Dental Assistant

General Statement of Job:
 

Dental assistants are integral to the efficiency and delivery of quality oral health care and are valuable members of the dental care team. The duties of the dental assistant are comprehensive and diverse. The assistants tasks require strong interpersonal and technical skills, good hand-eye coordination, and organizational skills. Knowledge and experience in expanded duty dental functions is key.

Essential Functions:
 

• Assists the dentist during a variety of treatment procedures, including preparation for procedures and disinfecting rooms for next patient.
• Takes and develops dental radiographs (x-rays).
• Inquires about the patient’s medical history and takes blood pressure and pulse.
• Serves as the infection control officer, prepares and sterilizes instruments and equipment.
• Interacts with patients to help feel at ease before, during and after dental treatment.
• Provides patients with instructions for oral care pre and post treatment.
• Teaches patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain optimum oral health (e.g. brushing, flossing, counseling).
• Takes impressions of patients teeth for casts (models of teeth).
• Processes admissions on all patients as well as verifies insurance authorizations.
• Maintains data integrity in the system for all patients
• Performs office management tasks inlcluding scheduling, registration and data entry.
• Communicates with patients and suppliers (e.g. scheduling appointments, answering telephone, billing, ordering supplies).
• Helps provide direct patient care in all dental specialties.
• Addresses all expanded duty functions as allowed by law.

Additional Duties:
 

This job description reflects the general duties considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job as identified and shall not be considered as a complete description of all the work requirements and expectations that may be inherent in the position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position. Management of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County reserves the right to assign duties not listed herein as necessary to accomplish the goals of the organization.

Education:

Experience: 

Licensure:

N/A

Registrations:
 

N/A