Dental Assistant, Tigard Dental Office

Job Summary

Provide direct support to dentists, hygienists, denturists and other provider personnel in the delivery of dental care and service within a Kaiser Permanente dental office.

• Perform all duties permitted to a dental assistant consistent with training and in the presence or under observation of a licensed provider as referenced in the State Dental Practice Act and the related Administrative Rules. These duties include: apply topical anesthetic and desensitizing agents, remove sutures and post‑extraction and periodontal dressings, retract a patient’s cheek, tongue, or other tissue during an operation, assist in placement or removal of a rubber dam, remove debris created during operative procedures, inspect the oral cavity, dry root canals with paper points, place temporary filling material, take impressions for periodontal night guard, polish coronal surfaces, train patients in oral hygiene techniques, place and expose dental radiographs, etc.
• In support of the practice of a dentist provider who is not an orthodontist: select and size bands, remove fixed orthodontic appliances, check for loose bands and brackets, remove ligature ties and head appliances, place and remove arch wires, elastics, and orthodontic separators, take intra‑oral measurements for orthodontic procedures, remove supra‑gingival orthodontic bracket bonding material with a hand piece that does not exceed 25,000 rpm, train patients in oral hygiene, expose films, organize patient dental records, greet patients, review health questionnaires, promote patient comfort, and answer patient or parent questions.
• Anticipate needs of provider in the delivery of patient care and service. Communicate information important to maintaining the proper scheduling and flow of patients. Prepare, organize, arrange and pass dental instruments, supplies and materials as requested by the provider. Establish and maintain a clear and clean operating field. Record and verify information in the patient’s dental record. Enter, retrieve and transmit patient care and service related information via the program’s automated patient and provider scheduling system (TEAM).
  
  Respond to medical emergency situations. Expose and process dental radiographs. Take patients’ blood pressure and accurately record it. Clean, sterilize and process instruments. Maintain a clean, orderly, well‑organized work environment and ensure proper handling of materials. Ensure proper functioning of equipment through preventive maintenance procedures. Report non‑functioning, damaged, or defective equipment to the office manager or supervisor in a timely manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the office manager or supervisory personnel that are consistent with training and experience. Act in conformance with established program policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols, the Administrative Rules of the State Board of Dentistry, the State Dental Practice Act and any other applicable laws and regulations. Perform the following functions provided that the dentist is on the premises and checks the patient: place matrix retainers for alloy and composite restorations, polish amalgam restorations, remove supra‑gingival excess cement, take impressions for diagnostic models, counter and opposing models, fabrication of temporary restorations, intra‑oral bite registration for study model articulation, fabricate temporary plastic‑type crowns, assist in monitoring patients administered nitrous oxide, and other duties as authorized by Board of Dentistry rules and regulations.

• Minimum one (1) year of experience as a dental assistant or graduation from an ADA accredited dental assisting program.

• High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED) required.

• Dental Radiation Proficiency Certificate (Oregon)
• Pit and Fissure Sealant Certificate (Oregon) within 6 months of hire
• Expanded Function Dental Assistant Certificate (Oregon) within 3 months of hire
• Basic Life Support within 3 months of hire

• Demonstrated competence in four‑handed dentistry technique.
• Satisfactory level of knowledge…