clinic. In a typical office, the dentist will arrive 30 minutes prior to the first patient and will have a "huddle" with their staff. In this "huddle," every patient on the schedule is reviewed, including their history and expected treatment.

This is done so that everyone is on the same page when the patient arrives and the team knows exactly why the patient is coming to the office as well as the costs and what is needed for the day.

After the huddle, the team will start seeing the patients. The dentist will usually have two patients being seen by a dental hygienist for a cleaning and two additional patients in a room with a dental assistant for dental treatment. Once the patient is ready, the dentist will enter the room to start the treatment of the patient.

The dentist will engage in small talk to try and ease nerves, and then they will discuss what the patient has done. If necessary, the dentist will determine what type of numbing agents are needed (typically lidocaine) and administer them as needed. The numbing agents take time to work, so the dentist will usually leave for a few minutes.

After giving the numbing agent time to work, the dentist will return and provide treatment. Treatments may vary from deep cleanings to crown placement to fillings. In some cases, old fillings and tooth decay will be removed. General dentists may perform some root canals, but more difficult procedures are referred to a specialist.