Dental Assistant

Description

Position Summary: 

The Dental Assistant works as part of the dental office team performing those clinical and clerical duties necessary to prepare patients for a visit, and to make reappointments when necessary. Duties include telephone answering, preparing charts, and gathering patient information.

Essential Duties:

1. Greets patients
2. Assists the dentist with quality patient care.
3. Ensures patient confidentiality and provides patients with needed information.
4. Performs other necessary duties required by the Dentist to meet the goal of providing primary health care.
5. Performs other necessary duties as required by Bluestem Health to achieve the goal of providing primary health care services.
6. Routine Procedures:
   1. Set up: prepare operatory and instruments for routine general dentistry procedures. 
   2. Practice: anticipate dentist’s needs during the procedure.
7. Radiology: 
   1. Safety: use safe radiation exposure practices. (Lead apron, personal safety, correct exposure parameters)
   2. Accuracy: expose radiographs of good diagnostic quality at least 90% of the time.
8. Sterilization: 
   1. Laboratory: demonstrate correct procedures for cleaning and sterilizing dental instruments. (Cleaning, preparation, and use of autoclave and dry  heat methods).
   2. Testing: demonstrate correct procedure for testing sterilization equipment for adequate sterilization. Able to demonstrate correct documentation procedures.
9. Operatory, Disinfection, and Maintenance:
   1. Opening Procedure: prepare dental operatory at start of day
   2. Closing Procedure: describe correct dental clinic area closing procedure.
   3. Disinfection: correctly disinfect the operatory between patients.
10. Scheduling: a. Demonstrate correct routine scheduling procedures and appropriate phone techniques.
11. Record Maintenance:
    1. Charting: accurately chart patient’s dental condition from doctor’s dictation.
    2. Forms: prepare appropriate forms as indicated by patient treatment, ensure charting is accurate.
    3. Encounters: accurately complete encounter form based on procedures completed.
    4. Paperwork: assist patients with any paperwork, including referrals.
    5. Dental Record: correctly enter and scan medical history, medications, allergies, correspondence, etc. into patient’s electronic dental record.
12. Supplies:
    1. Inventory: correctly order inventory and distribute supplies and restock operatories. Do so in a timely and accurate fashion.

Requirements

1. Completion of an accredited dental assisting program and/or certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) as a Certified Dental Assistant preferred
2. Certification for dental radiography preferred.
3. Certification for coronal polishing preferred.
4. Basic Life Support Certified
5. Prior dental office experience preferred.
6. High energy and a positive attitude
7. A dedication to quality and accuracy
8. An ability to work well with co-workers; especially in a small office
9. An ability to fulfill their job requirements with minimal supervision
10. Good oral and written communication skills
11. Ability to work under pressure