RDA - Chula Vista
About The Position
The Registered Dental Assistant assists the dentist chairside using four-handed dentistry and prepares patients in a way that builds confidence in the dental staff and services. The role supports patient intake and documentation, patient care, treatment explanation, radiographic services, operatory preparation, infection control, and smooth patient flow across multiple operatories. It also includes maintaining supplies and equipment, protecting confidential information, and complying with department, company, state, federal, OSHA, and HIPAA requirements. The position requires post-high-school vocational or specialized training, a current RDA license, and certificates in radiation safety, coronal polishing, and CPR/BLS. Applicants must have one year of dental-assisting experience with Dentrix workflow. Work may involve evenings or Saturdays, meetings outside clinic hours, occasional travel, and assignments at schools or WIC sites. Physical demands include prolonged and repetitive movement and standing, sitting, and walking; occasional lifting up to 30 pounds; close-quarter work; and exposure risks associated with dental care.
Requirements
- One year of experience as a dental assistant with Dentrix workflow.
- Post-high-school vocational or specialized training.
- Current Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) license.
- Radiation Safety Certificate.
- Coronal Polish Certificate.
- CPR/BLS certificate.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Ability to put patients at ease and give clear, understandable directions about treatment recommended by the dentist.
- Knowledge of four-handed dentistry, full-scope dentistry procedures, and oral radiographic services.
- Ability to use word processing, email, and dental management programs.
- Ability to perform prolonged, extensive, frequent, and repetitive standing, sitting, walking, stooping, twisting, kneeling, reaching, crouching, bending, and position changes, including working in awkward positions to access patients' teeth.
- Ability to lift up to 30 pounds occasionally.
- Manual dexterity and mobility, including steady and quick hand movement, grasping and manipulating objects, and strong hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity for dental procedures.
- Ability to work in close quarters and near other people with limited space.
- Ability to use required protective gear, including masks, safety glasses, and rubber gloves.
- Compliance with pre-employment requirements, including I-9, physical examination, positive background and reference check results, completed application, new-hire orientation, and pre-employment PPDs.
- Compliance with mandated vaccinations and boosters as a condition of employment.
- Annual OSHA training is required for work with blood and blood-borne pathogens.
Nice To Haves
- Bilingual English/Spanish skills.
- Experience with dental management programs such as EPIC.
Responsibilities
- Assist the dentist chairside using four-handed dentistry and prepare patients for treatment.
- Complete patient intake, including recording blood pressure, pulse, tobacco status, medical alerts, and medication lists.
- Accurately review and document clinical notes, treatment results and plans, consents, referrals, and other pertinent patient information.
- Coordinate required reports and written documentation, including patient records.
- Perform patient-care activities and procedures within the RDA scope, including temporary crown fabrication, cementing and adjustment; coronal polishing; placement and removal of temporary sedative fillings; impressions; application of non-aerosol and topical agents; removal of post-extraction and periodontal dressings; assistance with nitrous oxide administration; holding anterior matrices; and placing and removing rubber dams.
- Maintain a smooth flow of patients from reception to operatories and coordinate activity across several operatories.
- Follow OSHA, safety, environmental, quality assurance, and infection-control policies and procedures.
- Review patient records for accuracy and completeness and explain dentist-recommended treatment in an understandable and supportive manner.
- Prepare equipment, instruments, materials, and operatories; perform routine equipment maintenance and restock materials.
- Operate X-ray equipment, provide complete or selective oral radiographic services, process film digitally or by automatic or manual methods, and mount and label X-rays.
- Maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, quality assurance, safety, environmental, and infection-control standards.
- Submit orders to maintain adequate inventory of forms, clerical supplies, copier paper, and equipment.
- Protect patient, employee, and volunteer privacy; access confidential information only as needed for business purposes and comply with HIPAA requirements.
- Participate in educational programs, review current literature, and attend in-service meetings and workshops to support professional development.
- Attend required meetings, participate in committees as directed, and perform other related duties as assigned or requested.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
No Education Listed
