Dental Assistant- AFSCME, Full Time, First Shift

UC Health•Cincinnati, OH

12d

About The Position

The Dental Assistant performs duties that support professional dental care and assist the Dental Director, dentists, and dental hygienists in the care and treatment of patients. The role also includes reception, chairside assistance, inventory, and records duties within the scope permitted by the Ohio State Dental Board for dental assistants. The position involves population-appropriate patient communication and support, including providing treatment instructions, involving family or guardians in care, recognizing patient limitations and behavioral health needs, responding to cultural or religious considerations, and identifying signs of abuse or neglect. Clinical duties include a broad range of permitted dental-assisting procedures and maintaining a hygienic practice environment, including sterilization. UC Medical Center is part of UC Health’s Clifton Campus and serves as an academic health system for Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. It provides specialty and subspecialty care, conducts medical research, and houses the region’s only Level I adult trauma center.

Requirements

High school graduation.
Maintain current BLS certification.
Possess and maintain a current Ohio dental x-ray machine operators license.

Responsibilities

Assist the Dental Director, dentists, and dental hygienists in the care and treatment of patients.
Perform reception, chairside assisting, inventory, and records duties as permitted by the Ohio State Dental Board.
Communicate appropriately with patients and families, provide clear treatment instructions, and involve family or guardians in assessment and continuing care.
Identify patient physical limitations and behavioral health needs and respond appropriately to patients’ psychological, religious, or cultural needs.
Recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect.
Perform aspiration and retraction, excluding placement of gingival retraction materials, and intra-oral instrument transfer.
Complete preliminary charting of missing and filled teeth.
Take elastomeric impressions for diagnostic models and models used for opposing models in constructing appliances and restorations; take impressions for custom athletic mouth protectors and medicament trays.
Apply disclosing solutions, topical anesthetics, liquid or gel fluoride, desensitizing agents, periodontal dressings, cavity varnish, and surgical dressings, and remove periodontal and surgical dressings as permitted.
Perform caries susceptibility testing and demonstrate oral hygiene procedures, including toothbrush and dental floss use.
Select shades for fabrication of appliances or restorations; remove sutures; and place a rubber dam over a pre-placed clamp and remove the clamp and rubber dam.
Take intra-oral bite registrations for diagnostic model articulation, restorations, and appliances.
Perform standard diagnostic radiologic procedures that contribute to dental services.
Provide supportive services needed to maintain a hygienic practice environment, including sterilization procedures.
Perform treatments, administer medication, or operate equipment safely.