Master the core skills and knowledge you need to become a dental assistant! Essentials of Dental Assisting, 7th Edition provides concise, easy-to-understand guidelines for the basic and expanded functions performed by dental assistants. Illustrated, step-by-step procedures help you learn the dental assistant's role and responsibilities, and application exercises help you develop critical thinking skills and solve problems. An Evolve website adds video clips demonstrating clinical skills, patient cases with interactive exercises, and practice questions for board exams. Written by expert dental assisting educator Debbie S. Robinson, this practical resource will help you become a valuable member of the dental healthcare team. Comprehensive, easy-to-read coverage spans the entire dental assisting curriculum, with cutting-edge content providing essential knowledge and skills. Step-by-step procedures are provided for basic and expanded dental assisting functions, showing techniques, the equipment and supplies needed, and the rationale behind each step, along with icons to identify the preparation and precautions. Expanded Function procedures are identified with a distinctive EF icon and feature a different-colored background to differentiate them from basic procedures. Multiple-choice review questions and Apply Your Knowledge questions are provided at the end of each chapter, allowing you to assess your comprehension and build problem-solving abilities. Learning objectives in each chapter introduce the topics you will learn about, and Ethical Implications boxes bring a moral perspective to dental assisting issues. Key terms and a complete glossary with definitions strengthen your understanding of important terminology. Evolve website supports the book with video clips of key procedures, patient cases, quizzes and exams, and more. NEW! Expanded content updates information in areas such as the electronic health record, preventive techniques, the impact of the Affordable Care Act, and cultural diversity. NEW! Updated photos and illustrations include vivid original renderings of head, neck, and dental anatomy, along with improved photos of the latest products, equipment, and instruments.