Dental Assistant

Open Door Community Health Centers•Fortuna, CA

About The Position

The Dental Assistant (DA) provides chair-side support to dentists and dental hygienists as part of a collaborative, patient-centered care team. The DA advocates for patients and supports their care within the California DA Scope of Practice. The position requires a basic understanding and demonstration of DA tasks, with support and additional training as described in the essential duties. New hires start at the base wage for the position; experience and other requirements may qualify a hire for a higher wage step. Dental Assistant wages range from $26.00 to $34.06 per hour, and Registered Dental Assistant wages range from $28.00 to $36.71 per hour. Hmong and Spanish speakers who pass a language exam receive at least an additional $0.75 per hour. The Dental Assistant reports directly to the Administrative Site Director and is an integral member of the Dental care team. The position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Complete an accredited Dental Assistant training program or have two or more years of dental assistant experience.
Hold current CPR certification.
Provide a certificate of completion or degree from an accredited Dental Assistant training program, or evidence of equivalent related experience and/or training as a Dental Assistant.
Hold a Dental Radiography Certificate.
Hold an Infection Control and OSHA Certificate.
Promote effective communication between patients and dental providers.
Accurately chart patient information.
Handle difficult or confrontational situations calmly, consistently, and equitably.
Have strong interpersonal skills and establish constructive professional working relationships among a diverse workforce.
Work effectively as part of a team, communicate or solicit pertinent information from team members, support team decisions, and work independently when needed.
Have excellent written and verbal interpersonal skills and establish constructive working relationships with management and employees from varied backgrounds.
Write routine reports and correspondence.
Represent ODCHC’s interests in the community and maintain effective relationships with coworkers and public, private, and professional groups.
Have strong computer skills, particularly with Microsoft Office Suite and/or Electronic Medical Records (EMR).
Exercise sound and responsible judgment.
Communicate by telephone, video, and/or in person; have vision adequate to read documents, computer screens, and forms; remain stationary for extended periods; lift, carry, or otherwise move up to 25 pounds; have good manual dexterity; use a keyboard and view computer screens for extended periods; travel locally and long-distance as needed; and move around offices and clinics as needed.

Responsibilities

Prepare patients for dental procedures and assist chair-side.
Assist the dentist with procedures for which the assistant is adequately trained, including cleanings, fillings, root canals, crowns, extractions, dentures, and coronal polishing.
Take, develop, and mount X-rays; use Scanx, sensors, and the panorex machine as qualified; and import and export images.
Check patients’ blood sugars.
Accurately file patient dental information into charts.
Provide patients with education on proper dental care.
Clean and stock operatories between patient visits in accordance with the dentist’s practices and OSHA compliance guidelines.
Wrap equipment for autoclaving and operate autoclaves correctly; mix and use cleaning solutions as required for each test.
Follow universal precautions, including handwashing and appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Respond to medical emergencies according to safety procedures and scope of practice.
Keep operatories, hallways, and other areas clean.
Adhere to the basic Dental Assistant scope of practice in California.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as designated by the supervisor.