Essential Skills of Dental Assistants in Handling Dental Materials

Abstract

The research work focused on exploring the dental assistants’ skills in handling dental materials from various domains such as knowledge, skills, infection control, communication, problem-solving, time management, confidence, and barriers. The study conducted using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and correlation analysis showed that dental assistants possessed strong skills in knowledge (M = 4.10), skills (M = 4.01), infection control (M = 4.16), and communication (M = 4.16), and strongest in problem-solving (M = 3.93), confidence (M = 3.89. The lowest value was assigned to challenges and barriers (M = 3.61), dealing with systemic barriers such as optimized work load and new material adaptation. The one-way ANOVA analysis resulted in significant association of knowledge (p = 0.028), infection control (p = 0.002), and communication skills (p = 0.001) with demographic variables; meanwhile, there was a borderline association of skills with demographic variables (p = 0.053). The correlation analysis demonstrated that years of experience had a significant inverse relation with problem-solving, confidence, and barriers; meanwhile, type of work setting showed significant positive association with knowledge, skills, teamwork, time management, and confidence. The research work thus emphasizes and supports the net advantageous role of dental assistants in focusing efficiency and occupational safety associated with adaptation and orientation of dental assistants with dental materials and technology.