Dental Assistant I, Entry Level

Job Title: Dental Assistant I - Entry Level

About the Role

This is a non-exempt, full-time position in pay grade 1. The Dental Assistant I reports directly to the Dental Clinical Quality Director.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepares, sterilizes, organizes, and sets up dental equipment.
• Ensures all dental instruments are cleaned, dated, and processed according to established safety guidelines and standards.
• Monitors and maintains dental equipment such as compressors, evacuators, radiographic equipment, sterilizers, and light curing units.
• Provides chairside assistance to dentists and dental hygienists in clinical dental care, including operative, preventative, periodontal, endodontic, prosthetic, and oral surgery procedures.
• Orders and maintains inventories of dental clinic supplies, equipment, and instruments.
• Maintains dental laboratory slips.
• Creates and maintains dental records in accordance with established protocol and procedures.
• Completes necessary equipment monitoring per established clinical protocol and follows equipment maintenance schedules, completing logs.
• Maintains patient operatories, including daily disinfection, setup, and stocking of dental supplies.
• Cleans and maintains the dental laboratory area daily and the equipment as necessary.
• Monitors and maintains autoclave equipment and dental instruments to ensure sterile conditions and techniques.
• Prepares laboratory cases, including contacting the laboratory, preparing for shipment, packaging, and monitoring due dates.
• Maintains proper inventory of supplies by communicating low stock or ordering as required.
• Monitors oxygen and nitrous oxide tanks, checks fire extinguishers, and checks medications for expiration.
• Completes Autoclave competency and N2O Quality Assurance Competency upon hire and annually thereafter.
• Takes initiative to solve problems and recommends improvements to leadership.
• Travels to other CCHS sites to cover shortages within the department.
• Displays professionalism during interactions with CCHS customers, staff, and clinicians.
• Practices AIDET.
• May answer telephones, greet patients, schedule appointments, and facilitate referrals.
• Makes recommendations for cost containment and/or quality improvement.
• Takes initiative and prioritizes effectively.
• Works with other staff to achieve a desirable working environment.
• Takes initiative and anticipates needs of other dental assistants.
• Prepares dental materials correctly, as needed, in sufficient amounts.
• Anticipates the sequence of dental procedures and is prepared in advance.
• Ensures chart information is accurate and complete and follows up with the dentist or dental hygienist.
• Reviews daily schedule and verifies treatment plan prior to appointment.
• Assists students and residents with CCHS’s processes and procedures.
• Assists front office dental staff with planning and scheduling of patient visits.
• Assures all instruments and materials are available prior to the patient’s arrival.
• Triages dental emergencies.
• Maintains a safe and hygienic patient environment.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Basic computer skills.
• CPR certification.
• Completes EHR competency upon hire.
• Dental Radiation Technician license from the state of Maryland required to be obtained within one year of hire.
• Completes Autoclave competency and N2O Quality Assurance Competency upon hire and annually thereafter.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED certificate.
• Dental experience is a benefit, but not a requirement for this position.

Core Competencies

• Empathetic Outlook
• Attention to Detail
• Problem Solving
• Communicates Effectively
• Values and Ethics
• Time Management