The general purpose of the occupational analysis is to provide workable, basic information dealing with the many and varied duties performed in the dental assistant occupation. The document opens with a brief introduction followed by a job description. The bulk of the document is presented in table form. Six duties are broken down into a number of tasks and for each task a table is presented, showing: tools, equipment, materials, objects acted upon; performance knowledge; safety--hazard; science; math--number systems; and communications. The duties include: performing dental nursing skills, chairside procedures, expanded duty procedures, dental laboratory skills, and dental office management duties; and supervising a control program. (BP)