Dental Assistant

Dental Assistant

Make a meaningful impact on your community by joining our dedicated team as a Dental Assistant! We are seeking a certified Dental Assistant. In this role, you'll support our mission to provide high-quality dental care to all patients, ensuring a welcoming and compassionate experience for everyone. You'll assist with procedures, maintain a clean and safe environment, and contribute to improving the oral health of those who rely on us. If you're detail-oriented, caring, and passionate about making a difference in public health, this is your opportunity to be part of something bigger!

Student Loan Forgiveness Qualification: The City of Sioux Falls is an eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. In addition, this position may also be eligible for the NHSC Loan Repayment Program.

Job Responsibilities

1. Assist dentists and hygienists in procedures routinely done in a general dental practice. Greet, receive, and prepare patients for treatment. Assist patients in completing medical history statements. Prepare instruments and materials needed for treatment. Responsible for preparation and setup of instruments, materials, and equipment necessary for each procedure. Facilitate in the triage of emergency patients. Record examination and treatment as relayed by dentists; provide chair-side assistance during oral examination and restorative treatments; and retract tissue, cheek, and tongue as required.

2. Answer phones, call patients to fill cancellations, and maintain a short-call list to ensure productive time utilization. Schedule appointments, do routine reception work, and accurately record information on patient records and office reports. Help implement processing of encounters, billing, and bookkeeping procedures. Properly acquire records and file patient information.

3. Clean instruments; sterilize instruments using manufacturer's latest recommended autoclave and dryclave techniques. Responsible for cleaning and sterilization of instruments and disinfecting equipment and work areas.

4. Take necessary radiographs ordered by dentists and hygienist. Operate and maintain dental X-ray equipment to take a full range of dental intra- and extra-oral radiographs such as panoramic, periapicals, bitewing, and occlusal radiographs. Maintain a number of logs, reports, records, and files relating to radiographs taken.

5. Pour and trim models from impressions. Perform clean, neat, and orderly clinic maintenance. Abide by infection control and current program policies and procedures. Clean, polish, and/or oil equipment and work areas.

6. Maintain supply level inventories and cleanliness of dental units utilizing infection control standards based on FHC, OSHA guidelines, and clinic policy. Communicate with vendors and purchasing agents and complete necessary orders. Keep inventory of supplies and materials as well as maintain thorough and accurate documentation of inventory.

7. Assist dental team in expediting patient care whenever possible. Maintain overall organization of the dental office area. Seek professional continuing education in order to improve or maintain knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide efficient, effective, and appropriate dental care to patients.

8. Perform other such duties and functions as may be necessary or incidental to the proper performance of this position.

Minimum Qualifications

Graduation from an approved school for dental assisting, or any such combination of education, experience, and training as may be acceptable to the hiring authority. Must possess South Dakota dental assistant license and valid radiology and nitrous oxide licenses within six (6) months of hire.

Supplemental Information

• Knowledge of dental terminology and record keeping.
• Knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used for oral examinations, general dental care, and chair-side assistance.
• Knowledge of latest and most recent sterilization and infection control techniques.
• Knowledge of procedures and materials for taking radiographs.
• Dexterity in passing dental instruments and materials and in manipulating suctioning and retraction apparatus in patient's mouth when assisting at chair-side.
• Knowledge of dental anatomy, related oral anatomy, technical methods and practices of dentistry, and working characteristics of dental instruments and materials sufficient to make preparations, and provide chair-side assistance.
• Knowledge and skill to operate, adjust, maintain, and clean dental X-ray equipment and material, including skill in positioning patient and film to achieve proper angles for dental radiographs.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.