Dental Assistant

Responsibilities:

• Provide chair side assistance to each physician during dental and surgical procedures.
• Provides general patient care on an ongoing basis as dictated in the health system mission statement.
• Instructs patient on proper oral hygiene techniques, nutrition and diet counseling.
• Obtains and develops radiographs (full mouth, cephologram, orthopantogram, bitewings, and etc.)
• Obtains blood pressure readings on all new patients and on return patients as necessary and documents updates on medical history.
• Obtains and pours intraoral impressions from patient for fabrication of intraoral devices.
• Maintains and sterilizes instruments and equipment necessary to perform duties. 
• Follows department, entity and health system policies for managing the cleaning and sterilization of instruments. 
• Ensures compliance with sterilization log documentation.
• Ensures appropriate set-up and inventory in exam room.
• Recement crowns and insert temporary restorations.
• Capable of managing medically compromised patients and providing dental care assistance for medically compromised patients.
• Reviews daily scheduling reports to ensure the physician’s needs are met for the patient’s encounter.
• Works with the physicians, Lead Dental Assistant and Supervisor to communicate areas of quality improvement in the department.
• Oversees the management of all medications in the exam rooms, security of medications at all times.
• Attends required education in-services. 
• Maintains updated license requirements. 
• Maintains specialized knowledge of oral and maxillofacial surgery, general dentistry and oral medicine services by reading current literature and attending appropriate seminars. 
• Informs the Lead Dental Assistant and/or Supervisor of major changes affecting clinical care delivery.
• Maintains a filing system appropriate and necessary for proper organization.
• Develops implements and monitors clinical policy and procedure manual.
• Submits requests for purchase orders through the appropriate system as it pertains to clinical department.
• Responsible for posting patient schedule for operatories; identifying and marking films properly (name, doctor, medical record number); maintaining confidentiality of all patient records and protected health information. 
• Following policy and procedures for maintenance of medical records and protected health information.

Credentials:

• Basic Cardiac Life Support (Required)
• CPR certification (Required)
• PA State X-ray Certified (Required)

Education or Equivalent Experience:

• H.S. Diploma/GED (Required)
• Graduate from a Dental Assistant program(Required)