DENTAL CARE ASSISTANT

The Dental Care Assistant is responsible for providing chairside assistance to the dental providers and other dental staff in delivering direct dental care and associated services to patients. Dental Care Assistants must demonstrate ability to perform duties regarding sterilization and disinfection process with 100% accuracy. Upon completion of a comprehensive training, Dental Care Assistants will demonstrate proficiency through observation, written, oral assessment.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Administrative Duties

• Route patients to the appropriate areas within the Health Center for services.
• Check-in patients for dental visit.
• Update patient demographics in Health Center's data systems (i.e., NextGen/Provide Enterprise).
• Assist patients in completion of medical and dental intake documentation.
• Conduct and document inventory of equipment and supplies (weekly/monthly basis).
• Document maintenance repairs of all dental equipment when presented.
• Assist in coordinating oral health services.

Clinical Duties

• Prepare patients for dental visit and/or procedures.
• Assist Dental Clinicians on dental procedures as required.
• Ensure proper sterilization and disinfecting of instruments and work areas after each procedure.
• Set-up and prepare instrument trays / materials prior to procedures.
• Take, develop and mount dental diagnostic x-rays.
• Record patient treatment plans and information on agency's data system (i.e., NextGen/Provide Enterprise).
• Record patient's medical and dental history in agency's data systems (i.e., NextGen/Provide Enterprise).
• Take and record patient vital signs at every visit.
• Assist dentist with patient education including pre and post treatment indications.
• Assist dentist in management of medical and dental emergencies.
• Provide patient education on proper oral hygiene care.
• Make preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts.
• Sets-up and stock rooms (i.e., operatories, lab and sterilization room) as required.
• Maintain cleanliness of rooms and equipment following patient examinations and/or procedures.

Quality Assurance/Compliance

• Ensure timely and accurate recordings of activities (monitoring) on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
• Ensure that medical operations fully comply with Health Center and HIPAA requirements.
• Review patient records on a monthly basis for quality assurance compliance.
• Ensure trainings are current as required (UltiPro and other trainings).
• Assist supervisor in the training of new staff (peers).
• Participate in Health Centers developmental activities as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

Culture of Service: 3 C's

Compassion

• Greets internal or external customers (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) with courtesy, making eye contact, responding with a proper tone and nonverbal language.
• Effective communication with internal or external customer (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) attentively, reassuring and understanding of the request and providing appropriate options or resolutions.

Competency

• Provides services required by following established protocols and when needed, procure additional help to answer questions to ensure appropriate services are delivered

Commitment

• Takes initiative and anticipates internal or external customer needs by engaging them in the process and following up as needed
• Prioritize internal or external customer (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) requests to ensure the prompt and effective response is provided

Safety

Ensures compliance with Health Center's Policies/Procedures/Protocols as it relates to air or blood borne pathogens.

Ensures proper handwashing according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Understands and appropriately acts upon the assigned role in Emergency Code System.

Understands and performs assigned roles in the organization's Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).

Contact Responsibility

The responsibility for internal and external contacts is frequent and important.

Physical Requirements

This work requires the following physical activities: constant sitting, standing, talking in person, talking on the phone, hearing/ visual acuity and exposure to blood borne pathogens. Frequent walking and occasional bending, stretching and reaching may be required. Work is performed in office and medical/dental settings.

Other

Participates in Health Center developmental activities as requested.

Other duties as assigned.

Travel Requirements and Details

As required

Work Experience

At least two years of experience in the dental field is required. One year of clinical work with HIV-infected persons is preferred.

Skills

Bilingual (English- Spanish and/or English-Creole) is preferred. Computer knowledge should include Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. Excellent organizational, communication, problem solving, and teamwork skills are required to provide adequate treatment to patients. Ability to work with multicultural and diverse population is required. Satisfactory completion of an Annual Competency Skills Assessment.

Education

High school diploma and completion of an accredited Dental Assistant program is required.