NEEDED: DENTAL ASSISTANT (EFDA) – Expanded Functions

LOCATION: 772 Saint Joseph Street, Loretto, PA 15940

SCHEDULE: 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday, normally between 6:00AM and 2:00PM

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Duties require Expanded Function License
• Two years of experience providing Expanded Duties Dental Assistant services.
• Registered Dental Assistant to be recognized as a Registered Dental Assistant in PA must have current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) that meets or exceeds the guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA).
• Must be familiar with four-handed dentistry with respect to all technical methods and procedures as practiced in this institution.
• Must possess the ability to collect and track data and enter data into the agency’s electronic system and track scheduling of patient care and must have knowledge and experience in maintaining patient medical records and confidentiality.
• Must have an excellent working knowledge of instruments, types of composite materials, and methods used for the purpose of making impressions.
• Be able to recognize the more common types of oral and tissue inflammations.
• Have knowledge of oral and dental anatomy and must be able to chart the anatomical findings.
• Must have a working knowledge of commonly used medication and doses for dental infections and pain as preferred by the dentist.
• Must possess skills in expanded dental functions to permit direct patient care by applying rubber dams, placing matrix bands, inserting, and contouring filling materials, fabricating, and cementing temporary crowns, placing surgical dressings, removing sutures, providing postoperative instructions, instructing patients on proper dental disease control techniques, and taking impressions for study casts.
• Bilingual oral communication skills are desirable.

DUTIES:

• Assists Dental Officer in dental specialty sections: restorative, oral surgery, periodontics, prosthetics, and examinations.
• Retrieve patient’s records and escorts patients to proper dental specialty section; seats and prepares patient for attending Dental Officer
• Assists Dental Officer by preparing dental instruments, essential materials, drugs, and medications
• Passes instruments, retracts tongue and cheek, irrigates oral cavity, and operates aspirator
• Observes patient’s responses, and assists patient for dismissal from the Dental Clinic
• Gives instructions for subsequent dental appointments
• Makes necessary entries on treatment records (both electronic and paper records)
• Prepares dental treatment room for the next patient
• Assists in the treatment of emergency cases.
• Provides dental health education
• Preparation of patients for periodontal surgery
• Dental and periodontal charting
• Maintains dental equipment
• Cleans, sharpens, and sterilizes instruments
• Performs daily inspection of equipment and makes minor repairs
• Reports defective equipment, or utilizes corrective action
• Takes radiographs of patients using standard and digital dental radiographic, panelipse,
• cephalometric, and transcranial equipment****
• Obtains diagnostic quality periapical, occlusal, lateral, jaw, TMJ, and panographic radiographs
• Correctly positions patient and film
• Determines level of radiation intensity to minimize radiation exposure of patients****
• Processes and saves digital radiographs to patient medical records****
• Maintains proper infection control procedures in radiographic techniques
• Selects tooth shade for composite restorations and dentures

BENEFITS: Competitive hourly pay rate, accrued vacation, accrued sick leave, 11 paid Federl holidays, 401K opportunity, and healthcare benefits contribution.