Dental Assistant

PRIMARY PURPOSE:

The Dental Assistant for the Mobile Unit will provide direct support to the Medical Director/Dentist in delivering high-quality dental care in a mobile, portable setting. This position requires both clinical and administrative skills to assist with a variety of dental procedures, recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, and assisting the dentist in procedures. Administrate duties may include scheduling/confirming appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding for insurance purposes. The Dental Assistant will be responsible for driving to the assigned location of the mobile dental unit each day, ensuring prompt and safe arrival at the designated site.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Assisting the dentist during a variety of treatment procedures.
• Prepares treatment room for patient by following prescribed procedures and protocols. This includes asking the patients about their medical history and taking blood pressure and pulse.
• Documents dental care services by charting in the patients records.
• Provides instrumentation by sterilizing and delivering instruments to treatment area; positioning instruments for dentist's access; suctioning; passing instruments; maintains infection control protocol.
• Provides materials by selecting, mixing, and placing materials on instruments and in the patient's mouth.
• Provides diagnostic information by exposing and developing radiographic studies, pouring, trimming, and polishing study casts.
• Ensures operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; following manufacturer's instructions; troubleshooting malfunctions.
• Maintaining equipment inventories; evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies.
• Conserves dental resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
• Prepares patient for dental treatment by welcoming, comforting, seating, and draping patient.
• Educates patients by giving oral hygiene, plaque control, and postoperative instructions.
• Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Accurately file patient information and arrange patient charts and radiographs for the next day's appointments.
• Quick response/accurate data entry to present treatment plans to patients in a short time frame.
• Communicate all concerns to the dentist.
• Assist with agency fundraising activities as requested, including promoting events, selling tickets, soliciting donations and other task to support events.
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of dental procedures.
• Ability to orally communicate effectively with others, with or without the use of an interpreter.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing using the English language, with or without the use of auxiliary aids or services.
• Ability to review, understand, and apply concepts presented in training programs, conferences, and/or professional literature.
• Clear understanding that FoundCare provides information on educating individuals on safer sex practices which would include but not be limited to, exposure to explicit language, explicit printed material, and descriptions of explicit sexual activities as part of the agency's mission in the prevention and transmission of HIV disease.
• Ability to handle various special projects on an ongoing basis while addressing daily needs for the department.
• Good interpersonal skills to maintain effective rapport with patients, dentists, other staff members and community.
• Ability to adapt to office policy improvements (office is constantly striving for improved customer care/service).
• Ability to interact and work with diverse populations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to endure short, intermittent, and/or long periods of sitting and/or standing in performance of job duties.
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment (e.g., facemask, goggles, latex/non-latex gloves) as needed.
• Ability to work in a patient care setting with possible exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, and ability to utilize standard precautions to prevent transmission of diseases.
• Full range of body motion required. Position requires reaching, bending, and handling objects with hands and/or fingers, talking and/or hearing, and seeing.
• Ability to lift and carry objects weighing 25 pounds or less over periods of 100 yards.
• Accomplish job duties using various types of equipment/supplies, e.g. pens, pencils, calculators, computer keyboard, telephone, etc.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduate with a diploma from a Florida board-approval dental assisting school or program in addition to a high school diploma/ GED.
• Completion of formal training to perform as an expanded functions dental assistant.
• Minimum 2 years office experience.
• PC proficient.