What is Expected as a Dental Assistant?

Okay so I'm considering getting my CDA. I'm about to finish my Associates in Office Administration and am thinking about getting the CDA as a specialization. From Dentists or other DA's what do you REALLY do on the job. Mainly paperwork, Assist the Patients, Put them in Rooms, etc. Any information is greatly appreciated. ~Answers from Professionals Within the Field Only~ thank you!

What is Expected as a Dental Assistant?
A good dental assistant will always be in high demand. Your most important responsibility (in my humble opinion) is to help reduce stress in the office. To do this effectively you must be able to multitask. You must manage patients and their quirky personalities while also helping the doctor with his quirky personality too. You have to understand all dental procedures so you can anticipate the doctor's next move. You must always stay a step ahead of the doctor. You will teach, comfort, assist, maintain, and genuinely help everyone in the office from the office manager to the doctor to the hygienist to the patient to the janitor. For all of this you will be well-compensated and usually be asked to work only four days a week. I repeat...if you are good at it you will NEVER be unemployed and you will earn a nice income ($17-30/hr in So. Cal)
Reply:The jobs of a dental assistant vary from office to office but are generally in the same areas. Your main task will be a chair-side assistant to the Dentist while he is performing procedures. It comes with time and experience but along with holding the suction, you will need to know each procedure and the steps so that you will be able to hand instruments to the dentist without him asking. You will also be important in managing the patient and will do other jobs that are not only allowed to be done by dentists such as taking impressions, radiographs, inserting temporary crowns, and even setting up and cleaning the cubicles. Some assistants can even be liscensed to clean childrens' teeth.
Reply:i work for an orthodontist and we do a lot of stuff. pretty much everything but gluing the braces on at the beginning of treatment and taking them off at the end of treatment. we can remove loose bands or brackets and we can remove brackets if the dentist wants to rebond them in a different postion. we place the wires and trim them, put the colors on, seat the patients, stock the drawers, write notes when an exam takes place, take xrays, clean chairs, instruments, and stations. pull the charts, schedule appointments, go over how to brush properly. stuff like that.