Dental Assistant

Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Dental Assistant is responsible for assisting the Dentist in dentistry and services while ensuring effective inmate patient care delivery and achievement of desired patient outcomes of the assigned correctional facility consistent with current CFG clinical guidelines, community standards of care, and contractual obligations.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXPECTATIONS

• Provides a positive and professional representation of CFG Health Systems, LLC.
• Keeps patient information confidential and respects patient’s right to privacy.
• Must be mature, flexible, intellectually alert, able to command the respect and confidence of inmates and staff, and philosophically committed to the objectives of the facility.
• Promotes culture of safety for patients and employees through proper identification, reporting documentation, and prevention.
• Maintains competency and knowledge of current standards of practice, trends, and developments in related scope of job role or practice.
• Attends all CFG Health Systems related staff meetings.
• Participates in ongoing quality improvement activities.
• Completes required orientation and trainings directed by facility.
• Follows facility and OSHA safety rules and procedures while on assignment.
• Follows facility and CFG Health Systems Occurrence Protocol.
• Adheres to PREA regulations.
• Maintains security clearance for the assigned facility.
• Identifies and utilized appropriate channels of communication with supervising staff.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist dentist during treatment, providing instruments, material retraction or suction.
• Sterilizes instruments and disinfects operatory between patients.
• Assumes responsibility for the upkeep of the dental operatory and equipment.
• Assist in dentist in completing diagnostic x-ray exams.
• Assists in maintaining dental charts, records dental findings.
• Prepares dental materials, cements, composite, impression materials, etc.
• Maintain effective working relationships with health care professionals and others.
• Provide patient education on oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health.
• Ensures use of downtime to include clean, stocked operatory, routinely clean and stock operatory.
• Inventories and orders supplies to maintain proper levels.
• Adheres to all universal precautions and infection control policies and protocols at all times.
• Responsible and accountable for dental office security including instrument, medicine and needle counts in accordance with local and state regulations.
• Performs other position-related duties as assigned, depending on assignment setting.

Qualifications

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Education

• High School Diploma
• Completion from an academic dental program through a community college, vocational school, technical institute, university or dental school.
• Completion of Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam.
• Current X-Ray license in the state the facility is located.

Minimum Work Experience

• Previous clinical experience in a dental office preferred.

Required Skills

• Good interpersonal communication and customer service skills.
• Basic computer skills.
• Must be reliable and detail oriented.
• Principles and methods of sterilization.
• Knowledge of the common dental instruments, equipment, and materials.
• Dental hygiene and prophylaxis.
• Dental office procedures and principles of modern dental record keeping.
• Names of teeth and various surfaces of the crown of the tooth.
• Maintains an active Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS

• Ability to pass all required health and other screening tests.
• Stand for long periods of time.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS   

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made upon written request to your supervisor for individuals with disabilities to perform the essential responsibilities functions.

• May regularly be required to stand, sit, walk, reach, bend, kneel, crouch, or stretch, for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to communicate and understand written and verbal communication.
• The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.