Dental Assistant Coordinator

Position Summary

The Dental Assistant Coordinator will be responsible for the facilitation of the workflow within the dental department while acting as the liaison between the back office dental staff and other clinical and non-clinical staff. This entry-level leadership position provides mentoring and guidance to back office dental staff.

Expectations

Every Adelante Healthcare employee will strive to maximize their performance and contribution to Adelante Healthcare and the community we serve every day. Employees are expected to work in a manner that demonstrates a commitment to quality, patient safety, employee engagement, innovation, and the highest standards of personal integrity, professionalism, and competence.

Qualifications

• Certification to perform cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for the Health Care Professional (CPR) and AED through courses that follow the guidelines from the American Heart Association and Red Cross (cognitive and skills evaluations)
• Valid Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety for all specialty behavioral health locations
• High school diploma or GED from an accredited institution
• Minimum five (5) years of dental assistant experience preferred
• Demonstrated ability to implement the principles and practices of supervision
• Dental Assistant Certificate required
• Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) certificate from the Arizona Dental Assisting National Board required
• Coronal Polishing (CP) certificate from the Arizona Dental Assisting National Board required
• Advanced Knowledge of dental terminology, instruments and procedures
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task, problem-solve and work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Exceptional communication skills and interpersonal skills
• Must have reliable transportation that can meet any operational reassignments of the organization during the workday
• Advanced computer efficiency to include proficiency in Windows, MS Office, and Patient Management System
• Advanced office skills: typing and telephone answering etiquette

Position Responsibilities

• Evaluate issues, situations or problems presented and understand priority while assisting with resolution using critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Serve as subject matter expert for all levels of Dental Assistants
• Participate in interviewing and candidate selection
• Participate in orientation, mentoring and training of staff
• Organize staff’s daily work activities, schedules and cover when needed to meet staffing needs
• Manage an adequate inventory of supplies, instruments, equipment and supply ordering
• Initiate requests for maintenance of equipment and facilities as needed
• Oversee maintenance of appropriate logs
• Collaborate with Dental Leadership to ensure
• Member of and required to attend committee or work group meetings
• Participate in regulatory reviews, audits and process improvement projects
• Ability to travel to other dental locations to support organizational needs

Senior Dental Assistant Position Responsibilities/Essentials

• Greet all patients and visitors
• Assist patients and visitors with questions, directing them to the appropriate person as necessary
• Assist patients in resolving minor difficulties, answer their questions, and giving directions to patients as authorized by the dental providers
• Aid the dental front office with entry-level duties as needed
• Maintain an adequate patient flow and assist the Dental Providers in assuring that all patient records and documents are properly and accurately completed
• Receive and place necessary telephone calls for clinical business and patient care in the dental department
• Aid the dental providers chair-side
• Prepare the operatory for patient treatment as per dental department protocols and the dental provider's directions
• Perform dental radiographs in accordance with state regulations and law as well as dental department directives and protocols
• Perform dental coronal polish in accordance with state regulations and law as well as dental department directives and protocols
• Education patients on oral hygiene techniques and post-operative care instructions
• Aid with laboratory procedures, such as pouring and trimming models, fabricating temporary crowns, and taking impressions
• Maintain sterility of all reusable dental instruments in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions for use and the dental department's policies and procedures
• Maintain dental department equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions for use and the dental department's policies and procedures
• Maintain all dental department areas in compliance with dental department directives and protocols as well as health center policies and procedures relative to infection control, exposure control, and safety issues
• Maintain an adequate inventory of supplies while maintaining a list of supply shortages for inventory control and ordering purposes
• Ensure the proper disposal of all contaminated or potentially contaminated materials in accordance with dental department directives, health center policies and procedures, as well as state and federal regulations
• Perform all functions in full compliance with the health centers and the dental department exposure control plan, including but not limited to the use of Personal Protective Equipment and Universal Precautions
• Responsible for full personal compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, and health center rules, regulations, protocols, and procedures, including but not limited to the participation of a Dental Assistant in the provision of clinical dental care, as well as those relating to, but not limited to personnel issues, workplace safety, public health, and confidentiality
• Ability to travel to other dental locations to support organizational needs

Additional Position Responsibilities/Essential

• Non-Essential Skills and Experience: Ability to communicate in more than one language

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to sit for long periods of time, is required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb steps/stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; smell; manage stress as it relates to essential job functions.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds without assistance and may occasionally be required to lift or move up to 50 pounds with assistance.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee may be subject to health hazards (contagious diseases, blood borne pathogens, etc.) when working in the clinic area.