Dental Assistant Restorative (Expanded Functions)

FDIHB•Fort Defiance, AZ

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Provides comprehensive dental chairside assistance across a wide range of procedures including educational, preventative, emergency, restorative, endodontic, pediatric, periodontal, prosthodontic, and oral surgery. This role involves preparing the operatory, managing instruments and equipment, patient interaction, and maintaining infection control standards. The position also includes patient education on oral health and systemic links, performing oral prophylaxis, exposing and mounting radiographs, and accurately recording patient information. A key aspect is the ability to perform expanded functions such as placing composite restorations, fabricating provisional crowns and bridges, and performing laboratory procedures like pouring casts. The role also involves managing provider schedules, confirming appointments, ensuring consent forms are completed, and participating in team procedures like the 'Time-Out Procedure'. The Dental Assistant will also participate in community health programs and maintain necessary certifications.

Requirements

Four (4) years of direct Dental Assisting experience.
Two (2) years of post-restorative course certification experience specifically in placing composite restorations.
High School Diploma or Equivalency (HSE).
Completion of an accredited program in Dental Assisting.
Current certification in dental radiology or completion of dental radiology certification within 30 days from date of hire.
Certificate of completion from a Periodontal Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) training course.
Certificate of completion from a Basic Restorative Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) training course, AND Certificate of completion from an Advanced Restorative Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) training course. OR Certificate of completion from a Composite Restorative Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) training course.
Current, active Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification through the American Heart Association (AHA) and maintain certification.
Valid, unrestricted insurable driver’s license.
Resumes and references are required.

Nice To Haves

Successfully completes annual radiology re-certification, including Cone-Beam/Computed Tomography (CB/CT 3D), as appropriate for location.
Successfully completes annual competency re-certification in the following areas: Expanded Function Prophylaxis, Expanded Function Composite Restorations, and stone model pour-up and trimming.

Responsibilities

Provides comprehensive dental chairside assistance during educational, preventative, emergency, examination, restorative, endodontic, pediatric, periodontal, prosthodontic, and oral surgery procedures, as well as other dental treatment procedures utilizing the operating room or nitrous oxide.
Prepares the dental treatment operatory in an efficient, orderly, and timely manner in compliance with current infection control practices.
Retrieves and sets up all treatment instruments, materials, and equipment while limiting interruptions to patient care.
Welcomes and escorts patients to and from the dental treatment rooms, and comforts all dental patients.
Verifies patient identification and obtains, updates, reviews, and verifies information related to patient’s medical history including, but not limited to medical conditions, medications, medication allergies, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, weight, blood glucose levels and pulse oximeter oxygenation measurements.
Adheres to all standards of dental infection control policy and utilization of personal protective equipment.
Assumes responsibility for cleaning, packaging and sterilization procedures on all dental equipment and their proper labeling and storage when not in use.
Disinfects dental equipment (chairs, surfaces) and sterilizes dental instruments using autoclave and other techniques in accordance with department standard operating procedures.
Provides routine maintenance of all dental equipment and instruments, including cleaning and oiling equipment and timely submission of repair work orders.
Maintains dental inventory of supplies, and properly stores and replenishes when necessary.
Recognizes common dental disorders and conditions such as tooth decay and periodontal diseases sufficient to perform as directed by a dental hygienist, dentist, or dental specialist.
Provides thorough patient education regarding oral health, dental diseases and their prevention, and treatment options.
Educates patients regarding systemic links between oral health and diabetes, pregnancy, and other medical conditions.
Provides appropriate and comprehensive post-operative instructions and patient education.
Provides oral prophylaxis treatment consisting of oral hygiene instruction and demonstration, supra-gingival ultrasonic scaling of teeth, rubber cup coronal polishing, placement of dental sealants, and topical fluoride application as assigned by the dentist or dental hygienist.
Recommends effective toothpastes, mouth rinses, and oral hygiene aids to patients.
Motivates patients to improve plaque removal and periodontal health.
Exposes and digitally mounts appropriate and diagnostic dental radiographs in compliance with standard operating procedures and limits radiation exposure to self, other staff members, and patients.
Accurately records dental conditions, dental treatment plans, as well as, dental treatment rendered notes in patient records.
Accurately codes for periodontal and hygiene procedures.
Completes patient notes prior to end of shift.
Strives to practice the four-handed dentistry technique with all providers.
Punches holes and places rubber dam and rubber dam clamps in a way that is comfortable for the patient and effectively protects the patient’s airway while allowing for clinically relevant isolation.
Understands and can place Isolate and other means of isolation dependent on the clinical procedure.
Places, contours, and completes basic and complex composite restorations including class I, II, III, IV, V, and VI.
Assures restoration is smooth without irritation to adjacent tissues, assures appropriate contours, contacts, and dental anatomy.
Checks and adjusts occlusion as needed.
Places restorations in an efficient and timely manner and/or requests provider assistance as needed, if restoration needs modifications prior to completion, and in consideration of patient comfort.
Matches shade to existing tooth in an ideal and acceptable manner prior to rubber dam placement.
Places appropriate bases, liners, and desensitizers as directed by the dentist.
Utilizes restorative adjuncts such as matrix bands, composite ring kits, wedges, acid etchant, bonding agents, and curing lights.
Fabricates, contours, temporarily cements, and adjusts provisional crowns and bridges.
Fabricates custom night guards.
Completes supportive laboratory procedures to include: Disinfecting impressions, pouring and trimming diagnostic casts and permanent prosthodontic models under supervision of the dentist.
Maintains annual stone model competency training.
Takes preliminary impression, simple bite registration, tooth shade, and initial wax try-in of compete and partial dentures only upon the direction, guidance, and supervision of the dentist.
Repairs full and partial acrylic dentures under dentist direction and supervision.
Cleans and polishes removable appliances.
Provides home care instructions.
Rotates with other dental assistants to provide scheduling and comprehensive dental assisting services to the dental hygienists.
Manages dental provider schedules in an efficient and effective manner, including appropriate and thorough scheduling and placement of patient appointments into both the RPMS and Dentrix scheduling packages.
Provides appointment reminder phone calls and confirms patient appointments.
Ensures that all portions of appropriate dental consent forms are thoroughly and accurately filled out, reviewed with the patient, and signed prior to dental procedures.
Actively participates with the dental treatment team to complete the “Time-Out Procedure.”
Demonstrates effective chairside verbal communication with the dental provider, acknowledging directions and anticipating provider needs during patient treatment.
Communicates effectively and respectfully with others and proactively assists other dental team members.
Participates in community health programs as assigned.
Successfully completes annual radiology re-certification, including Cone-Beam/Computed Tomography (CB/CT 3D), as appropriate for location.
Successfully completes annual competency re-certification in the following areas: Expanded Function Prophylaxis, Expanded Function Composite Restorations, and stone model pour-up and trimming.
Participates in dental pod and dental clinic meetings with contributions conforming to FDIHIB Standards of Behavior.
Demonstrates an ability to uphold and adhere to professional standards of conduct, FDIHB Expectations of Conduct and Standards of Behavior.
Demonstrates a commitment to the highest levels of treatment quality and standards of care.
Demonstrates dependability in areas of attendance, punctuality, responsibility, and accountability.
Receives individual clinical duties and assignments under clinical supervision from a dental provider and thoroughly and efficiently completes those responsibilities.
Serves as Acting Dental Assistant Supervisor as assigned, in the absence of the permanent Dental Assistant Supervisor.
Performs other duties as assigned.