Dental Assistant

Quick Facts

• Role: Dental Assistant

• Schedule: Monday–Friday 7:30am–4:00pm

Description

The Dental Assistant assists the dentist with direct patient care and performs clinical and clerical duties independently with direct supervision. Responsibilities include preparing treatment areas, performing disinfection and sterilization, providing chairside assistance, and supporting radiographs with direct supervision. The role also includes patient preventative education and maintaining confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Set up and clean operatory/surgery suite; prepare dental unit

• Receive and prepare patients for treatment

• Perform disinfection and sterilizing procedures

• Prepare procedural trays/instrument set-ups

• Provide basic chairside assisting with direct instruction

• Maintain operative field using retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, and cotton ball placement/removal

• Follow infection control protocols during intra-operative procedures

• Provide oral hygiene and preventative patient education

• Process and expose basic dental radiographs with direct supervision

• Mount and label radiographs or save digital imaging to electronic medical records

• Direct patients to appropriate staff for scheduling visits

• Maintain patient confidentiality per HIPAA (written and verbal)

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship

• Proficient in written and spoken English

• Subject to background/security investigation

• Complete online onboarding and pre-employment requirements (including acceptable I-9 documentation)

• Pass pre-employment physical evaluation

• Seasonal influenza vaccination program participation required

• Complete all application requirements in the announcement

• Serve a 1- or 2-year trial period as a condition of employment

• Education/experience: 6 months qualifying experience OR completion of a 1-year CODA-accredited dental assistant program (equivalent combinations allowed)

• Radiology credentialing: complete required radiation health and safety examination/courses (DANB or equivalent) or be eligible for temporary graduate appointment

• Basic life support certification highly desirable

• DANB certification highly desirable (not required)

• Selective Service registration required for males born after 12/31/1959

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases

• Paid time off: 37–50 days annual paid time per year (including annual leave, sick leave, and paid federal holidays)

• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior experience/military service

• Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave after 12 months of employment

• Child care subsidy (eligibility requirements apply)

• Retirement: traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% contributions

• Insurance: health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care options (many carry into retirement)

• Telework: not available

• Virtual: not a virtual position