RDA/DENTAL ASSISTANCE

Position Summary
The Dental Assistant position is a full‑time, non‑exempt, entry‑level role responsible for assisting dental providers in delivering high‑quality oral healthcare services. Duties include assisting providers during procedures, sterilizing instruments, preparing operatory rooms, maintaining patient records, and inventorying dental instruments and supplies. The assistant creates a clean and safe environment for patients and staff.

Essential Skills and Experience

Certification to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the Health Care Professional and AED, following American Heart Association and Red Cross guidelines.

Valid Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety for all specialty behavioral health locations.

High school diploma or GED from an accredited institution.

Minimum two (2) years of dental assistant experience.

Dental Assistant Certificate required.

Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) certificate from the Arizona Dental Assisting National Board required.

Coronal Polishing (CP) certificate from the Arizona Dental Assisting National Board required.

Knowledge of dental terminology, instruments and procedures.

Exceptional communication skills and interpersonal skills.

Intermediate computer efficiency, including proficiency in Windows, MS Office, and a Patient Management System.

Advanced office skills: typing and telephone answering etiquette.

Valid Arizona driver’s license.

Position Responsibilities

Greet all patients and visitors; assist them with questions and direct them to the appropriate person as needed.

Assist patients in resolving minor difficulties, answering questions, and giving directions as authorized by the dental providers.

Assist the dental front office with entry‑level duties as needed.

Maintain adequate patient flow and assist the Dental Providers in assuring that all patient records and documents are properly and accurately completed.

Receive and place necessary telephone calls for clinical business and patient care in the dental department.

Assist dental providers chair‑side.

Prepare the operatory for patient treatment per dental department protocols and the dental provider’s directions.

Perform dental radiographs in accordance with state regulations, law, and dental department directives and protocols.

Perform dental coronal polishing in accordance with state regulations, law, and dental department directives and protocols.

Educate patients on oral hygiene techniques and post‑operative care instructions.

Assist with laboratory procedures, such as pouring and trimming models, fabricating temporary crowns, and taking impressions.

Maintain sterility of all reusable dental instruments in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the dental department’s policies and procedures.

Maintain dental department equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the dental department’s policies and procedures.

Maintain all dental department areas in compliance with dental department directives and protocols as well as health center policies and procedures related to infection control, exposure control, and safety issues.

Maintain an adequate inventory of supplies while maintaining a list of supply shortages for inventory control and ordering purposes.

Ensure proper disposal of all contaminated or potentially contaminated materials in accordance with dental department directives, health center policies and procedures, and state and federal regulations.

Perform all functions in full compliance with the health center’s and the dental department’s exposure control plan, including use of Personal Protective Equipment and Universal Precautions.

Maintain full personal compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, and health center rules, regulations, protocols, and procedures, including those related to personnel issues, workplace safety, public health, and confidentiality.

Ability to travel to other dental locations to support organizational needs.

Nonessential Skills and Experience

Ability to communicate in more than one language.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

Other duties as requested or assigned.

Physical Demands and Work Environment
Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to sit for long periods, stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb steps or stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; smell; manage stress related to essential job functions. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds without assistance and may occasionally be required to lift or move up to 50 pounds with assistance. Specific vision abilities required include close, distance, color, peripheral, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions when traveling to various clinic sites. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The employee may be subject to health hazards (contagious diseases, blood‑borne pathogens, etc.) when working in the clinic area.

EEO Statement
In compliance with EEOC 29 CFR part 1630, if the essential functions of this position cannot be performed in a satisfactory manner by the employee, further accommodations shall be made if it does not constitute undue hardship upon this organization.

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