Dental Assistant

Dental Assistant

The Dental Assistant directly assists Dentist in the delivery of dental care to patients.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist in the preparation of the dental office for the day.
• Prepares treatment room for patient by adhering to prescribed procedures and protocols.
• Cleans and sterilizes dental instruments according to infection control protocols and on a regular schedule.
• Takes and prepares x-rays for dentist review and reference using dental radiology standards.
• Mixes dental materials appropriately.
• Escorts patient to treatment room and prepares patient by welcoming, soothing, seating, and draping patient.
• Updates patient's medical history; takes and records blood pressure and pulse.
• Assists dentist at chair side in four-handed dentistry techniques; anticipates dentist's needs while at chair side.
• Provides patient education as appropriate to the situation and encourages good home oral hygiene.
• Maintains safe, clean and organized working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
• Ensures operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; troubleshooting malfunctions; calling for repairs; maintaining equipment inventories; etc.
• Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies; performs year-end inventory.

Non-Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• May fill in at front desk as needed.
• Performs other duties and tasks as assigned.

General Expectations:

• Be committed to the mission of the Bucksport Regional Health Center.
• Work as a member of the dental team in the performance of duties.
• Be punctual for scheduled work and use time appropriately.
• Work in harmonious relationships with all staff, patients, vendors and others.
• Perform duties in a conscientious, cooperative manner.
• Perform required amount of work in a timely fashion with a minimum of errors.
• Be neat and maintain a professional appearance.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect the Center by keeping information concerning Operations, patients and employees confidential.
• Assist in the care, observation, and the condition of patients including the execution of procedures prescribed for the direct treatment or therapy of patients.
• Performance of job requires close coordination with others. Teamwork is essential.
• Participation in community activities as a representative of Bucksport Regional Health Center.

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by the Incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel, including operation of a standard computer keyboard; reach with hands and arms and talk, see and hear; prolonged standing is required. Eye hand coordination and manual dexterity required. The employee must regularly lift/move up to 25 pounds, including assisting with moving patients, as well as bend, stoop, stretch or crouch. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

Work is performed primarily in a typical dental office environment. Noise level is usually quiet.

Potential exposure to hazardous and infectious materials, including blood borne pathogens.

Qualifications Needed for Position:

Experience and Skill Requirements: The following experience and skills are considered essential:

• At least one year of experience as a Dental Assistant required.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients and other employees.
• Ability to communicate and present information.
• Ability to read, interpret, understand and apply clinical policies and procedures.
• Ability to identify problems and recommend solutions.
• Ability to establish priorities and coordinate work activities.

Education Requirements: The following education requirements are considered essential:

• High School Diploma or the equivalent is required.
• Dental assistant training strongly preferred.
• State radiology license strongly preferred (or must be obtained within one year of employment).