Ace Your Smile Game: 2026 Dental Assistant Practice Exam – Drill Into Success!

Bacilli are the type of microorganisms that are typically rod-shaped. This classification refers specifically to bacteria that have a cylindrical structure, resembling rods. Bacilli can appear as single cells, in pairs (diplobacilli), or in chains (streptobacilli).

The unique rod shape aids in their motility and overall metabolism, influencing how they interact with their environment and other organisms. Understanding the shape of microorganisms is essential in microbiology, as it can help in identification and in determining the characteristics of bacterial infections, as different shapes often relate to different pathogenic behaviors.

Other types of microorganisms, such as cocci, are spherical in shape; spirochetes are spiral-shaped, and fungi can have various forms, including yeast-like and filamentous structures. Familiarity with these distinctions is crucial for dental assistants as they deal with various pathogens in their practice.