About this role
As a Dental Assistant I, you will systematically analyze patient health information, manage and track coordination of pro-active care for patients with chronic conditions, and identify wellness and/or preventative service for clinical patients. This position will work closely with the dental staff and will report to the Dental Coordinator.
As a Dental Assistant II, you will perform all the duties of Dental Assistant I, place and shape composite resin restorations, and facilitate dental equipment repairs and tracking processes
As a Dental Assistant III, you will perform all the duties of Dental Assistant I and Dental Assistant II, direct billing tasks to the appropriate personnel, and collaboratively monitor dental schedules
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Level 1
- Receives and prepares patients for treatment, including seating positioning chair, and placing napkin.
- Takes and records vital signs.
- Identifies intraoral anatomy.
- Performs mouth mirror inspection of the oral cavity.
- Exposes and evaluates radiographs for diagnostic quality.
- Charts existing restorations or conditions.
- Provides patient preventive education and oral hygiene instruction.
- Applies topical anesthetic to the injection site.
- Identifies features of rotary instruments.
- Places and removes dental dam.
- Maintains field of operation during dental procedures via retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing and removing cotton rolls, etc.
- Using the concepts of four- handed dentistry, assists with basic restorative and intraoral surgical procedures, including prosthodontics, restorative dentistry extractions, periodontics, and endodontics.
- Transfers dental instruments.
- Places and removes matrix bands.
- Places amalgam for condensation by the dentist.
- Provides pre- and post-operative instructions.
- Recognizes and responds to basic medical/dental emergencies such as post-surgical bleeding.
- Removes sutures.
- Phones in prescriptions at the direction of the dentist.
- Takes preliminary impressions.
- Selects and manipulates gypsums and waxes.
- Mixes dental materials.
- Pours, trims, and evaluates the quality of diagnostic casts.
- Completes laboratory authorization forms.
- Places and removes retraction cord.
- Fabricates, places, and removes temporary crowns and cements.
- Cleans and polishes removable appliances and prostheses.
- Prepares procedural trays/armamentaria set-ups.
- Performs sterilization and disinfection procedures.
- Performs coronal polishing procedures pending appropriate certification achieved.
- Applies topical fluoride and pit and fissure sealants upon achieving appropriate certifications.
- Performs routine maintenance of dental equipment.
- Maintains emergency kit.
- Acts as a backup for the Dental Patient Services Representative as needed.
- All HealthLinc staff is committed to engage in quality improvement initiatives that align with and support Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH).
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Level 2 (In addition to above)
- Placing, packing and carving of amalgam restorations.
- Places and shapes composite resin restorations.
- Applies liners and bases.
- Performs pulp capping procedures.
- Precepts dental assistant externs.
- Orders supplies and tracks inventory.
- Tracks lab cases and manages invoices.
- Facilitates and tracks Dental Equipment repairs.
- Completes all assigned Relias training on time.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Level 3 (In addition to above)
- Performs all the duties of Dental Assistant I and Dental Assistant II.
- Directs billing tasks to appropriate personnel.
- Trains Dental Assistant I.
- Collaboratively monitors dental schedules.
- Completes all assigned Relias training on time.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Education/Training
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Graduate of a program for Dental Assistants accredited under the Commission on Dental Accreditations or agency recognized by the US Department of Education (not required but highly preferred)
- Licensed in the State of Indiana to take dental radiographs or holds a provisional license to be converted to State of Indiana License within 6 months of date of graduation from dental assisting program
- Current CPR certification
- Dental Assisting National Board Certification (not required but highly preferred)
Experience
- At least one year of experience as a Dental Assistant (not required but highly preferred for DA I but required for DA II and DA III)
Skills/Job Requirement
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Proven ability to work well in a team environment
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Knowledge of dental office practices, procedures and equipment
- Knowledge of dental equipment maintenance
- Knowledge of dental record keeping
- Bilingual in Spanish preferred
- Ability to follow HealthLinc policies and procedures
Technology Skills
- Operate a multi-line phone system and other office equipment including printers, fax machines, etc.
- Basic computer skills (Microsoft Office, EHR, online sources, etc.)
DIRECT SUPERVISION:
- N/A
REQUIRED TRAINING:
All assigned Relias training