Abstract
This paper presents a new approach for quantitating the value of a chairside dental assistant in dental practice. Operational variables were controlled through physical simulations of operations using head manikins and artificial teeth. Analyses were based upon both time and effort savings. A specially designed dental operation flow chart aided in the recording and analysis of movements and their complexities. Twenty four, four-handed dentistry operations and six solo-dentistry operations were performed using a variety of dental operatory configurations. The results indicated that the introduction of a chairside dental assistant saves 23% of the total time of a high frequency operation in dentistry. Savings in dentist's effort by delegating complex movements to the assistant was of greater interest especially under certain operatory configurations.
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