Experienced Dental Assistant / DA II

Southern Smiles is looking for an experienced Dental Assistant to join our growing clinical team.

Our priority is finding a dependable, hardworking person with excellent communication skills, solid chairside experience, and the ability to learn quickly. We would ideally like to find someone who is looking for a long-term position and wants to continue developing their skills as our practice grows.

A North Carolina DA II is strongly preferred, but we will consider an experienced DA I with a strong clinical foundation and the right attitude.

This is not an entry-level dental assisting position. We are happy to train the right person on our particular equipment, technology and clinical workflows, but applicants should already have meaningful hands-on chairside dental assisting experience.

What We Are Looking For

The right candidate should:

• Have previous hands-on chairside dental assisting experience
• Be comfortable working in a busy dental practice
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Communicate clearly and professionally with patients, doctors and coworkers
• Be dependable and have a strong work ethic
• Learn quickly and retain what they are taught
• Be able to multitask while remaining organized
• Work efficiently without sacrificing patient care or attention to detail
• Be able to anticipate what the doctor will need during treatment
• Remain calm and professional during busy or complicated clinical situations
• Be comfortable treating anxious or uncomfortable patients
• Be willing to help other team members when needed
• Take pride in keeping operatories clean, organized and properly stocked
• Be comfortable using computers and learning new dental technology
• Take infection control, sterilization and patient safety seriously
• Be interested in becoming a long-term member of the practice

Communication skills are especially important for this position.

Our assistants spend a significant amount of time helping patients understand what is happening, keeping nervous patients comfortable, communicating with the clinical team and helping the office run efficiently. We want someone who is friendly and approachable while still being professional and able to communicate clearly.

Clinical Responsibilities

Depending on experience and qualifications, responsibilities may include:

• Four-handed chairside assisting
• Preparing operatories, instruments and materials
• Digital dental radiographs
• Clinical charting and documentation
• Updating medical histories
• Restorative procedures
• Composite fillings
• Crown and core buildup procedures
• Endodontic procedures
• Complete and partial denture procedures
• Conventional and digital impressions
• Simple extractions
• Surgical extractions
• Impacted third-molar procedures
• Full-mouth extraction cases
• Implant procedures ranging from one unit to full mouth All-on-X
• Surgical setup and instrument management
• Suction and retraction
• Post-operative patient instructions
• Sterilization and instrument processing
• Maintaining organized and fully stocked operatories
• Helping maintain efficient patient flow throughout the day
• Supporting other members of the clinical team as needed

All delegated clinical duties are performed according to North Carolina scope-of-practice requirements and the assistant's individual qualifications.

Technology

Southern Smiles is a highly digital dental practice.

Applicants do not need previous experience with every system we use, but they should be comfortable using computers and learning new technology.

Our office uses systems including:

• Carestream SoftDent practice-management software
• Digital dental radiography
• Handheld NOMAD X-ray units
• CBCT imaging
• DTX Studio
• Digital intraoral scanning (Trios and Primescan)
• In office Zirconia and Ceramic Milling
• Digital implant and restorative workflows
• Dental 3D-printing technology
• Exocad Design

Experience with any of these technologies is helpful, but the ability to learn quickly is more important than previous experience with our exact systems.

Qualifications Required

• Previous hands-on dental assisting experience
• Experience working chairside in a dental practice
• Strong communication skills
• Dependability and good work ethic
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced clinical environment
• Ability to learn new procedures and technology quickly
• Working knowledge of infection control and sterilization procedures

Strongly Preferred

• North Carolina DA II classification
• At least 1–2 years of chairside dental assisting experience
• Dental radiography experience
• Restorative and crown assisting experience
• Oral surgery or extraction assisting experience
• Endodontic assisting experience
• Denture/removable experience
• Intraoral scanning experience

Applicants do not need to have experience in every area listed above.

We are looking for someone who already has a solid dental-assisting foundation and who is capable of becoming increasingly skilled as they work with our doctors and team.

Compensation

Starting compensation will depend on experience, qualifications and demonstrated ability.

Higher compensation is available for assistants who can work independently, produce consistently good radiographs, efficiently manage an operatory, anticipate the doctor's needs and contribute effectively in a busy clinical environment.

Benefits

Southern Smiles currently offers:

• Biweekly pay through direct deposit
• Paid holidays
• Health insurance after the 90-day probationary period, with the practice currently paying 70% of the premium
• Vision insurance after the 90-day probationary period, with the practice currently paying 70% of the premium
• Access to additional voluntary insurance plans at the practice's group rate
• 40 hours of paid vacation after one year of employment
• 401(k) eligibility after one year, subject to plan requirements
• Current 3% safe-harbor employer retirement contribution for eligible employees

Additional eligibility requirements and plan details apply.

Long-Term Opportunity

We are expanding our practice and are looking for people who want to grow with us.

We are willing to invest time in teaching an experienced assistant our specific systems, procedures and technology. In return, we are looking for someone who takes their position seriously, wants to continue improving, and is interested in becoming an important long-term member of our team.

Applications and inquiries will be handled professionally and confidentially. We will not contact your current employer without your explicit permission.

If you have dental assisting experience, communicate well, work hard, learn quickly and enjoy working with patients, we would like to hear from you.

Pay: $18.00 - $28.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Opportunities for advancement
• Paid time off
• Profit sharing

Work Location: In person

Salary : $18 - $28