EFDA Chairside Assisting & Patient Management 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient suddenly becomes unresponsive in the dental chair. After calling for help, the EFDA's next priority is to:
- Begin rescue breathing immediately
- Check for a pulse at the carotid artery for up to 30 seconds
- Assess responsiveness, open the airway, and check for breathing (Correct answer)
- Apply an AED without checking breathing first
Correct answer: Assess responsiveness, open the airway, and check for breathing
Current BLS guidelines direct rescuers to assess responsiveness, open the airway, and check for breathing before initiating CPR.
Question 2: The purpose of the low-volume saliva ejector differs from the HVE in that it is used for:
- High-speed evacuation of water from the oral cavity during cutting
- Continuous passive removal of saliva during procedures requiring patient mouth closure (Correct answer)
- Evacuating dental dam punch waste
- Removing aerosols generated by the handpiece
Correct answer: Continuous passive removal of saliva during procedures requiring patient mouth closure
The saliva ejector provides slow, continuous removal of accumulated saliva and is ideal for procedures with mouth partial closure.
Question 3: When assisting with composite resin placement, the EFDA should protect the composite from light by:
- Turning off the operatory light entirely
- Keeping material in opaque or orange-shaded containers and working quickly (Correct answer)
- Placing the composite under the HVE tip between increments
- Covering the material with a dry gauze sponge
Correct answer: Keeping material in opaque or orange-shaded containers and working quickly
Composite resin is light-activated; using opaque containers and minimizing exposure time prevents premature polymerization.
Question 4: Proper patient education after a tooth-colored restoration includes instructing the patient to avoid:
- Brushing for 24 hours to allow the restoration to set
- Staining foods and beverages such as coffee and red wine for at least 48 hours (Correct answer)
- Rinsing the mouth for one week
- Using fluoride toothpaste on the restored tooth
Correct answer: Staining foods and beverages such as coffee and red wine for at least 48 hours
Newly placed composite restorations can absorb stains; patients should avoid pigmented foods and drinks for at least 48 hours.
Question 5: In the context of patient records, the EFDA must ensure that informed consent is:
- Obtained verbally and documented only if the patient requests it
- Signed by the patient prior to any treatment and placed in the permanent record (Correct answer)
- Obtained after the procedure so the patient fully understands what occurred
- Completed by the front desk staff, not clinical personnel
Correct answer: Signed by the patient prior to any treatment and placed in the permanent record
Informed consent must be documented in writing before treatment begins and retained as part of the legal patient record.
Question 6: Which of the following is the correct sequence for donning personal protective equipment (PPE) before a patient procedure?
- Gloves → mask → protective eyewear → gown
- Gown → mask → protective eyewear → gloves (Correct answer)
- Mask → gown → gloves → protective eyewear
- Protective eyewear → gloves → gown → mask
Correct answer: Gown → mask → protective eyewear → gloves
PPE donning order is gown first, then mask, then eyewear, and finally gloves to maintain clean-to-contaminated order.
Question 7: The term 'ergonomics' in four-handed dentistry primarily refers to:
- The speed at which instruments are transferred between operator and assistant
- Positioning of personnel and equipment to reduce physical strain and improve efficiency (Correct answer)
- The number of instruments laid out on the tray setup
- Sterilization techniques used between patients
Correct answer: Positioning of personnel and equipment to reduce physical strain and improve efficiency
Ergonomics addresses body positioning, equipment placement, and workflow design to prevent musculoskeletal injury and maximize efficiency.
EFDA Chairside Assisting & Patient Management 4
A patient suddenly becomes unresponsive in the dental chair.
After calling for help, the EFDA's next priority is to: