A dental assistant has many different responsibilities that they are required to perform in the office. As a dental assistant, your job description will be continually changing. Most assistants split their time working directly alongside the dentist in the exam room, performing daily office duties, or working in the laboratory. The constant shift of required responsibilities helps create an exciting and diverse work experience that never gets boring! This is why many assistants enjoy their job. Each day brings on new experiences and responsibilities.

While working with the dentist in the exam room, dental assistants perform many of the simple tasks for the dentist allowing the dentist more time to work on complex dental procedures. Assistants usually help out by sterilizing and prepping equipment for dentists to use. They often lay out specific instruments and tools so that they are easily accessible for the dentist. During procedures they may hand off specific tools to the dentist when they are needed. They can also work directly with the patients helping them to feel more comfortable by adjusting their chair, keeping their mouth dry and clear by use of suctioning devices, or even removing sutures from inside of their mouth. As a dental assistant, all of this is done under the close and direct supervision of the dentist. Assistants do not perform procedures independently as dental hygienists often do.

Dental professionals also spend a lot time performing daily office duties necessary to keep the office up and running. These responsibilities include scheduling patients' appointments and calling to confirm these appointments. When patients arrive in the office the dental assistant will greet them and sign them in for their appointment. They are also responsible for keeping and updating patients' files and records. Any patient with a change in their insurance provider or mailing address will need to have their file updated by the assistants. While working in the office, dental assistants will also be responsible for sending out bills to patients and insurance companies as well as ordering any new supplies or materials that the office may need. These responsibilities require a great deal of clerical and good organizational skills.

On occasion, assistants will help out in the dental laboratory. Here they will assist dentists in using mouth impressions to create casts of the patients' teeth. They will be responsible for making temporary crowns for patients as well. In the laboratory assistants can also help by cleaning and polishing equipment and appliances used for lab work. In some places, dental assistants performing duties in the laboratory are required to have additional training or certifications. This varies from state to state.

A career as an assistant can be very rewarding as well as exciting. With constantly changing duties and responsibilities, a day at work will never be the same. This allows assistants to spend more time doing the tasks that they enjoy which results in a much more exciting job.!

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A medical assistant has the option, with the right training, experience and qualifications, to make a major transition and cross train into a number of rewarding and challenging health care careers.

Utilize your training and go from being a medical assistant to:

Nursing – LPN or RN

For highly skilled and dedicated medical assistant technicians who are ready to explore other health service occupations, becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or a registered nurse (RN) can be an enticing option.

Medical Records Technician

Medical records technicians are heavily involved in making sure data is properly recorded and utilized. Between the patient and the doctor, medical records technicians are recognized as a vital link. They also play an extremely important role in overseeing administrative activities of medical offices. It would be difficult to disseminate needed information to staff and patients without the help of skilled and competent medical records technicians.

Medical Data Assistant

Take your medical assistant training and skills and cross train to become a medical data assistant. The training you will receive in terminology, transcription and coding can prepare you for numerous positions that require a broad base of medical knowledge. Medical data assistants perform such tasks as keying medical data into databases, providing front-desk services and appointment scheduling for patients.

Medical Billing and Coding Specialist

To successfully cross train, candidates must be up on the latest industry insurance rules, medical billing practices and lab procedures. The training that medical billing and coding specialists receive prepares them to accurately process critical information and data about patients.

Medical Transcriptionists

Consider transferring the medical assistant training and skills you have developed to become a medical transcriptionist. Clinics, hospitals and medical insurance companies, to name a few, often value competent medical transcriptionist candidates who can hit the ground running on day one of the job.

Pharmacy Aid

Becoming a pharmacy aid allows medical assistants to apply the skills learned to a pharmacy setting. Duties may include delivering drugs to the pharmacy, accepting store merchandise and keeping supplies stocked.

Physical Therapist Assistant

A physical therapist assistant, familiar with cold and heat therapy applications and techniques, may, with additional training, become a member of a therapeutic team in hospitals, physicians’ offices, outpatient clinics and other locations.

Health Service Occupations

Additional training and a strong sense of motivation can lead to employment in such health service occupations as an X-ray for EKG technician, dental assistant, surgical technologist, massage therapist or RN.

Nursing Assistant

A trained medical assistant may even opt to become a nursing assistant to help to support hospital-nursing staff. It is a tough job, often requiring heavy lifting of patients and clean up.

Certified Medical Assistant

A certified medical assistant (CMA) is qualified to perform a score of important duties in at the medical clinic or doctor’s office. While non-certified assistants may, in many cases, be able to perform at the same level as a CMA, the certification designates an individual has the knowledge and capabilities to form at the highest level of expectation for his or her profession.

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Endocrine Disruptors

A lot of environmental pollutants act as endocrine disruptors (EDs).They are outside agents which interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, activation or elimination of natural hormones in the body, responsible for reproduction.

These substances qualify as EDs: pesticides, heavy metals, plasticizers, organic solvents, drugs, gamma and X-rays.

Exposure to EDs during pregnancy can lead to disrupted development of the baby, in particular the baby’s reproductive system. Exposure to EDs in-utero has been associated with testicular cancer in men and vaginal cancer in women later in life.

Phthalates

Phthalates are chemicals used as lubricants, solvents, stabilizers and plasticizers. They give plastic it’s flexibility. They are predominantly found in children’s toys, blood storage bags, cosmetics, perfumes, food packaging and medications. Phthalates can be inhaled in polluted air, absorbed through the skin, ingested with food and water. Phthalate knows as DEHP is one of the most abundantly used phthalates. It has been shown to create a havoc with your hormones. It decreases lutenizing hormone (LH), increases follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), delays ovulation and impairs steroid hormone production (testosterone, estrogen and progesterone).

Bisphenol A

Another ED to worry about is Bisphenol A. It’s found in the interior coating of tins (tuna tins, baked beans and other tinned fruit and vegetables, tin tomatoes etc…), milk containers (tetra-pac), baby formula bottles, re-usable water bottles and dental materials. Bisphenol A leaches into the food and water during heating (bottle sterilization) and after prolonged storage – which most of the tinned products and bottle water are. Bisphenol binds to your estrogen receptors and exerts stronger effect on the body than your natural estrogen.

A study found that out of 2,517 people 93% tested positive for bisphenol A in the urine. Women had significantly higher levels than men, followed by children who had the highest levels.

Another study found that women who underwent IVF and tested positive for bisphenol A, had much lower IVF success rates than women who tested negative.

Women with quantifiable levels of bisphenol A are also more likely to suffer from recurrent miscarriages and have an abnormal immune reaction to the developing embryo.

Organochloride Compounds

Are another nasty ED people get in touch with through consumption of contaminated animal products (eggs, meat, fish and dairy), water and breast milk. They are found in pesticides, and can be transported through the air to the nearest lake, sea, creek, ocean etc… If you eat non organically grown fruit and vegetables, eggs, dairy and milk, than your primary source of corganochloride compounds will be your diet. Studies have found that animal products contain more pesticides that non-organically grown fruit and vegetables. Organochloride compounds, in particular DDT and DDE have been associated with:

o Miscarriages

o Male and female infertility

o Birth defects

o Poor sperm quality

o Decreased ovulation

o Impaired implantation

o Hormonal imbalances

Glycol Ether

Is used for surface coating, printing inks, cleaning solutions, cosmetics, water-based paint and agrochemicals. Glycol Ether can negatively impact sperm motility (sperm’s ability to swim).

Organic Solvents

Impact female fertility more than male fertility. At high risk of exposure to organic solvents are people who work with clothing, textile, paint, plastic, health care workers and laboratory workers. Organic solvents increase time to pregnancy, risk of miscarriage and pose a risk of major malformations in the baby.

Heavy Metals

Particularly toxic for men are lead, mercury, cadmium, cobalt, chromium and boron as they can lead to testicular damage, impaired sperm production, and hormonal imbalances. At high risk of exposure to heavy metals are people who work with metals, welders, ore smelters, ammunition manufacturers, artists, painters and industry workers.

In women exposure to lead can lead to spontaneous abortions, miscarriages, severe birth deformities and reduced fertility.

15 Steps to Reverse Endocrine Disruptor Induced Infertility

1. Stop buying food in tins and plastic containers.

2. Don’t store your food in plastic containers.

3. Don’t use aluminum and plastic foils.

4. Don’t drink unfiltered tap water.

5. Don’t shower in unfiltered tap water.

6. Drink water out of glass bottles, not plastic bottles.

7. Never ever put hot contents into a plastic water bottle.

8. Buy organic food including meat, dairy, eggs, fruit and vegetables.

9. Stop using commercial cleaning products.

10. Stop using commercial body care products (use natural organic alternatives only).

11. Stop using commercial cosmetics, perfume and nail polish.

12. Increase your intake of garlic, zinc, selenium, magnesium, broccoli and vitamin C.

13. Do a detox and if necessary have a chelation therapy.

14. If you work in one of the above mentioned industries (plastics, metal, lab, dentistry, paint etc…) get yourself tested for heavy metals, bisphenol A, organic solvents and organochloride compounds. If the tests are positive speak to your employer and ask to be given a different role where you won’t be coming into contact with EDs during chelation therapy and preconception time (pregnancy and breast feeding for women). Your employer needs to protect the workers and it’s their OHS (occupational health and safety) duty to comply. Raise the issue with your HR and OHS department if your boss won’t help you. If your company won’t help you go higher up in the chain and raise the issue with worker’s unions and the press. It’s likely that you are not the only one affected by this problem and you will find support.

15. Tell others; share this information with your family, friends and colleagues at work.

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Emergency room insurance supplements in the United States are a form of accident medical coverage that covers accidental bodily injuries. These plans have no health questions or underwriting, meaning everyone can qualify. Guarantee acceptance is usually until age 65. Since this is a form of accident insurance, plans can be used with any licensed doctor, emergency room, urgent quick care facility, or medical clinic. Some sales brochures might refer to these plans as 24 hour accident coverage, accident medical expense benefit, personal injury insurance plan, accident health insurance, or personal accident insurance. It should be nick named “pound for pound most useful plan” based on its practicality.

Supplements that provide this form of emergency room coverage are a membership based indemnity. A indemnity plan compensates for a loss in cash payments to member or medical care provider. Plans pay part of the medical expenses charged by doctors or hospitals up to a benefit amount of $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, or $10,000 per accident. Plans are not marketed as insurance, rather a limited accident medical expense policy. Plans are tied into a association that offers it’s members this type of emergency room insurance coverage. Coverage is for bodily injuries and not sickness related ER visits. On a good plan, injuries sustained in kids league sports like soccer, football, and baseball are covered. High school sports injuries are also covered on some plans. Professional or College level sports injuries are not covered. Just like any other health insurance plan, injury must happen while coverage was in force and directly caused a loss to you covered under the policy. So benefits are only payable if the policy was active before the injury occurred. Kids can stay on the family accident plan until age 26 when they’ll have to switch to an individual policy.

Since plans are not insurance but a association, applications have no health questions and acceptance is guaranteed. Emergency room coverage plans can’t have a strict “in network or out of network” set of rules. The ER supplement I’m writing about here can be used at any hospital, doctor, or clinic. Plans also can be used as travel insurance while outside the United States. Most plans only will cover abroad for two consecutive months. So if your vacation out of country go’s past 2 months, plan won’t cover any bodily injury claims. But who’s really worried about health insurance during a 2 month vacation?

Personal injury insurance plans pay for all injuries from any one accident up to the policy benefit of $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, or $10,000 minus a $100 dollar deductible. Deductible is the out of pocket expense you (the insured) pays before the accident plan pays. Put differently, members can choose accident medical benefits of $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, or $10,000 US dollars with a $100 deductible per occurrence. Currently, most injury plans have a $100 or $250 deductible. Indemnity benefits reset after each accident and benefits are paid per injury or per accident with a new $100 deductible.

Emergency room coverage includes:

-Ambulance Charges

-Hospital Emergency Room Care

-Operating Room Costs (inpatient or outpatient)

-X-Rays

-MRI’s

-Lab tests

-Doctors visits (inpatient or outpatient)

-Doctors fees for surgery (inpatient or outpatient)

-Anesthesia Expense

-Physical Therapy

-Prescription Drug expense

-Dental treatment for injury to sound natural teeth.

-Nurse expense

-Miscellaneous hospital expenses during stay, outpatient surgery under general anesthetic.

-Hospital room and board

-General nursing care

Lowest plan rate found so far. Note: Many insurance agencies sell these accident plans packaged with dental, vision, and other random discounts. So these prices are just the policies for straight accident coverage.

Individual: $5,000 policy value – $22 monthly.

Individual: $7,500 policy value – $28 monthly.

Individual: $10,000 policy value – $34 monthly.

Family: $5,000 policy value – $35 monthly.

Family: $7,500 policy value – $41 monthly.

Family: $10,000 policy value- $47 monthly.

( Monthly price for a family policy includes everyone. It’s the same price if you have a 3 person family or a 8 person family).

Emergency room health insurance supplements in the United States are commonly used in conjunction with HDHP (High Deductible Health Plans) to cover the big deductibles. Typical PPO deductibles are up to $5,000 and $10,000 due to constant rate increases from insurance companies. Increasing the deductible every year offsets the annual rate increase. The issue people have with these large deductibles is that one emergency room visit from a broken bone or torn ligament will meet the deductible for the year. A lot of HDHP deductibles are maxed out from bodily injuries that required X-rays, MRI’s, and eventually surgery. Emergency room insurance plans pay out of pocket bills associated with accidents and can pay off the high deductible PPO plan. Combining a HDHP with a ER plan of the same amount will offset any claims resulting from bodily injuries.

One specific benefit worth highlighting is the surgical benefit. Members can pick any doctor. Of course the policy must be active before injury occurs. For example, let’s use one common sports injury like a torn ACL. This knee injury often needs a complete ligament replacement to get back to an active lifestyle. The torn knee ligament isn’t going to heal itself and for people who do sports and move around it’s a must. In this example, however you injured the ACL, the knee buckled and then you’ll hear a pop. The knee swells up and it just doesn’t feel the same. At least this was how my ACL tear went down. At this point, someone can go directly to an emergency room and get the MRI or X-rays.

Or they can schedule an appointment directly with a Orthopedic surgeon. Either way the next step is diagnostic testing to see what the damage is. If the diagnosis is a torn ACL, you’ll have time to schedule surgery as an outpatient. Ask some Physical Therapists in your area who the best Orthopedic Surgeons are for ACL reconstructions. Physical Therapists know exactly who the top doctors are because Therapists are the first person to see patients post operation. Surgeons who do Sports Medicine and work with professional athletes are the elite. Contact the doctors office and get quoted for the ACL repair. In a lot of common sports injuries the emergency room insurance policy face value of $10,000 dollars will pay off the entire surgery and the post operation physical therapy. Total out of pocket expense would be the plan deductible ($100 or $200). Not to mention the best knee surgeon in the state took care of you.

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In Part I in this series, we discussed the state of Medicaid and the EPSDT – the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment benefit – which covers most American children with disabilities from birth until 19 (21 in some states) years of age. Since 1989, the EPSDT has required that each state of the Union provide every child with "all medically necessary services" that were available under the Federal Government Medicaid program, even if that state did offer that service to adults. This coverage is expansive enough that it dwarfs most private insurance.

What is 'Medically Necessary'?
One major difference is that most states adopt a definition of "medically necessary" that only includes those services that "improve or eliminate a condition," at least for adults. But the EPSDT's definition of includes services that "correct or ameliorate defects and physical and mental illnesses and conditions." That might not sound like a big difference, but it's huge.

That's because 'correct or ameliorate' includes services that stabilize someone who is medically unstable (ie vital signs aren't consistently within the defined safe range). So if you're 20 years and 262 days old and your epilepsy lands you in the hospital because you severely injured yourself, the EPSDT kicks in and whatever services it takes to stabilize you are paid for. If you're 21 years old by seven hours when you land in the hospital, that (usually quite massive) bill gets sent to your parent's insurance, and suddenly significant co-pays and deductions apply.

Similarly, 'correct or ameliorate' includes services that maintain function in someone who would normally not function without a specific ongoing intervention. (Maintenance is not 'improving or eliminating'). By far and away the most common example is ADHD medication, which is covered by the EPSDT until 21 years of age, and then, depending on your precise prescription, the cost can jump as high as $ 300 / month with no assistance available regardless of your income level.

A State of Exposure
States have quite broad discretion when it comes to designing the benefit packages they offer adults enrolled in Medicaid. They are obligated to provide coverage for a specific list of services, including (but not limited to):

• The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program,
• Inpatient and Outpatient hospital care,
• Physician services,
• Health Center, Rural Health Clinic, and Nursing Home use,
• Nurse Midwife, Certified Pediatric and Family Care Nurse, and Freestanding Birth Center services,
• Lab and X-ray use, and
• Transportation services (for medical reasons only).

This means they are not obligated to provide Medicaid programs covering:
• Prescription drugs,
• Clinic services (ie any non-hospital medical facility),
• Therapy services, including physical, occupational, behavioral, and so on,
• Dental, vision, speech, hearing, and language services,
• Respiratory care,
• Podiatry,
• Prosthetics, and
• Private duty nursing services.

As you can see, if you're an adult on Medicaid, you might be very well-cared-for if you live in the right state … or you may be almost completely without coverage for the services you use most, even if your state accepted the Medicaid expansion. Remember in the first post in the series, we mentioned that the majority of children using the EPSDT were using it for developmental, mental, or emotional disabilities? Notice that all of those fall under "optional" services within this rubric? We'll talk about what this means in more detail in the next post.

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