Your dentist said that your dental assistant was a registered dental assistant in extended functions (RDAEF). RDAEFs have completed "post-licensure clinical and didactic training." This is covered under Section 1753 of the Business and Professional Code.
I wonder, as Zigner does, why you have questions on this. Is there a problem with the work that was done?
Yes there were several issues:
1) the RDA was hitting on her tooth with some dental instruments using a hammering motion try to get the old crown off and she felt pain on the bone even with anesthetic, she doesn't know if she was suppose to do that, and if that had caused small fracture on the teeth, she may not know until years later when the tooth cracks
2) when the RDA brought the temporary crown back, she had a hard time fitting them on, my friend was complaining she doesn't seem to know what she was doing.
3) total hour of 3-4 hours in a dental chair seem very long for removing 4 crowns and put one 4 temporaries.
You will have to put yourself in her shoe, imaging sitting in a dentist chair for 3 hours, the dentist is working on another patient or answering phone at front sometimes, while the RDA is hammering your teeth.. wouldn't you wonder?? would you be happy if you were in that situation?
And in terms of what problem it caused, most of these you wouldn't even know.. for example what she did might crack the tooth, or she might be taking away too much tooth structure after removing the crown, which might cause problems down the road..I believe in most states DAs cannot remove permenant restorations.
That's why there are strict guidelines, because you don't really want to pay the dentist $4000 and have him sit at the front anwwerng the phone while the DA work on your teeth. The 3-4 hour of pain and stress is minor compare to some potential permenant damage caused by sub quality work, which unfortunately patient may not be aware at the moment.
