Dental Assistant

A Brief Overview

The Dental Assistant works on behalf of the patient and the dentist, helping to assure a high level of professional excellence in oral health care delivery.

• Understand and manage the daily clinical schedule to ensure on-time appointments and the maintenance of production goals
• Manage clinical patient flow to ensure the most efficient and effective care for every patient
• Ensure that the appropriate clinical practice guidelines are consistently followed
• Carefully sterilize and disinfect all instruments and equipment
• Prepare treatment rooms, instruments, and tray setups for dental procedures
• Greet and prepare patients for treatment; employ high-level customer service skills
• Effectively and safely capture intra- and extra-oral dental radiography and photos
• Proactively assist the dentist during examinations and treatment procedures, utilizing 4-handed assisting techniques
• Understand the scope of the treatment for each appointment, and prepare appropriately for all daily procedures
• Conduct work in compliance with organizational policies and procedures, safety, and regulatory guidelines
• Record medical and dental histories of patients
• Accurately record treatment information, both completed and proposed, in patients electronic medical file
• Maintain an organized and efficient clinical work-space; ensure instruments, equipment, and supplies are "at the ready" in case of unexpected need
• Participate in the achievement of patient satisfaction and office production goals by working efficiently and providing a high level of patient service
• Provide patient education and educational materials
• Maintain the proper level of clinical product/material stock in accordance with established office standards

• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.
• For specific duties and responsibilities, refer to documentation provided by the department during orientation.
• Must abide by all requirements to safely and securely maintain Protected Health Information (PHI) for our patients. Annual training, the UH Code of Conduct and UH policies and procedures are in place to address appropriate use of PHI in the workplace.