Registered Dental Assistant Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• Current, active California Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) license in good standing, issued by the Dental Board of California.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from a recognized provider, as required by the health center.
• Current certifications or permits required for assigned duties, including radiographic certification and any applicable infection-control or law-and-ethics requirements.
• Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with patients and coworkers from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to follow written protocols, maintain accurate records, protect confidential information, and work effectively in a team-based clinical setting.
• Working knowledge of dental terminology, instruments, materials, chairside procedures, and infection-prevention principles.
• Knowledge of patient confidentiality, privacy, safety, and professional boundaries.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, adapt to changing clinical needs, and communicate concerns promptly.
• Ability to maintain composure and provide respectful assistance in a busy, diverse, patient-centered environment.
• Must perform only duties permitted by the Dental Practice Act and applicable regulations, with required supervision, training, certification, and competency in place.
• Must seek direction from the supervising dentist or Dental Director when a task, delegation, or supervision level is unclear.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience in an FQHC, community health center, public health, or safety-net dental setting.
• Experience with electronic dental or health records and standard dental practice workflows.
• Experience supporting mobile dentistry, school-based services, or community outreach.
• Bilingual skills relevant to the patient population; language proficiency may be assessed in accordance with organizational policy.

Responsibilities

• Prepare treatment rooms, instruments, materials, and equipment before patient care, and maintain readiness between patients.
• Assist the dentist during examinations and procedures using appropriate chairside techniques and only functions authorized for an RDA under California law.
• Expose and process dental radiographs when appropriately certified, trained, and authorized; follow radiation-safety procedures and maintain required documentation.
• Prepare, mix, and handle dental materials and assist with procedures within the RDA’s legal scope and demonstrated competency.
• Perform provisional crown and restoration tasks only when ordered, legally permitted, appropriately supervised, and approved by the supervising dentist as required by law.
• Perform coronal polishing only with required Board-approved qualification, after the required determination that teeth are free of calculus or other extraneous material, and under legally required supervision.
• Obtain and document assigned patient information or measurements when legally permitted, and communicate observations or patient concerns to the dentist.
• Explain the assistant’s role and reinforce dentist-approved postoperative and home-care instructions without diagnosing, treatment planning, or independently recommending treatment.
• Protect patient dignity, privacy, comfort, and safety, and report adverse events, injuries, incidents, and changes in patient condition through established channels.
• Treat patients with dignity, respect, cultural humility, and without discrimination; support access for patients with language needs, disabilities, limited resources, or other barriers.
• Obtain qualified language assistance in accordance with policy and follow patient identification, check-in, handoff, referral, and care-coordination workflows.
• Provide services without conditioning clinical care on ability to pay at the point of service; refer questions about fees, insurance, eligibility, and sliding fee discounts to designated staff.
• Route clinical messages, referrals, records, and follow-up needs accurately to support continuity of care.
• Follow infection-prevention, exposure-control, OSHA, CDC guidance adopted by the organization, and applicable California requirements.
• Clean and disinfect clinical contact surfaces; process, sterilize, and store instruments according to validated manufacturer instructions and organizational procedures.
• Complete assigned sterilizer monitoring, spore-testing support, indicator documentation, and sterilization logs; report questionable cycles and quarantine affected instruments.
• Use appropriate personal protective equipment and follow hand hygiene, sharps safety, instrument-processing, and regulated medical-waste procedures.
• Immediately report occupational exposures, needlestick injuries, equipment failures, unsafe conditions, and workplace injuries.
• Maintain clean, organized, accessible, and adequately stocked operatories and clinical work areas.
• Support dental services in the mobile dental unit and at approved outreach events, including setup, breakdown, inventory, equipment checks, and securing the unit.
• Follow patient escort and handoff procedures between the main clinic and mobile unit while maintaining patient privacy and safety.
• Verify the availability of required supplies, emergency equipment, infection-control materials, and communication processes before services begin; report deficiencies.
• Follow site-specific safety, emergency, infection-control, documentation, and vehicle/mobile-unit procedures.
• Complete accurate, timely, and objective electronic health record documentation within assigned responsibilities; use individual credentials and never share passwords.
• Document services, materials, radiographs, patient communications, and other required information within the assistant’s role; do not document services not personally performed or verified.
• Protect protected health information in accordance with HIPAA, applicable state privacy laws, and organizational policies.
• Participate in orientation, annual training, competency assessments, infection-control education, emergency-preparedness activities, and quality-improvement initiatives.
• Assist with supply inventory, equipment-maintenance tracking, recall processes, and audits or reviews as assigned.
• Support accurate encounter workflows and timely, complete, compliant records and billing; do not select codes, determine medical necessity, or submit claims unless separately authorized and trained.
• Communicate professionally and respectfully with dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, patient services representatives, interpreters, and other health center personnel.
• Attend team meetings, participate in operational problem-solving and continuous quality improvement, and perform other duties consistent with the position, training, competency, and applicable law.

Benefits

• 403(b)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid jury duty
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance