DENTAL ASSISTANT

Requisition No: 878715


Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: DENTAL ASSISTANT - 60004853

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60004853


Salary: $34,760.00 - $44,994.32 Annually


Posting Closing Date: 08/24/2026


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The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) isthe state of Florida's social services agency. The agency oversees services for child safety, fostering, adoption, domestic violence, adult protective services, refugees, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, childcare providers, human trafficking and public assistance. The agency's mission is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.


Within DCF, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program office is recognized as the single state authority for substance abuse and mental health services. The Office of SAMH is statutorily responsible for the planning, evaluation, and implementation of a comprehensive statewide system of care for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of children and adults with serious mental illnesses or substance use disorders.


Florida State Hospital (FSH) is a mental health treatment facility owned and operated by the State of Florida and is part of the Department of Children and Families. The department's mission is to "work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency."

FLORIDA STATE HOSPITAL IS A TOBACCO FREE FACILITY.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION RESPONSES TO THE QUALIFYING QUESTIONS ARE REQUIRED AND MUST BE VERIFIABLE BASED ON YOUR SUBMITTED APPLICATION.

This is a highly responsible and professional position serving as Dental Assistant within Dental Services. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative team player who works seamlessly across all sections within the program office. This role requires the use of independent judgment, a proactive approach to responsibilities, and exceptional attention to detail. If you are driven, organized, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• This position requires lifting, pulling, and squatting. Duties of this position require the incumbent to be knowledgeable of and utilize the principles of Total Quality Management.
• This is sub-professional work in assisting the dentist in the chairside care of patients. Duties are as follows:
• Assists dentist chairside.
  • Prepares operatory for patients.
  • Has instruments ready and passes to dentist as needed.
  • Prepares trays for surgery, autoclaves (sterilizes) instruments.
  • Prepares operatory for next patient.
• Checks upon arrival each morning to see if any dental assistant has called in on sick leave or checks appointment schedule for relief assignments.
  • Pulls dental record cards for patients who have appointments for that day.
  • Prepares Dental Operatory for receiving patients.
  • Orders dental supplies.
  • Cleans and maintains equipment.
  • Maintains records indicating number of patients seen and type of treatment.
• Assists dentists while assigned dental assistant is unavailable.
• Assists dental hygienist, when requested, on appropriate patients. Cancels and reappoints patients when hygienist reports on sick leave.
• Takes x-rays upon direction of and under direct supervision of dentists.
• Checks surgical operatory daily for management of adequate supplies, cleanliness of operatory and autoclave and maintains timely sterilization of instruments prior to expiration dates.
• Checks dark room and x-ray rooms daily for management of adequate supplies, cleanliness of equipment and maintenance of solutions in developing and fixing tanks and cold sterilizer.
• Processes admissions, discharges and transfers, as received from daily FSH reports.
• Maintains towel counts, disposition and receipt of same and distribution.
• Maintains library and dental periodicals in an orderly manner.
• Maintains adequate flow of patients charts prior to end of business each day.
• Maintains security and closing details each work day.
• Performs other assigned related duties.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of Amalgamator, Autoclave, Suction Aspirator, Water & Air Spray equipment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 1 year of experience as a Dental Assistant.

Preference will be given to applicants who have:

• Expanded Functions Certification.

Candidate Profile (application) must be completed in its entirety:

• Include the supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.
• Account for and explain gaps in employment so that the hiring process is not delayed.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities, as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.
• It is unacceptable to use the statement "See Resume" in place of responding to qualifying questions and entering work history.
• If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at View phone number on click.appcast.io.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

• Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits.
• For a more complete list of benefits, visit

DCF EMPLOYMENT DISCLOSURES

US CITIZEN REQUIREMENT Only US citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers will be hired.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM REGISTRATION All selected male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS). Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire . For more information, please visit the SSS website:

RETIREE NOTICE If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

BACKGROUND SCREENING It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S. No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency. Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center View phone number on click.appcast.io). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.


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