Dental Assistant

Dental Assistant

Location: NBHC Meridian

Work Schedule: Performance hours are as follows: The healthcare worker (HCW) shall normally provide services for 80 hours per two-week period. Services shall be required for a period of 8.5 to 9 hours, including an uncompensated.5 hour or 1 hour lunch break, depending on shift length, between the hours of 0600 and 1800, Monday through Friday. In no instance will the HCW be required to provide less than or in excess of eighty (80) hours per two (2) week pay period.

Pay: $17.16/hr, Health & Wellness $4.93*/hr worked (in lieu of benefits)

Benefits: Vested Vacation, sick leave, holiday leave, Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, Short Term Disability

Optional Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(K) matching with employee participation in 401(K) plan

Responsibilities

• Performs duties in providing assistance in one or more phases of complex/difficult restorative, prosthodontic, oral surgical, endodontic, or periodontal treatment.
• Receives and schedules patients for treatment. Obtains and records related medical history of patient. Charts examination and treatment information. Records information on prescriptions.
• Sterilizes instruments, materials, and equipment; prepares surgical trays.
• Maintains dental equipment in a clean and operative condition.
• Assists dentist at chair side. Performs intra-oral procedures as directed by dentist. Takes preliminary impressions for study models, removes sutures, places and removes rubber dams, perio-packs, matrix bands, and wedges.
• Relays dentist's instructions to patient for post-treatment care. Instructs patient in proper dental techniques, care of appliances, and causes of dental decay.
• Operates dental X-ray equipment to take intra and extra oral radiographs. Maintains, cleans, and performs minor repairs on X-ray equipment and materials.
• Pours and trims models from impressions and constructs custom impression trays. Maintains a variety of recurring reports related to dental activities.
• Be responsible for a full range of dental assisting procedures in support of Dental Officer Examinations and delivery of treatment under the "four handed dentistry" format within the personnel and equipment capabilities and limitations of the Dental Treatment Facility.
• Aid in the provision of mandated dental surveillance and preventive services and assist in ensuring the quality and timeliness of treatment records and reports required to document procedures performed and care provided.
• The HCW shall also refer patients who present with a complaint to staff dentists for evaluation and continuation of care and attend multidisciplinary treatment team meetings on behalf of the dental officers.
• Maintain patient records in accordance with Joint Commission and MTF requirements.
• Utilize electronic systems to chart existing, needed and performed dental treatment. Schedule and confirm appointments and enter workload of dental appointment on an as needed basis.
• Assist during administration of anesthesia.
• Assist in placement and removal of sutures.
• Dispose of contaminated waste in accordance with the standard procedures of the MTF.
• Maintain operatory to meet the clinic's cleanliness and infection control standards. These clinical duties do not include mopping, sweeping or taking trash to an industrial dumpster.
• This is a personal services contract for clinical services; however, the HCW may be assigned other duties consistent with the normal duties of a dental assistant as directed by the Commanding Officer or his/her appointee. These duties include, but are not limited to, working at the appointments desk, performing Central Sterilization, supply functions, and participating in command quality improvement and assurance meetings, etc.
• As a member of a professionally diverse team, the HCW shall contribute in a positive manner to team building and morale.
• Under the supervision of a government or military dentist, all dental assistants maybe allowed to participate in Expanded Functions and Prophy Technician training programs and certification in accordance with BUMEDINST 6600.13 and local directives at the Commanding Officer's discretion.
• Coordinate scheduling of patient specialty and urgent care appointments for maximum patient benefit.
• Utilize the CDS to collect statistics for reporting purposes, to include but not limited to, patients at increased risk for various oral diseases (i.e., dental caries, periodontis, oral cancer), appointment failure rate, patient seatings, procedures performed and laboratory functions performed.

Qualifications

Degree/Education: Certificate or Associate Degree. Successful completion of a one of the following:

• Certificate or Associate Degree as a dental assistant/technician from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association (ADA) and 12 months experience within the preceding 36 months.
• Certification from a military dental technician or dental assistant school and 12 months experience within the preceding 36 months.
• Certification from a Red Cross Dental Assistant course and 12 months experience within the preceding 36 months.
• 36 months experience within the preceding 60 months as a dental assistant in a private practice or a military clinic.
• Membership in good standing with the American Association of Dental Assistants with required continuing education and 12 months experience within the preceding 36 months.
• Graduation from a state accredited program for dental assistants or dental technology within the preceding 12 months.
• All training must have included a course in radiation physics; radiation biology; radiation health, safety, and protection; X-ray films and radiographic film quality; radiographic techniques; darkroom and processing techniques; film mounting; and digital radiographic processing techniques.

Certifications in addition to Basic Life Support: Certified in radiography as required by 42 CFR Part 75.

Experience: Six months of experience as a Dental Assistant after graduation.