Registered Dental Assistant

Become part of a mission-based center of pediatric excellence with an award-winning culture and excellent benefits. We have been named a Top Non-Profit to Work For five years running by the Non-Profit Times, an award based on feedback from our employees and were recognized as a Flint-Genesee Top 10 Employer and recently 2026 BEST PLACES TO WORK IN MICHIGAN by Crain's Detroit Business.

We are currently seeking a Registered Dental Assistant to join our Team in our Child and Adolescent Dentistry Department.

General Summary of Duties

The Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) will assist a provider (dentist or hygienist) chairside, pass instruments, maintain operatories, patient record keeping, take/develop radiographs, sterilize instruments, and perform expanded duties outlined in the Administrative Rules of the Michigan Board of Dentistry.

Essential Job Functions

• Assemble forms for providers, take detailed medical histories, chart patient's dental status as indicated, enter information and appropriate progress notes in electronic record.
• Provide effective parent and patient communication of MCHC policy/procedures, answering questions regarding indicated treatment and clarifying issues of consent.
• Perform all routine chairside dental assisting procedures; instrument/material set-up, four-handed instrument passing technique, aspiration, and irrigation of oral field, mixing cements, bases, filling materials and taking impressions.
• Perform expanded duties as outlined in current Board of Dentistry – General Rules.
• Assist provider (dentist or hygienist) by applying appropriate behavior management methods to make children more comfortable and cooperative during their dental visit.
• Perform infection control procedures according to the department's universal precautions plan. Maintain a sterile field for all patient procedures by proper instrument sterilization and disinfection techniques.
• Maintain assigned operatories including restocking supplies, organization of materials, instruments, records, and general cleanliness.
• Perform various laboratory procedures including pouring of impressions with orthodontic bands fixed as appropriate, trimming stone models, repair of acrylic appliances and preparing cases to be sent to commercial laboratories.
• Take intraoral and extraoral (including panoramic and cephalometric films) radiographs.
• Complete job rotations in the hygiene area, sterilization area, laboratory and radiography area as assigned.
• Assist dentist with sedation cases in the operatory using monitoring system with nitrous oxide.
• Assist dentist with complete dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia in the operating room at Hurley Medical Center. This includes set-up, assisting, clean-up, using portable x-ray equipment, keeping surgery cart clean and stocked, and arriving earlier than the normal work reporting period at the hospital.
• Assist with specialty procedures in orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, hygiene, and oral surgery in some patient cases.

Other Responsibilities

• Perform clerical duties as needed; answering telephone, simple typing, phone skills, maintaining recall system for hygiene and orthodontics, and preparing reports as needed.
• Participate in off-site screenings and health fairs.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualification Standards

• Must have active RDA license issued by the State of Michigan.
• Successful completion of a CODA-accredited dental radiography course or substantially equivalent required.
• Current CPR certification required.
• Two years post-education dental assisting experience preferred.
• Pediatric experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of EDR required, Dentrix experience preferred.
• Basic computer skills required in: Microsoft Word, Outlook and digital radiographs.
• Must have communication and interpersonal skills to effectively interact with children, adolescents, parents, neighborhood groups, school staff, community agency personnel, leadership staff and visitors.
• Must have a reliable vehicle, a valid driver’s license with a satisfactory driving record and a minimum insurance coverage or available transportation to travel for the purposes of required Health Center business.
• NOTE: Certified Dental Assistant and Dental Assistant applicants with relevant pediatric experience may be considered.

Note: Persons with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodation to satisfy the requirements of the position may request a copy of the MCHC Reasonable Accommodation policy. Request for reasonable accommodation will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with the understanding that the individual will be required to perform the essential functions of the position.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified nor are they intended to express or imply any contract of employment or any part thereof.