Dental Assistant III Santa Monica
About The Position
The Dental Assistant III provides advanced chairside and clinical support to dentists during general and more complex dental procedures. The role includes taking diagnostic-quality dental X-rays within permitted scope, supporting intraoral scanning, impressions, and clinical photography, preparing patients and operatories, maintaining accurate clinical documentation in Open Dental, and helping keep providers on schedule through efficient patient and room flow. The Dental Assistant III also manages instrument sterilization, lab cases, supplies, and back-office cleanliness; assists with patient-facing and front-office tasks when needed; and trains and supports junior dental assistants and sterilization team members. The position is in Santa Monica and pays $27–$32 per hour.
Requirements
- Current California Dental Radiation Safety (X-Ray) Certificate.
- Ability to perform X-ray duties and other clinical procedures within permitted scope.
- Ability to provide chairside assistance during dental procedures and support patient care and clinical documentation.
- Willingness to arrive on time, stay until close, and work as needed.
- Willingness to listen to feedback and grow.
Responsibilities
- Assist dentists during procedures and anticipate provider needs throughout general and more complex dental procedures.
- Take diagnostic-quality dental X-rays within permitted scope and ensure images are properly captured and documented.
- Provide chairside assistance, including suction, isolation, instrument transfer, material preparation, and other permitted duties.
- Support intraoral scanning, impressions, clinical photography, and other procedures within permitted scope.
- Prepare operatories, instruments, materials, and procedure setups before each patient; turn over and disinfect rooms promptly.
- Seat and prepare patients, review basic medical history information, and support a comfortable patient experience.
- Review patient charts, medical histories, treatment needs, and required clinical information before seating patients.
- Enter doctor treatment plans and required clinical information into charts, and support completion of documentation in Open Dental.
- Maintain stocked and organized operatories and promptly communicate supply, equipment, or clinical-flow issues.
- Sterilize instruments, organize cassettes, monitor lab cases in the office, and order dental supplies through Dentira as needed.
- Prepare rooms for the next day, mark patient needs on the schedule, provide warm towels, give new-patient tours, answer patient questions, and assist with check-in, phones, and escorting patients when the front office is busy.
- Keep operatories, check-in/check-out areas, floors, lights, and doors clean; complete daily, weekly, and monthly back-office housekeeping.
- Manage patient, room, and instrument flow to help providers stay on schedule and minimize room turnover time.
- Build productive schedules, arrive on time, and stay until close; be willing to work as needed.
- Train and coach Dental Assistant I–II and Sterilization Technician team members on clinical workflows, room turnover, sterilization, infection control, and company standards.
- Listen to feedback and grow; recommend new patients, refer prospective staff to recruiting, and volunteer for company events, social work, and marketing efforts.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
