42^nd Asia Pacific Dental and Oral Care Congress

Dental Nursing and Public Health Dentistry

Dental nurses are dental care professionals that provide assistance and support for clinical and non-clinical aspects of patient care. A dental nurse is able to work in all branches of dentistry like general dental practice and hospital and community services. Roles and responsibilities of dental nurses include: Performing infection control and decontamination procedures, handling dental materials, maintaining dental equipment and instruments and providing administrative support. Dental nurses should maintain ethical behavior for the profession, for the patient and for the community. Ethically, dental nurses should be motivated to maintain honor and integrity of the profession and support the dentist in proper patient treatment and welfare of the community. Dental nurse should perform only those dental works which they are entitled to perform. For the patients, the nurses should safeguard the welfare of patient regardless of sex, creed, race, economic standards, etc. Since patients are in close contact with the nurses, it is important for nurses to follow high ethical standards.