Dental Assistant I

Job Title: Dental Assistant I

Reports To: Supervisor, Dental Assistant

Job Summary: To assist Dentist and Dental Hygienist in the administration of patient care at chair side.

Qualifications and Requirements:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Job duties may be modified at any time based on business needs.

Essential Job Duties:

• Assists Dentist or Dental Hygienist in the performance of dental procedures.
• Identifies patient health care service requirements while being aware of age specific needs and protocols.
• Directs patient to operatory, obtains and records accurate routine patient vital signs.
• Prepares, processes, and mounts intra-oral and panoramic radiographs.
• Prepares patients for services being rendered by provider.
• Assists provider with positioning and passing instruments and performing suctioning.
• Assists provider in examination of patients and gives instructions as directed by provider.
• Fills out all appropriate and necessary paperwork as well as ensures patient and provider signatures on paperwork.
• Completes necessary documentation in patients EDR and EHR chart.
• Maintains updated treatment plans for patients.
• Takes preliminary impressions and/or prepares models.
• Cleans, stocks, and prepares operatory stations between patients.
• Performs sterilization of instruments and equipment in a timely manner and per manufacturer's instructions for use.
• Complies with infection control policies and protocols.
• Stocks supply carts as necessary.
• Accesses necessary charts for documentation and messages.
• Acts as a liaison between providers and other care givers.
• Sends Prior authorization tasks.
• Answers phone calls, tasks, and returns any necessary phone calls in a timely manner.
• Assists with inventory control and laboratory service tracking.
• Calls and schedules patients for follow up services from laboratories.
• Answers phone calls and takes messages. Returns patient calls as directed by provider.
• Ensures operation of dental equipment by reporting equipment malfunctions and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Travels to any location as needed.
• Works extended hours as needed.
• Works assigned weekends as required.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. Any one position may not include all the duties listed. The job description identifies the responsibilities and tasks typically associated with the performance of the position.

Required Minimum Qualifications - Education, Experience, Certificates & Licenses:

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Two plus years of experience as a dental assistant; OR one or more of the following: 1) dental assistant diploma from an accredited school 2) NELDA Certificate from DANB, or 3) Registered Dental Assistant certification.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Fingerprint Clearance Card within 3 months of hire.
• DANB Radiation Health and Safety Certification (signed up within 90 days of hire date and certified within the first year of hire).
• Coronal Polish Certification (signed up with-in 90 days of hire date and certified within 6 months of hire).
• Driver's License and Proof of Insurance may be required if requesting mileage reimbursement. For Float positions, mileage may not be paid.

Required Language Skills:

• Ability to comprehend and compose instructions, correspondence, and communications in English in both oral and written format.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish may be preferred based on current staffing patterns, patient population, and/or duty assignment.
• Ability to comprehend and understand dental terminology.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to frequently exert enough force to move objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to frequently remain in a stationary position for up to two hours.
• Ability to constantly move about inside the workplace to assist patients, operate office or dental equipment, etc.
• Possesses hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to constantly operate computers, telephone, and other office machinery.
• Possesses close visual acuity necessary to accurately record and view information on a computer monitor, handwritten and typed documents.
• Ability to discern the nature of sounds at a normal spoken volume.
• Possesses a range of body motion and ability to exert enough force to lift and move adult and pediatric patients.

Other Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to perform basic medical math that may include the use of ratio/proportion, dosage calculation, metric and household equivalents, roman numerals, abbreviations, and general math including percentages, etc.
• Ability to gather data in an organized fashion from varied sources.
• Ability to perform a variety of assignments requiring independent judgment.
• Ability to resolve challenges and work under pressure.
• Knowledge of HIPAA rules and regulations.
• Computer literacy required.
• Knowledge of Electronic Health Records preferred.
• Familiarity with Electronic Dental Records and dental x-ray software preferred.

Work Environment & Conditions:

• Work environment is typical of a health clinic setting with occasional exposure to communicable diseases, bodily fluids, and hazardous chemicals.
• Work frequently involves dental equipment and machinery with proximity to electrical current, and exposure to moving mechanical parts and some hazardous chemicals.
• Work requires reliable transportation as position requires occasional travel and extended hours to include early morning, evenings, holidays, and weekends.
• If hired for a float position, the position requires frequent travel to any dental center as needed.