It is the dental assistant's responsibility to maintain mouth suction, moisture control and keep a clean oral environment, when they are assisting with a dental procedure. The dental assistant is responsible for keeping the patient's mouth free of excess saliva, blood, tooth fragments and other dental materials with the use of suction. Common procedures that use dental suction and moisture control techniques include teeth cleaning, amalgam filling, composite filling and root canal.

The different suction and moisture control techniques include oral evacuation systems, rinsing the oral cavity, and teeth isolation. The dental assistant will become familiar with the procedures that utilize each type of suction and moisture control technique and the tools used during dental procedure.