National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) Practice Exam

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Prepare for the National Dental Assisting Exam with comprehensive quiz questions, including multiple choice and detailed explanations. Equip yourself for success!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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What should a dental assistant do to prevent a medical emergency?

Ignore patient signals
Be alert and continuously observe the patient
Wait for the dentist to check the patient
Focus on paperwork during procedures

The correct answer is: Be alert and continuously observe the patient

To prevent a medical emergency in a dental setting, being alert and continuously observing the patient is essential. Vigilant monitoring allows the dental assistant to notice any changes in the patient's condition, such as signs of distress or adverse reactions to treatments. By being attentive, the dental assistant can anticipate potential complications and inform the dentist immediately, facilitating timely intervention. This proactive approach is critical in ensuring patient safety and maintaining a stable environment during dental procedures. In contrast, ignoring patient signals could lead to missed warning signs of potential medical issues. Waiting for the dentist to check the patient may delay the response to an emergency situation, and focusing on paperwork during procedures detracts from the essential task of monitoring the patient's well-being. Each of these alternatives compromises the safety and responsiveness necessary in a dental practice.