Dental Assistant

Summary: The dental assistant will serve an integral role in assisting patients of Grace Dental to achieve and maintain optimal oral health. The dental assistant will provide educational and clinical services, as well as perform clerical and maintenance tasks to ensure quality, efficient care.

• Patient Interaction:
  • Monitoring schedule to maintain efficient patient flow.
  • Politely ushering patients from waiting area to treatment area.
  • Preparing patients for treatment (chair positioning, napkin placement, providing patient protective eyewear, etc.).
  • Providing pre-operative and post-operative instructions.
  • Addressing patient’s chief complaint and any questions/concerns raised.
  • Helping patients feel comfortable before, during, and after dental treatment.
  • Guiding parents and patients through the process before treatment.
  • Teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health.
  • Initiate referrals as needed by dentist and arranges appropriate follow-up.
  • Acts as a communication link between dentist and front desk.
  • Providing superior customer service to all patients.
  • Recognizing and responding to basic medical and dental emergencies.
  • Monitoring patients while nitrous oxide is being administered.
  • Maintaining patient confidentiality through HIPAA compliance.
  • Advocating for Grace Health and its respective mission.
  • Participating in local community affairs and events including school screenings, presentations, events, and any opportunity to promote a positive image of Grace Health.
• Chairside and Expanded Duties Assisting:
  • Preparing operatory for planned or emergency dental procedures.
  • Documenting oral examinations, including reviewing/updating medical and dental history.
  • Taking blood pressure and pulse measurements when needed.
  • Obtaining radiographic images using appropriate technique, as requested by dentist.
  • Keeping all operatories appropriately stocked with needed supplies and instruments.
  • Maintaining and sterilizing all equipment and instruments according to manufacturer/clinic guidelines.
  • Cleaning clinic’s evacuation system according to equipment guidelines.
  • Properly disposing of hazardous and infectious waste per policy.
  • Assisting dentist with a variety of treatment procedures using four-handed dentistry.
  • Maintaining field of operation during dental procedures using retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, etc.
  • Following universal precautions.
  • Taking impressions (preliminary and final) and fabricating diagnostic casts.
  • Performing other duties as assigned by dentist or supervisor.
• Office Management:
  • Performing office management tasks.
  • Maintaining equipment records for maintenance and operational purposes.
  • Ordering clinical supplies.
  • Cross training with front desk to provide coverage as needed.
  • Completing laboratory authorization forms.
  • Preparing dental lab boxes and labeling for mailing.
  • Developing system to manage lab cases and deliveries.
  • Performing other duties as assigned by management.

• Grace Health recognizes that managing patient care is a team effort that involves clinical and non-clinical staff. All employees must embrace a team-based approach to patient care and understand that each role is important to our success.
• Team members must demonstrate excellent team communication and coordination to provide quality patient care.
• Care coordination includes communicating with community organizations, health plans, facilities, and specialists.
• Care team members understand and embrace the concept of population management and proactively address the needs of patients and families served by this practice.
• Team members must demonstrate skill and knowledge related to effective communication with vulnerable patient populations.
• Team members must participate in Continuous Quality Improvement activities within the organization to ensure patients receive high quality care.
• All team members will be involved in the process of improving quality incomes.
• Team members will participate in the review and evaluation processes of practice performance and help to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Team members will participate in Grace Health's advocacy…