UNIV - Dental Assistant III - Endodontics - College of Dental Medicine

Medical University of South Carolina•Charleston, SC

23h•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direct supervision of the clinic manager/supervisor and direction of the College of Dental Medicine providers, this position provides clinical assistance and administrative support to student providers and attendings in all aspects of patient care within the CDM student clinics. The role encompasses a variety of procedures, from general dentistry to advanced specialty care. Key responsibilities include setting up and cleaning operatories, sterilizing instruments, adhering to infection control protocols, and maintaining a safe working environment. The assistant will also support patient care in various clinics (radiology, urgent care, endodontic, screening, special care), manage dental supplies and inventory, provide administrative support, and acquire necessary radiographs while ensuring patient safety and confidentiality.

Requirements

A high school diploma, completion of formal training in an ADA accredited dental assisting course and one year of dental assisting experience OR a high school diploma and three continuous years of dental assisting experience.
Certification in Radiation Safety required for positions responsible for dental x-rays.
Computer literacy.
Ability to work rotating shifts.
Ability to work overtime as required.
Ability to learn and use new processes, tools, equipment as required.

Responsibilities

Provide chairside assistance using four-handed dentistry techniques for faculty, students, and resident providers during patient treatment, including a variety of procedures, from general dentistry to advanced specialty care.
Responsible for updating and utilizing the Electronic Health Record to support patient care.
Set up the operatory for dental and emergency procedures, ensuring a comprehensive knowledge of all clinical procedures and instrumentation for accurate room preparation.
Break down and clean the operatory post-procedure, sterilizing all dental instruments and equipment.
Adhere to infection control policies and protocols established by MUSC, CDM, and the clinic manager, while maintaining a safe and clean working environment in compliance with OSHA procedures, rules, and regulations.
Assist with all aspects of patient care in the radiology clinic, urgent care clinic, endodontic clinic, screening clinic and special care clinic.
Transport and assist patients to and from the waiting area.
Monitor surgical patients to ensure their safety post-anesthesia.
Always maintain patient confidentiality and privacy.
Manage dental supplies and inventory, including checking stock levels, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders, and verifying receipt.
Ensure that instruments and supplies are well-maintained and stocked in dental operatories and other clinic areas.
Provide administrative support by maintaining the MSDS notebook, reporting equipment issues, and completing exposure and incident forms.
Inspect lead aprons yearly in Radiology, Urgent Care, Endodontics and Restorative clinics.
Replace lead aprons and smart tags as needed based on Radiation Safety Guidelines.
Acquire or assist in obtaining necessary radiographs (including periapical, panoramic, cephalometric, 3-D imagery, and intraoral scans) while strictly adhering to x-ray safety standards.
Contribute to the overall team effort by assisting in other clinics and performing related duties as needed.
Execute any additional tasks as directed by the clinic manager or supervisor.