Dental Assistant 2 - Dental Sterilization

Job Description

The UW School of Dentistry (UWSOD) has an outstanding opportunity for a Dental Assistant 2 (DA2) to join their team.

Reporting to the Dental Clinic Supervisor 1, the DA2 is expected to interact on a professional level with students and the workforce at all times and provide excellent customer service to our patients. Participate in UWSOD and supervisor-required trainings such as health and safety, HIPAA, FERPA, BBP, and other Relias trainings.

• Conduct entire sterilization cycle for all School clinics; debride, perform quality checks, replace instruments as necessary, wrap and sterilize items, following pre-sterilization and sterilization protocols.
• Utilize scanning software system to monitor the distribution and flow of instruments, hand pieces, and other patient care items to maintain strict infection control protocols.
• Operate autoclaves, washers, and other sterilization equipment; conduct biological testing of equipment.
• Maintain hand piece, cassette, bur, impression tray, and spore testing logs;
  Notify parties of discrepancies and report any ongoing problems to Manager.
• Store sterile and disinfected set-ups in preparation for delivery to clinics and students.
• Using the instrument ordering software, coordinate the pick-up and delivery of instruments to clinics.
• Perform basic calculations related to verifying sterilizer functions and inventory control.
• Inspect, assemble, package, label and date instruments and cassettes.
• Enter inventory data using a computer terminal or a manual method.
• Place orders as necessary.
• Keep all areas clean, orderly, and neat.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

The Dental Assistant 2 is assigned to work with student providers at critical stages throughout patient care, prioritizing work and coaching students in patient management. The DA2 interfaces with the supervising licensed dentist who is ultimately responsible for ensuring the quality of patient care. The DA2 position may be asked to float in other areas of the pre-doctoral clinic such as Sterilization, Dispensaries, Clerkships and other clinics within the UWSOD.

• Perform chairside four-handed dentistry with dental students in the Student Teaching clinics.
• Obtain and prepare dental materials, such as impression material, composite, bonding agents, and disposables needed for patient care.
• Perform expanded functions to include taking impressions for study models, place and remove rubber dam and matrix and wedge, expose radiographs, perform Coronal polish, chart clinical findings, and other delegable duties as specified by law.
• Independently operate equipment to take a full range of routine and complex digital intraoral and extraoral radiographs, including periapical, bitewing, panoramic, occlusal, and lateral images, and cone beam computed tomography scans.
• Aid dental students, residents and/or faculty in four-handed dentistry and in routine chair-side duties and patient care.
• Clean and prepare treatment areas using School of Dentistry standardized infection control protocols.
• Conduct inventories and stock supplies.
• Monitor school-owned instruments for breakage and wear; assess replacement needs and maintain clinic hand pieces.
• Suggest process improvements to leadership.
• Participate in dental student clinic orientations and limited classroom activities related to the dental team; may participate in orientation and training of new staff members.
• Perform related dental assistant duties as assigned.

• Using scanning software, check equipment in and out, including cameras, cavitrons, light cure units, nitrous tanks and other items…