Certified Dental Assistant – MDC Brooklyn

Fidelity Partners•New York, NY

12h•$28•Onsite

About The Position

The Dental Assistant supports dental providers across clinical, radiologic, and administrative functions, ensuring efficient patient care and compliance with correctional healthcare standards. This includes assisting procedures, maintaining equipment, and managing documentation.

Requirements

Must have specialty training from a licensed dentist and/or certification from an accredited Dental Assistant school.
Certified Expanded Functions Dental Assistant.
Must hold current CPR certification from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
Must have a minimum of six (6) months of experience providing Dental Assistant services.
Have knowledge of routine office-related duties, including working knowledge of computers and word processing programs
Ability to read, understand, speak, and write English fluently.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual communication skills
Correctional experience

Responsibilities

Assists the Dental Officer/Chief Dental Officer in all dental specialty sections: restorative, oral surgery, periodontics, prosthetics, and examinations.
Retrieves patient records, escorts patients to the appropriate dental specialty section, seats and prepares patients for treatment.
Prepares dental instruments, essential materials, drugs, and medications for procedures.
Passes instruments, retracts tissues, irrigates the oral cavity, and operates the aspirator.
Observes patient responses during treatment and assists with dismissal from the clinic.
Provides instructions for subsequent dental appointments and explains the scheduling process.
Assists in the treatment of all emergency cases.
Assists the dentist with dental health education, dental prophylaxis, and dental screening examinations.
Performs dental and periodontal charting, including scanning when required.
Prepares patients for periodontal surgery.
Assess and document vital signs.
Assists with preparing surgical packs.
Assists with placing temporary fillings and placing/removing rubber dams.
Places and finishes dental restorations, including bases and liners.
Selects tooth shade for composite restorations and dentures.
Conduct basic dental sick call, including but not limited to radiographs, with or without a Dentist present.
Assists the Health Services Department by taking vital signs when asked by Health Services Staff.
Takes radiographs using standard and digital dental radiographic equipment, including panelipse, cephalometric, and transcranial units.
Obtains diagnostic-quality periapical, occlusal, lateral jaw, TMJ, and panoramic radiographs.
Correctly positions patients and film/sensors.
Determines appropriate radiation levels to minimize exposure.
Processes and saves digital radiographs to patient medical records.
Performs quality assurance on radiographic and developing equipment and the safelight.
Maintains proper infection control procedures in radiographic techniques.
Fabricates and repairs dental prostheses and appliances under supervision.
Performs procedures related to the fabrication and repair of complete denture prostheses and removable partial prostheses.
Uses acrylic resins and porcelain as basic materials.
Makes primary impressions and pours casts.
Cleans, sharpens, sterilizes, and secures instruments for both the dental clinic and the medical department.
Maintains proper infection control procedures throughout the dental clinic.
Sterilizes contaminate biological waste.
Prepares the dental treatment room for the next patient.
Maintains dental equipment, corrosive cabinet, chemicals, and clinic supplies.
Organizes dental equipment for efficient and effective clinic operations.
Counts dental equipment and maintains accurate logs according to policy; reports discrepancies to the Chief Dental Officer or COR.
Performs daily inspection of equipment, makes minor repairs, and reports discrepancies or defective equipment.
Establishes or utilizes corrective actions when needed.
Must document directly all treatments and interventions performed. This includes, but is not limited to, vital signs.
Makes necessary entries on dental treatment records (electronic and paper).
Prepares entries for patient records and documents care within the Bureau's Electronic Medical Record (BEMR).
Manages dental records and disposes of records past retention dates.
Reviews sick call box, responds appropriately, and schedules patients in BEMR.
Maintains dental logs and performs Quickpass water testing monthly or quarterly as required.
May be required to properly dispose of paper records, such as shredding, when warranted.
Selects and applies medication in proper portions, including anti-cariogenic agents.
Applies medication prescribed by a Dental Officer to the gingiva to promote healing.
Uses dental hand instruments, mechanical instruments (including ultrasonic), oral hygiene aids, and prophylaxis paste to provide oral prophylactic services.