Dental Assistant
Reports To: Dental Assistant Supervisor
Position Overview:
The Dental Assistant (DA) is responsible for providing chairside assistance to dentists and other dental specialists for evaluation, management, and treatment of patients during and between office visits and other tasks consistent with his / her training and skills. This role is the primary liaison contact between clinical staff and the patient. The Dental Assistant plays an active role in preparing for the daily operations of patient visits as well as implementing key activities. The DA leads the twice daily huddle sessions to ensure all pertinent patient information is communicated between all dental staff as well as having all appropriate materials available so that care is delivered effectively and efficiently. Additionally, the DA manages email requests, ensures that the patient comprehends dental treatment information provided by each provider, as well as uses the best medium to follow up with each patient to ensure treatment plan compliance.
Essential Primary Role is:
- Provide Excellent Customer service.
- Promote patient satisfaction by interacting with patients in a professional, empathetic, friendly manner consistent with each patient’s needs
- Assure efficient patient flow through the office; function as a "flow manager"
- Maintain neat, clean, and safe patient care areas.
- Assist with patient care and operational flow by performing clinical and clerical duties within the scope of their training and applicable to the kind of practice and patient population.
Duties may include but are not limited to, the set up and breakdown of operatories and bays for patient care, stocking bays with supplies, and assuring appropriate standardization of assigned areas. This position may also assist in equipment control and maintaining dental recorders and hand pieces, in addition to completing activities associated with dental models including impressions, pouring, prepping and packaging models for storage or distribution to dental laboratories. Will be responsible for maintaining lab areas according to cleanliness standards.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
- Greets and escorts dental patients to the dental treatment area. Responsible for patient flow on day of visit by managing patient room arrival with provider availability, ensuring that each room is always occupied and patient is ready to be seen by provider.
- Prepares the dental exam room for dental treatment by cleaning and disinfecting treatment areas according to established policies and procedures.
- Adjusts inviting patient to exam rooms verses wait area to ensure proper time spent in each area is appropriate. Explains delays and other context to continually keep patient informed.
- Prepares patients for dental treatment.
- Using prior agreed upon methods, interrupts provider when appointment is running longer than scheduled to keep the day’s overall schedule on track. Work with front desk staff as needed to adjust patient arrival times when visits run unexpectedly long. Use good judgment as to when to encourage provider to be more efficient verses when to ask front desk staff to adjust arrival times.
- Ensure all patients ‘check out’ with front desk and have all necessary documents as well as follow up information.
- Act as chaperon to escort patients around building as needed.
- Applies the principles of aseptic/sterile technique and infection control at all times.
- Assists the dentist in the delivery of dental treatment: Performs four-handed dentistry.
- Takes x-rays.
- Process alginate impressions and pours dental models. Removes temporary cement from crowns and re- cements crowns.
- Delivers bleaching kit to patients.
- Performs lab procedures such as fabrication of bleaching trays and dental models.
- Applies anti-cariogenic agents including fluoride varnish.
- Exhibit excellent Customer service by introducing her/himself when rooming patient.
- Develop relationship with each patient that encourages open and honest communication. · Provides individualized patient dental education in oral health promotion, disease prevention, and treatment procedures.
- Assist the provider and patient to identify community resources for health maintenance and disease prevention.
- Review assigned provider’s requests and respond to all standard inquires such as appointment scheduling, basic explanation of treatment plans, and other similar items. Screen clinical requests to appropriate provider. Identify critical situations and escalate as governed by policy and regulatory guidelines.
- Ensure exam room is always stocked with clinical supplies as per service area standards. Maintains dental supplies in treatment areas.
- Taking Vital Signs and updating the Medical History in the patient chart.
Minimum Required Education and Experience:
- Current Massachusetts Dental Assistant Certification with current Radiology Certification
- Must have at least 2 years full time or equivalent part-time paid experience as a dental assistant in a recognized dental office or the successful completion of a training program for dental assistants at a recognized dental school
- Four-handed dentistry
- Working knowledge of operative dentistry
- Working knowledge of other general dental procedures
- Willingness to learn new procedures and work with others with the department
- Excellent critical thinking skills
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and diplomacy skills
- Comply with established risk management and safety procedures
- Comply with all local, state and federal privacy and confidentiality rules and regulations
- Sound judgment and problem-solving ability
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Maintain CPR certification and participate in site-based CPR drills
- Strong organizational Skills
- Ability to prioritize tasks in a complex and busy environment and see them through to completion