Dental assistants perform a variety of patient care, office, x-ray and laboratory duties. Dental assistants prepare patients for oral examination and assist other dental professionals in providing treatment to the teeth, mouth and gums. Dental assistants perform duties under the clinical supervision of a dentist.

PRIMARY TASKS & DUTIES

• Ensures patients are comfortable and prepared for treatment.
• Obtains/reviews dental/medical history and/or records from patient.
• Prepares tray setup for dental procedures.
• Provides instruments and materials to dentist, keeps patient’s mouth dry and clear by using suction or other devices.
• Sterilizes, disinfects, and maintains instruments and equipment to manufactures recommendations.
• Instructs patients on postoperative and general oral health care.
• Prepares materials for impressions and restorations.
• Exposes radiographs, and processes dental x-ray film as directed by dentist.
• Removes sutures, applies anesthetics to gums or cavity preventive agents to teeth, removes excess cement or other dental materials used in the restorative process, and places rubber dams on the teeth to isolate them for individual treatment.
• Prepares a cast of the teeth and mouth from impressions taken by dentist, prepares lab scripts and receives lab cases, cleans and polishes removable appliances and prepares temporary crowns when requested by the dentist. This job task is performed when needed.
• Schedules and confirms appointments, receives patients, maintains treatment records, prepares patient accounts and receives payments, orders dental supplies and materials, and answers the telephone and executes other general office duties when this job task is needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned by Practice Manager and/or Dentist.

Education/Training

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required.
• Associates degree or one-year certificate from an accredited college or technical school preferred, or one to three years of related experience or training, and/or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Must have current, applicable, state specific license(s) to practice required essential job duties and responsibilities, including but not limited to RDA, CDA, Coronal Polishing License, Expanded Functions Certificate, Nitrous Oxide-Oxygen Analgesia Certification, or CPR Certifications
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret documents such as business periodicals, technical procedure manuals, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and governmental regulations. Ability to communicate effectively and present information, both verbally and in writing, to patients and co-workers. Ability to write routine reports and business correspondence.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal or diagram form, to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, decimals and percentages.

Bilingual (Spanish) Strongly Preferred