Most dental assistants don’t walk around with a tool belt on their waists, but in many offices when a piece of equipment does not work properly it’s the assistant that often springs to action. In addition to all of the clinical responsibilities they have — from patient care to ordering supplies to administrative responsibilities — equipment maintenance is an important skill for dental assistants. Proper maintenance of dental equipment not only helps alleviate the possibility of sudden problems, but can also help to extend the life of the equipment.