Team Responsibilities During Instrument Transfer

Basic Principles

Successful instrument transfer is predicated on a set of principles that require organization and planning in advance.  The first step in this process is to work from a well-defined treatment plan so that instruments and materials required for a planned procedure can be prepared in advance.  Dental assistants should thoroughly understand the procedure to be performed in order to anticipate the sequence in which the instruments and materials will be used.  With this knowledge the dental team can develop a standardized routine for the performance of most dental procedures.

Additional strategies such as the delegation of all material preparation and instrument transfer to the assistant as well as the delegation of expanded/advanced functions to legally qualified assistants will maximize the use of the dentist's time.  Using ergonomically designed equipment and placing the patient in a supineposition improves access and visibility for the operating team.  (Figure 2)  Placing supportive equipment and supplies within a 21-inch radius of the assistant's hands as well as confining movements to the oral cavity and the adjacent transfer zone over the patient's chest will result in the conservation of time and motion during the procedure.

To ensure a successful instrument transfer, each member of the team must assume specific, but often related responsibilities.

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