DENTAL ASSISTANT, Department of DENTAL

Overview

Assist Dentist in delivery of dental care, especially during surgical procedures. Charts condition of teeth and disease for treatment by Dentist. Take and develop x-rays.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain positive relationship with patients, visitors and other employees. Interacts professionally, courteously and appropriately with patients, visitors and other employees. Behave in manner consistent with maintaining and furthering a positive public perception of The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Health Center.
• Contributes to and participates in the Performance/Quality Improvement activities of the assigned department. Contribution and participation includes data collection, analysis, implementation of and compliance with risk management and claims activities, support of and participation in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams, consistent adherence to the specific rules and regulations of The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Health Center (a) Safety and Security Policies, (b) Risk Management: Incident and Occurrence Reporting, (c) Infection Control Policies and Procedures and (d) Patient and Customer Service.
• Assists Dentists at chair side. Anticipates and assist Dentist’s needs. Perform clinical procedures etc. Setup treatment room for procedures.
• Prepares patients for treatment including review of chart, receiving and seating patients promptly, provides reassurance to patients. Communicates with Dentist and relays patient mood, questions, fears, comments etc.
• Prepares and mixes filling materials, prepares instruments, materials and medicaments to be used for each specific procedure by the dentist. Prepare the Dental Operatory for each patient based on specific treatment being done.
• Takes diagnostically acceptable x-rays. Enters x-rays procedures into Dentrix.
• Assumes responsibility for all methods of sterilization, decontaminating, packaging and sterilizing all instruments. Maintains sterilization area by re stocking and changing solutions. Maintains sterilization logs per policy.
• Keeps oral operative areas clean of debris during dental procedures by use of suction devices, water, air sprays, cotton rolls by retraction of cheek and tongue.
• Restock, clean and maintain the Operatory on a daily basis.

Qualifications

• One year Dental Assisting experience
• High school graduate or equivalent
• Computer literacy, especially with scheduling and medical records software