Reports To: Dental Coordinator

Job Status: Non-Exempt

Summary

Performs chair side supportive procedures and general office procedures under the supervision of a Dentist.

Responsibilities

Under general supervision of a Dentist, the Registered Dental Assistant may perform the following duties:

• Assist the DDS/DMD with patient care, by providing and explaining the dentist’s instructions
• Assure proper operation and maintenance of equipment by performing inspections, ordering service, and periodic maintenance.
• Extra oral duties or functions specified by the supervising DDS/DMD.
• Take X-rays (proper certification required)
• Apply topical fluoride, after scaling and polishing by the supervising DDS/DMD
• Remove post-extraction and periodontal dressings
• Place and remove rubber dams
• Place, wedge, and remove matrices
• Maintain CPR Certification
• Maintain inventory and order supplies

In addition to the duties outlined above, under general supervision a Registered Dental Assistant may perform the following:

• Mouth mirror inspection of the oral cavity, charting of obvious lesions, existing restorations, and missing teeth
• Placement and removal of temporary sedative dressings
• Obtain endodontic cultures
• Dry canals, previously opened by supervising DDS/DMD with absorbent points
• Test pulp vitality and record findings
• Place bases and liners on sound dentine
• Remove excess cement from supragingival surfaces of teeth with hand instrument of floss
• Size stainless steel crowns, temporary crowns, and bands
• Temporary cementation and removal of temporary crowns and removal of orthodontic bands
• Placement of post extraction and periodontal dressings after inspection of the surgical site by the supervising licensed dentist
• Coronal polishing. A licensed DDS/DMD or RDA shall determine that the teeth to be polished are free from calculus or other extraneous material prior to coronal polishing
• Removal of excess cement with an ultrasonic scaler from coronal surface of teeth under ortho treatment (only upon completion of board approved course)

• Maintain effective communication and working relationships with other employees and patients

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

1. Attend staff meetings
2. Performs other duties as assigned.

Patient Centered Medical Home Essential Responsibilities (Principals)

• Collaborate with individual patients, their personal physicians, and when appropriate the patient’s family to ensure accessible, comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally competent care

• Facilitate care by registries, information technology, health information exchange and other means to assure that patients get the indicated care when and where they need and want it in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.

• Ensure all decisions respect patients’ wants, needs, and preferences and that patients have the education and support they require to make decisions and participate in their own care.
• Continually strive to attend to each patients “whole person,” in the context of the patient’s personal and medical history and life circumstances, rather than focusing on a particular disease, organ, or system.

Job Requirements

Education: High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent

Certification : Current valid CA Registered Dental Assistant License, current valid CRP Certification; Coronal Polishing Certification (preferred)

Experience : 1-2 years’ experience in a dental office as an RDA preferred

Verbal and Written Skills to perform the job: Bilingual preferred. Familiarity with basic word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications. Accurate keyboarding skills.

Pay Range: $24.00 to 34.00 per hour, depends on experience (DOE)

La Maestra Community Health Centers is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender, disability or any other legally protected status.