Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to assist the dentist or dental specialist in carrying out oral health care procedures on patients under conscious sedation administered via intravenous, oral and inhalation routes.
This unit applies to dental assisting work.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Prepare the patient for oral health care procedures during conscious sedation | 1.1 Confirm and document arrangements for an escort for patient following the procedure 1.2 Provide an appropriate environment for the patient or carer to ask questions 1.3 Make accessible in the clean zone of the surgery the patient’s necessary charts and records 1.4 Maintain confidentiality of patient information in accordance with organisation policy and procedures |
2. Select and prepare equipment, instruments, materials and medicaments applicable to the oral health care procedures during conscious sedation | 2.1 Prepare the equipment, instruments materials and medicaments for the planned procedure 2.2 Arrange instruments for oral health care procedure in order of use in accordance with operator requirements 2.3 Give personal protective equipment to patient and members of the dental team 2.4 Follow suite or theatre organisation policy and procedures 2.5 Select and transfer safely the correct dental instruments, equipment, materials and medicaments |
3. Assist a patient undergoing oral health care procedures during conscious sedation | 3.1 Follow organisation policy and procedures while assisting in providing post-operative oral health care procedures 3.2 Ensure post-operative written instructions are communicated and provided by authorised person to patient, carer or escort 3.3. Assist in the authorised discharge of the patient to the carer or escort |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:
• prepared equipment and assisted in handling and correctly positioning equipment for the operator during 3 different oral health care procedures carried out under conscious sedation (oral or intravenous or intramuscular or inhalation) including:
- consistently applying safe work practices to ensure patient safety during conscious sedation
- correctly maintaining and storing instruments, equipment, materials and medicaments
• supported the dental team in the discharge care of 1 patient recovering from an oral health care procedure following conscious sedation (oral or intravenous or intramuscular or inhalation).
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
• national and State/Territory legal and ethical requirements and considerations for dental assisting work including:
 codes of practice
 discrimination
 duty of care
- informed consent and statutory requirements of consent
 practice standards – Dental Board of Australia guidelines on infection control
 privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
 records management
 work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
 work health and safety
• practitioners who are authorised to administer conscious sedation to a patient, and the assessment process required before oral health procedure is carried out
• levels of consciousness
• medications and drugs used in conscious sedation administered via the following routes:
- intravenous
- oral
- inhalation
- intramuscular injection
• medications used to anaesthetise the site for sedation via intravenous route
• risks associated with conscious sedation including:
- potential for unintentional loss of consciousness
- depression of protective reflexes, respirations and cardiovascular system
- variations in response to drugs across the lifespan of individuals
- drug interactions
• differing standards of equipment and staffing at the locations where procedures are performed
• equipment used to administer conscious sedation and equipment used in monitoring a patient pre- and post-oral health care procedures
• reasons for keeping accurate records of oral conditions, treatments and the administration of conscious sedation
• reasons why patients need to follow pre- and post-operative instructions, and the importance of this
• discharge instructions post-recovery and observation of patient into the care of a responsible person after authorisation from dental practitioner
• medical emergencies and complications that may arise during and after conscious sedation and appropriate medical response and treatment given by the dental team.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the dental clinic workplace with the addition of simulations and scenarios where the full range of contexts and situations cannot be provided in the workplace. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
• use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
- barrier protection materials
- dental chair and unit
- access to defibrillator
- suctioning and operator lighting
- waste disposal equipment
- Dental Board of Australia guidelines on infection control
• modelling of industry operating conditions including access to real people for simulations and scenarios in dental assisting work.
Assessment must involve demonstration of tasks under the direction of the dental practitioner.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
In addition, assessors must hold a minimum of 5 years clinical experience in dental assisting work.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.