Registered Dental Assistant

CONTINUOUS

The Board of Supervisors have authorized the following future salary increases for this classification:

5% on July 1, 2025

Bargaining Unit:
Local 856 - Attendant/LVN/Aides Unit

The Contra Costa County Health Services Department is accepting applications on an ongoing basis for Registered Dental Assistant positions, which may be assigned to the Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center in Martinez or to the Health Services Department health centers located in Richmond, Pittsburg, and Brentwood.

Registered Dental Assistants prepare patients for dental treatment and examinations and assist the Dentist at the chair during patient treatment. They review patient records to determine the instruments and materials that will be needed, take and develop x-rays of teeth and jaws and provide routine post-operative instructions to patients. Dental Assistants also mix cements, silver amalgams, and impression materials and take pre-impressions for dentures.

In addition, they sterilize instruments, utensils, dressings, and equipment; clean dental rooms and equipment; and inventory and order supplies as needed. Other duties include maintaining patient records, scheduling patients, keeping inventory, ordering supplies, and other related work as required.

Responsibilities:

• Prepares patients for treatment and examination by seating the patient, adjusting the chair at a convenient angle and draping the patient
• Reviews patient's record to determine what instruments and material will be needed and lays them out
• Passes instruments and materials to the dentist upon request
• Provides oral suction, retraction and other assistance during oral surgery
• Removes excess cement after permanent crown cementation
• Fits and cements temporary crowns
• Places post-extraction and periodontal dressings
• Placement and litigation of arch wires
• May perform coronal polishing of the teeth
• Takes x-rays of teeth and jaws and develops the film
• Mixes cements, silver amalgams and impression materials
• Takes pre-impressions for dentures
• Tests pulp vitality
• May dry canals previously opened by the dentist with absorbent points
• Provides routine post-operative instructions to patients
• Sterilizes instruments, utensils, dressings and equipment
• Cleans dental rooms and equipment
• Maintains patient records by indicating the type of work performed
• Procures charts and records needed by the dentist
• Schedules patients
• Inventories supplies and orders routine supplies as needed
• Conducts oral health education with individuals and groups
• Assists in dental screenings, placing dental sealants and fluoride varnish of patients in community settings
• Provides oral health case management services for patients
• Transports equipment and/or instruments to and from sites as needed
• Assists with administrative or programmatic projects as needed
• Attends meeting as required
• May be required to travel to off-site meetings and clinics
• Provide and promote excellence in customer service for both internal and external customers

License

Required:

Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's License. Out of state valid Motor Vehicle Operator's License will be accepted during the application process.

And

Possession of a current license as a Registered Dental Assistant issued by the Dental Board of California.

Certification: Possession of a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) issued by the American Heart Association or Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) issued by the American Red Cross throughout the duration of employment.

May be required to possess a valid sealant certification for specific Public Health programs.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is the policy of Contra Costa County to consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identify, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or other protected category under the law.