Dental Assistant

Description :

We are North Idaho's premier provider of integrated medical, dental and behavioral health services. Our amazing care teams deliver world-class healthcare utilizing a patient directed, community-focused approach. Providing high quality, affordable Healthcare from the Heart is our passion. Our mission is to deliver a healthcare experience that provides hope, inspires change, and extends life for our patients and our community.

Top reasons to join our team :

Our employees are mission - minded

We are passionate about providing excellent patient care

Community-focused

Committed to a fun and supportive team environment

We offer high-quality competitive employee benefits

Requirements :

Heritage Health's dentist provides high quality dental care in accordance with national guidelines to all Heritage Health patients in a culturally competent manner. The Heritage Health dental assistant increases the efficiency of the dentist during a variety of dental treatment procedures. Dental assistants possess strong communication skills and perform tasks requiring both interpersonal and technical skills.

The dental assistant's primary duties include, but are not limited to : chair side assisting, sterilization, seating patients, taking radiographs and other basic dental assistant duties. Provides quality customer service to all Heritage Health patients in the check in and check out process. Works closely with dental assistants and dentists to ensure patient visits processed in timely manner.

Minimum qualifications :

The dental assistant must obtain certification from an accredited dental assisting program and have a desire to work in public health care.

Experience with Dentrix and Dexis preferred, however training is provided.

CPR certification is necessary and must be obtained within 90 days of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required :

This position requires familiarity with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a dental environment. Excellent listening and social skills are essential.

Must be able to :

Work independently, but also within a group, contributing to the efforts of the entire team.

Receive detailed information through oral communications; express or exchange ideas by verbal communications.

Work with frequent interruptions and to respond appropriately to unexpected situations.

Interact effectively with people of varied educational, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, skill levels and value systems.

Duties and Responsibilities :

Assist the dentist or dental hygienist in the administration of treatment through four-handed practices at chair side.

Maintains responsibility and obligation primarily to the dentist.

Assures all instruments, charts, and radiographs are available in the operatory prior to start of dental treatment. Applies knowledge of proper armamentarium of all procedures.

Passes proper instruments, at correct times, for a variety of treatment procedures.

Takes blood pressure and vital signs. Reviews health history with patients.

Provides post-operative oral care instructions to patients following surgery or other dental procedures.

Provides oral hygiene instructions to maximize optimal oral health and encourages patients to achieve excellent home care.

Assures proper asepsis techniques are followed.

Follows infection control protocol, properly sterilizes instruments and equipment following

OSHA guidelines.

Completes all weekly and monthly maintenance on operatory equipment.

Regular and predictable attendance is an essential function of this position.

Other duties as assigned.

Performs all functions to which he / she is certified including :

• rubber dam placement and removal;
• retraction cord placement and removal;
• placing temporary restorations;
• placing and removing matrix band and wedge;
• pit and fissure sealants;
• coronal polish and fluoride application;
• suture removal;
• administration of nitrous oxide;

fabrication of temporary crowns.

Safety :

Heritage Health enforces a safety culture whereby all employees have the responsibility for continuously developing and maintaining a safe working environment. Each employee is responsible for completing all training requirements, participating in emergency response tasks as requested, and serving on safety committees and teams as requested. In addition, employees must accept the responsibility for maintaining the safety of themselves and others by adhering to all written and verbal instructions, promptly reporting and / or correcting all hazards or unsafe conditions and providing feedback to supervisors and management on all safety issues.

Physical / Mental Requirements :

Required to stand, sit, and be mobile one-third to two-thirds of the time. They are required to use hands to finger, handle or feel over two-thirds of the time; while reaching with hands and arms occurs one-third of the day. Climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling or crouching occur less than one-third of the time. Communicating by talking / hearing occurs over two-thirds of the day. Amount of time spent lifting or exerting force is about 50% for up to 10 pounds and less than one-third of the time up to 25 - 40 pounds. Rarely is there a need to lift more than 41 pounds. Must be able to manage efficient keyboard use, hear, see, speak and read.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Ability to solve complex practical problems

Positive interpersonal, communication & persuasion skills over the phone, computer & in person

Must be able to simultaneously manage several objectives and assign priorities

Deal with a wide variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists

Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written or oral form

Ability to work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines with a strong organization skill set for easy retrieval of information and to ensure competent closure of issues

Ability to work overtime as needed, maintain alertness & meet the controlled substance policy.

Good judgment and sound decision making and conflict management skills to inspire confidence from the customer

Manage complex analysis and use deductive reasoning

Working Conditions :

Work is normally performed in a typical interior / office work environment in a clinic. Work may be demanding at times. Exposed to patient population that may present a variety of contagious diseases, physical injuries, and emotional states of mind.

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