Dental Back Office - Registered Dental Assistant

Job Summary

Dental assistants work under the supervision of dentists and are responsible for a wide range of tasks in the dental office, ranging from patient care to administrative duties to laboratory functions. The dental assistant position is flexible and varied in the dental office and requires a diverse set of skills: clinical, clerical, interpersonal, and technological.

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Essential Functions

Chair-side Assisting: Assists the dentist in providing dental treatment

Prepare and maintain dental instruments, supplies and equipment

Collect and record patient health histories

Take and record patient vital signs

Patient management during dental procedures

Instrument transfer

Dental procedure isolation techniques

Preparation of dental materials, cements, amalgam, composite, impression materials, etc.

Dental charting

Prevention and management of dental medical emergencies

Inventory control and management

Expanded Functions

Taking dental x-rays

Applying topical fluoride treatments

Placing topical medications

Dental Infection Control Procedures

Managing the dental office infection control plan

to meet OSHA, CDC and ADA

standards

Instrument cleaning, sterilization/disinfection, and re-circulation

Dental treatment room disinfection

Dental Laboratory Procedures

Pouring impressions to make stone and plaster models

Model trimming

Fabricating mouth guards, bleaching trays, fluoride trays, and custom impression trays.

Patient and Community Education

Delivering patient personal oral care instructions

Explaining the treatment plan that the dentist has decided upon

Delivering community dental health presentations

Planning and setting-up health fair booths

Assisting with Front Office Duties

Scheduling and confirming appointments

Handling patient reception

Managing patient records

Managing business records

Following accounting/bookkeeping procedures

Processing patient insurance

Preparing written business communications

Handling marketing for the dental department

Additional Duties

Assisting patients with filling out forms and other services they may needInterpreting for patients, providers, and staff as neededMaintaining full and productive schedules for dental providers

Traveling to other locations as needed

Participating in meetings and training sessionsWorking collaboratively with other departments Use of Electronic Health Records to deliver care.

Non-Essential Functions

As directed by the Dental Director, performs other related and/or necessary tasks to achieve organizational and programmatic goals and objectives

Professional Requirements

Adhere to dress code, appearance is neat and clean.

Maintain current license, DEA registration and BLS certification.

Maintain patient confidentiality at all times.

Report to work on time and as scheduled.

Maintain regulatory requirements, including all state, federal and local regulations.

Represent the organization in a positive and professional manner at all times.

Comply with all organizational policies and standards regarding ethical business practices.

Communicate the mission, ethics and goals of the organization.

Participate in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement activities.

Qualifications

Successful completion of a dental assistant program plus one year of experience. Successful completion of a radiation safety course and CPR certification required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Requires a comprehensive knowledge in dental assisting.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Knowledge of the principles and practice of modern dentistry as related to public health organizations and community health programs.

Excellent people skills, with an ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team.

Possess personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to corporate mission.

Flexible and able to multitask; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities.

Must be able to read, write English and Spanish.

Must have the capability to perform basic mathematical skills.

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Verbal - Must be understood and be able to articulate in interactions with patients, staff and other medical providers. Must be able to convey spoken instructions accurately and quickly.

Auditory - Must be able to hear in interactions with patients, patients' families, staff and other medical providers. Must be able to hear telephone, equipment, and alarms.

Visual - Must be able to see with clarity at a distance of 20 inches to see patient documents, office documents and computer. Must have the ability to focus, judge distances and good peripheral vision. Must be able to see with clarity at a distance of 20 feet to aid patients to exam room if needed. Must have the ability to focus, judge distances and good peripheral vision.

Travel

Occasionally will be travelling to other clinic sites to work or attend meetings (Occasionally: 1-33%)

Physical Requirements and Environmental Conditions

Exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals, radiation, and repetitive motions

Pushing and pulling objects up to 25 lbs.

Frequent wrist, hand and finger dexterity to perform fine motor function without tremor.

Full range of body motion including twisting body, pushing, pulling

Position requires light to moderate work with 25 lb., and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 lb.

Moderate to high noise level exists

While performing the duties of this job, the position requires reaching, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching and handling objects with hands and/or fingers, talking and/or hearing, and seeing.

For Outside Screenings and/or Health Fairs - Rare exposure to outside conditions such as rain, heat, extreme heat, cold, or humidity will occur if performing duties outside of the building.

Preventative, Educational, Surveillance Programs in Use:

Policy and procedure manual including Infection control, body substance isolation.

TB Surveillance program

Hepatitis B, ATD and flu vaccine program

Annual body mechanics review

Fire policy; annual fire extinguisher practice, and fire drills.

Annual OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens training

Annual electrical safety review

Personal radiation monitoring program.

Special Requirements

Must be willing to work on occasional Saturdays from (9am – 3pm)

Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Non-Ionizing Radiation (microwaves, sun)

Hazardous Exposure (chemical [E.G. Latex] and infectious)

Ionizing Radiation (X-ray, Radioactive Isotopes)