Carpenter Dental - Registered Dental Assistant

West Dakota Dental Partners • Rapid City, SD

20d • Onsite

About The Position

The Dental Assistant is the right-hand of the doctor, responsible for all patient needs. They create efficient delivery models, instrumentation, and sterilization to ensure the dentist can provide the best clinical care. They foster a calm and warm environment for anxious patients, providing support for anesthetic, restorative/cosmetic procedures, and taking x-rays. The Dental Assistant sets the tone for appointments by engaging in purposeful conversations to understand patient motivators and concerns, capturing pertinent information through effective charting. They support patients' clinical and emotional needs, ensuring patients understand and desire their treatment. Coordination with the front office team ensures seamless delivery and accountability for scheduling and financial arrangements. The primary responsibility for all employees is patient care and meeting patient needs.

Requirements

• Relationship building skills
• Influencing skills
• Computer skills including digital radiographs and practice management software
• Teamwork and leadership skills
• Ability to market the practice
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Superb verbal skills with patients and staff
• Overall understanding of the practice’s philosophy and systems
• Organized charting skills
• Excellent clinical skills, expanded duties, x-rays, etc.
• Familiarity with all the instruments necessary for each procedure and how the dentist likes to be supported
• Overall understanding of all aspects of the back office
• Disinfection and sterilization skills meeting or exceeding OSHA standards
• Motivated to stay up-to-date on medical, dental and hygiene protocols
• Keen understanding of scheduling and financial systems in order to support the processes from the operatory
• Ability to function within a team environment as a supportive and positive contributor
• Take digital radiographs including vertical and horizontal bitewings, periapicals, full-mouth series, as well as film panoramic, bitewings, periapicals or occlusals, as needed.
• Take intraoral photographs to complete records and aid in treatment planning.
• Prepare the patient for the appropriate procedures (seating, applying the topical, etc.).
• Instruct patient in tooth brushing and flossing techniques, aids and proxy, brush, perio aids, disclosing methods, electric toothbrushes and waterjets, oral rinses, anti-caries products, and nutrition.
• Support the doctor during the procedure through charting and instrumentation.
• Assist the doctor when examining the hygiene patients. Make sure the patient’s record is complete and all services for the day’s treatment are recorded.
• Maintain proper sterilization-package instruments in their correct groupings and check bur blocks for completeness and order.
• Put away instruments in rooms and keep bur blocks and other supplies stocked.
• Disinfect operatories between procedures.
• See that lab cases are checked in and are going out in a timely manner.
• Communicate with the lab to resolve any other lab issues.
• Utilize an efficient system to alert the front office that the case has arrived in the office.
• Enter detailed and accurate notes with all the pertinent discussions of treatment recommendations, options, and timeline plans noted in the computer in a joint effort with the doctor and treatment coordinator, when necessary.
• Communicate referral and medical consult information to other offices and patients, and follow-up on progress of referrals/medical consultations.
• Properly dispose of the biohazard bags in box.
• Ensure nitrous and oxygen tanks are changed when needed.
• If RDA/EFDA – Perform all the clinical duties that are called for, per your licensure.
• Do a thorough chart review and bring pertinent information to the huddle.
• Review the schedule to share if there are any special needs or areas of concern to share with the staff.
• Debrief and handoff patients appropriately so that the front desk knows what was done during the appointment and the patient is accountable.
• Organize the back office, sterilization, and lab areas.
• Manage the clinical inventory system.
• Make sure post-op calls are completed as delegated with proper documentation.
• Write or call patients that made a special impact on the office thanking them for being our patient.
• Complete Daily 5 checklist for your role each day.
• Complete all assigned tasks in the Spear Platform Action Center.
• All back-office staff needs to look for projects to keep them busy during down time.
• Proactively communicate with the front office so they know any changes in treatment and what treatment needs to be done at the next appointment.
• Lead and participate in staff meetings with skills including facilitation, training, and problem-solving.
• Take initiative when practice is running behind or under staffed.
• Assist front office when called upon for tasks including filing and pulling charts, organizing the inside of old charts, health histories that have had changes and specialist letters with the newest stapled to the top.
• Shred health histories that have no changes.
• Make confirmation calls, medical consultations, referrals and post-op or follow-up calls.
• Assist hygiene when possible with charting, panos, and other tasks that help serve our patients.
• Embody the practice philosophy in all actions and decisions.
• Fully utilize admin time to prepare for next day.
• Take initiative when practice is running behind or under staffed.
• Perform any function asked of you knowing that you will never be asked to do anything that is illegal, immoral, or unethical.

Nice To Haves

• Daily, monthly, and yearly production goals achieved
• Support of the overall goals and strategies per the Annual Plan
• Efficient procedures executed within the timed procedure guidelines
• Dental supply percentages per the Annual Plan
• Room turnover occurs in agreed upon time
• Effective debriefs and baton passes to both the Scheduling and Financial Coordinators
• Patients referrals generated as a result of patient invitations
• Positive patient reviews of the back-office experience

Responsibilities

• Take digital radiographs including vertical and horizontal bitewings, periapicals, full-mouth series, as well as film panoramic, bitewings, periapicals or occlusals, as needed.
• Take intraoral photographs to complete records and aid in treatment planning.
• Prepare the patient for the appropriate procedures (seating, applying the topical, etc.).
• Instruct patient in tooth brushing and flossing techniques, aids and proxy, brush, perio aids, disclosing methods, electric toothbrushes and waterjets, oral rinses, anti-caries products, and nutrition.
• Support the doctor during the procedure through charting and instrumentation.
• Assist the doctor when examining the hygiene patients. Make sure the patient’s record is complete and all services for the day’s treatment are recorded.
• Maintain proper sterilization-package instruments in their correct groupings and check bur blocks for completeness and order.
• Put away instruments in rooms and keep bur blocks and other supplies stocked.
• Disinfect operatories between procedures.
• See that lab cases are checked in and are going out in a timely manner.
• Communicate with the lab to resolve any other lab issues.
• Utilize an efficient system to alert the front office that the case has arrived in the office.
• Enter detailed and accurate notes with all the pertinent discussions of treatment recommendations, options, and timeline plans noted in the computer in a joint effort with the doctor and treatment coordinator, when necessary.
• Communicate referral and medical consult information to other offices and patients, and follow-up on progress of referrals/medical consultations.
• Properly dispose of the biohazard bags in box.
• Ensure nitrous and oxygen tanks are changed when needed.
• Perform all the clinical duties that are called for, per your licensure (if RDA/EFDA).
• Do a thorough chart review and bring pertinent information to the huddle.
• Review the schedule to share if there are any special needs or areas of concern to share with the staff.
• Debrief and handoff patients appropriately so that the front desk knows what was done during the appointment and the patient is accountable.
• Organize the back office, sterilization, and lab areas.
• Manage the clinical inventory system.
• Make sure post-op calls are completed as delegated with proper documentation.
• Write or call patients that made a special impact on the office thanking them for being our patient.
• Complete Daily 5 checklist for your role each day.
• Complete all assigned tasks in the Spear Platform Action Center.
• All back-office staff needs to look for projects to keep them busy during down time.
• Proactively communicate with the front office so they know any changes in treatment and what treatment needs to be done at the next appointment.
• Lead and participate in staff meetings with skills including facilitation, training, and problem-solving.
• Take initiative when practice is running behind or under staffed.
• Assist front office when called upon for tasks including filing and pulling charts, organizing the inside of old charts, health histories that have had changes and specialist letters with the newest stapled to the top.
• Shred health histories that have no changes.
• Make confirmation calls, medical consultations, referrals and post-op or follow-up calls.
• Assist hygiene when possible with charting, panos, and other tasks that help serve our patients.
• Embody the practice philosophy in all actions and decisions.
• Fully utilize admin time to prepare for next day.
• Perform any function asked of you knowing that you will never be asked to do anything that is illegal, immoral, or unethical.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed