What are the responsibilities and job description for the Dental Assistant position at Prime Physicians?
Job Title: Dental Assistant
Specialty: General Dentistry / Chairside Assisting
Primary Location: 1700 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87505.
May Provide Assistance as Needed at:
- Santa Clara Health Center Dental, Española, NM
- Cochiti Health Clinic Dental, Cochiti, NM
Duration: 1 year contract with the possibility of a 4 years extension
Shift Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
License / Certifications:
- Mandatory: DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) from a CODA-accredited dental assisting program; current Basic Life Support (BLS).
Education:
- Graduate of a CODA-accredited dental assistant program.
Minimum Qualification / Experience:
- 24 months of dental assisting experience (or demonstrably equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities).
- Proficiency documenting in Dentrix (dental charting & clinical notes).
- Comfortable supporting restorative, oral surgery, endodontic, and periodontal procedures; taking intra/extra-oral digital radiographs; sterilization/packaging; inventory and supply management.
- Able to stand, walk, sit, and bend for extended periods; work effectively with multicultural patients and interpreters.
Responsibilities:
- Provide comprehensive chairside assistance for all routine general dentistry procedures.
- Accurately record treatments in Dentrix (charting and clinical notes).
- Clean, package, and sterilize instruments; ensure proper storage.
- Prepare patients and operatories; set up instruments for planned procedures.
- Operate dental x-ray equipment to obtain digital intra/extra-oral radiographs.
- Provide prophy/polish, topical fluoride, and place pit & fissure sealants as prescribed.
- Perform basic lab procedures (pour/trim models, fabricate occlusal guards).
- Take and record vital signs (e.g., blood pressure).
- Maintain supplies/equipment; inventory and requisition as needed.
- Deliver patient education on prevention and post-treatment care.
- Keep the clinic clean and operable; perform routine equipment maintenance.
- Adhere to infection control, radiation safety, OSHA/IHS protocols; utilize required PPE.
- Work safely in environments with potential exposure to aerosols, nitrous oxide residue, curing light emissions, etc.