Dental Assistant

The Mshkiki Community Clinic team in Benton Harbor is growing and adding a Dental Assistant.  This is a great opportunity for an experienced Dental Assistant to join our team and grow in your profession.  The hours for this role are 8am-5pm Mon-Fri.  We provide opportunities for job training and advancement in addition to 15 paid holidays, generous PTO, health insurance, retirement plans, and more!  Pre-employment drug and alcohol screening (including marijuana) is required for this position along with random screening.         

Position Summary: Supports dental care delivery by preparing treatment room, patient, instruments, and materials; passing instruments and materials; performing procedures in compliance with the dental practice act.

Essential Functions:

Tier 1 – PB 5

• Complete procedures as listed in compliance with the Michigan Dental Practice act. 
• Prepare treatment room for patient by following prescribed procedures and protocols.
• Prepare patient for dental treatment by welcoming, comforting, seating, and draping patient.
• Provide information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
• Provide instrumentation by sterilizing and delivering instruments to treatment area; positioning instruments for dentist's access; suctioning; passing instruments.
• Provide needed materials and supplies as directed by the supervising dentist.
• Provide diagnostic information by exposing and developing radiographic studies, pouring, trimming, and polishing study casts.
• Help dentist manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining C.P.R. certification, emergency drug and oxygen supply, and emergency telephone directory.
• Educate patients by giving oral hygiene, plaque control, and postoperative instructions.
• Document dental care services by charting in patient records as directed by supervising dentist.
• Maintain patient confidence by keeping information confidential.
• Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
• Ensure operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; following manufacturer's instructions; troubleshooting malfunctions; calling for repairs; maintaining equipment inventories; evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Maintain dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies.
• Conserve dental resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
• Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related tasks as needed.

Tier 2 – PB 6

• Demonstrate proven and safe protocols for nitrous oxide and oxygen sedation, including the calculation of nitrous oxide gas used; pharmacology, biochemistry, and anatomy of nitrous oxide administration, emergency procedures, and the mechanics of operating a nitrous unit.  
• Demonstrate patient monitoring and proper use of special equipment. 
• Understand airway management, including signs of an impending emergency. 
• Demonstrate strategies for detecting Nitrous in the office environment.  
• Understand indication and contraindication for individual patient sedation. 

And/Or

• Application of medicaments for the control or prevention of dental caries.
• Polish the coronal surface of teeth. 

Tier 3 – PB 7

Utilize skills learned through PHS standing order competency training including but not limited to:

• Partial/Denture adjustments.
• Occlusal guard delivery and adjustments.
• Sealants.
• Topical anesthetic administration.
• Creation and cementation of temporary crowns.
• Final impressions/intraoral scanning.
• Suture removal.

Tier 4 – PB 8

IHS Restorative Expanded Functions Dental Assistant:

• Understanding of tooth morphology/structure and the materials used to restore them.
• Place and finish Class I B amalgam, Class V B amalgam, Class I O amalgam, Class II amalgam, Class III composite, Class V composite.

Registered Dental Assistant:

• Placing, condensing, and carving amalgam restorations
• Removing sutures
• Cementing orthodontic bands or initial placement of orthodontic brackets and attachments for aligners
• Placing Class I resin bonded restorations, occlusal adjustment, finishing and polishing with non-tissue cutting slow speed rotary hand pieces.
• Taking final impression for indirect restoration and prosthesis including bite registration, intra-oral imaging, and in –office fabrication of restorations. 
• Assisting and monitoring the administration of nitrous oxide analgesia.
• Placing and removing non-epinephrine retraction cords or materials.
• Drying endodontic canals with absorbent points.
• Applying cavity liners and bases.
• Taking impressions for intraoral appliances including bite registrations.
• Placing and removing matrices and wedges.
• Taking digital scans for final restoration or intra-oral appliances.
• Preliminary examination including performing pulp vitality testing.
• Adjusting and polishing contacts and occlusion of indirect restoration before cementation by the dentist.
• Applying desensitizing agents.
• Etching and placing adhesives before placement of orthodontic brackets and attachments for aligners.
• Applying anticariogenic agents including, but no limited to, sealants, fluoride varnish, fluoride applications. 
• Instructing in the use and care of dental appliances.
• Placing and removing dental dam.
• Trial sizing of orthodontic bands.
• Temporary cementing and removing temporary crowns and bands.
• Taking impressions or digital scans for study and opposing models and matrices for temporary crowns and bridges.
• Fabricating temporary restorations, temporary crowns, and temporary bridges.
• Placing a nonmetallic temporary restoration with non-tissue cutting instruments.
• Applying nonprescription topical anesthetic.
• Removing excess temporary cement from supragingival surfaces of a tooth with hand instruments only. 
• Polish assigned teeth with a slow-speed rotary handpiece immediately before an acid etch procedure. 
• Polishing and contouring of sealants with a slow speed rotary hand piece immediately following a procedure for occlusal adjustment. 
• Provide nutritional counseling
• Dispense orthodontic aligners.

Indiana Expanded Function Dental Assistant:

• Rubber dam placement, resin, and amalgam restorative techniques for Class I, II, III, IV, and V restorations, as well as the necessary matrix technique for each restoration. 

Tier 5 – PB 9

• Detect disease, supra, and subgingival calculus. 
• Provide thorough ultrasonic scaling of teeth. 
• Accurately code for periodontal and hygiene procedures. 
• Recommend effective toothpastes, mouth rinses, and oral hygiene aids to patients. 
• Motivate patients to improve plaque removal and periodontal health. 

Non-Essential Functions:

• Fill in at the front desk, when necessary.
• Perform other related functions as assigned. 

Equipment:

• Standard office equipment
• Systems used: MS Office Applications, Internet, and Electronic Dental Record

Position Requirements: 

Tier 1 – Tier 5

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Previous dental experience or training required. 
• Dental Assistant with x-ray certification preferred or achieve x-ray certification within 6 months of employment. 
• Minimum of one (1) year experience preferred.
• Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills, and the ability to speak effectively and respond to questions.
• Additional
• Tier 2 requirements – Completion of Nitrous Certification and/or Coronal Polishing and Fluoride Application Course.
• Additional Tier 3 requirement – Completion of PHS Standing Order Competency training
• Additional Tier 4 requirement – Completion of IHS Restorative Course, or Registered Dental Assistant in State of Michigan. Completion of Indiana EFDA training course.
• Additional Tier 5 requirement – Completion of IHS Periodontal Expanded Function Dental Assistant course.

Indian Preference

• Pokagon Band Preference Code applies.

Physical Requirements:

• Work is generally sedentary in nature and will frequently require sitting, however standing and walking will occasionally be necessary.
• Frequently required to use hands and fingers to operate equipment.
• Frequently required to talk and hear.

Work environment:

• Work in well-lit, heated, air-conditioned buildings.
• May be exposed to blood, body tissue and fluids as well as hazardous substances/ chemicals.
• Exposure to noise of agitated patients, significant work pace/pressure.
• Occasional local travel may be required. 

Competencies:

• Client Focus
• Continuous Learning
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Exemplifying Integrity 
• Planning and Organizing