What are the responsibilities and job description for the Dental Assistant position at KLAMATH HEALTH PARTNERSHIP INC?
About Us: Klamath Health Partnership, Inc. (KHP), is a Federally Qualified Health Center whose mission is to provide accessible, quality-driven, responsive, patient-centered health services to the community, with an emphasis on those who need us most. Staffed by a comprehensive team of over 50 health professionals and over 100 support personnel, KHP is the second-largest healthcare provider in the Klamath Basin.
At Klamath Health Partnership, we are committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to the community. As a member of our leadership team, you'll play a critical role in ensuring the financial health and sustainability of our organization, while contributing to a positive and supportive work environment.
The Dental Assistant is responsible for a variety of technical duties while assisting the dentist in the examination and treatment of patients. Working chair-side, the Dental Assistant hands instruments and materials to the dentist and dries the patient's mouth with suction equipment during treatments. The Dental Assistant performs related duties involved in the care and maintenance of dental instruments, equipment, and supplies. The Dental Assistant may also mix filling compounds, take impressions of teeth, and provide patients with postoperative instructions.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist dentist in providing care for patients, treating them with dignity and respect.
- Take vital signs and review patient health history, updating, as necessary.
- Provide initial evaluation of emergency patients and fill out med consults.
- Fill out referral forms, do procedural notes, complete lab work as needed.
- Always ensure safety of patients.
- Lay out necessary instruments for procedures.
- Assist dentist or dental hygienist in transfer of instruments, utilizing approved dental assisting practices.
- Assist in preparation and delivery of dental materials.
- Take dictation from dentist.
- Fill out various chart forms/consents and treatment plans; review forms and treatment plans with patients as needed.
- Keep current on infection control procedures and disinfect thoroughly before each patient arrives.
- Keep hand pieces properly maintained.
- Ensure the vacuum lines, unit, chair, light, instruments, and tray set-ups are always thoroughly disinfected and properly sterilized.
- Expose and process x-rays and retake them when necessary.
- Perform other duties as assigned such as cleaning/organizing the clinic.
Desired Skills:
- 1 year experience as a Dental Assistant required.
- Dental Radiology and CPR/First Aid certification.
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals.
- Possess the tact necessary to deal effectively with patients, dentists, and employees.
- Possess knowledge of modern office equipment, systems, and procedures.
- Bi-lingual: Spanish-speaking preferred
Accommodations:
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 to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, talk, bend, lift, carry, write, and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
