Dental Assistant II

Responsibilities

• Provide chair-side dental assistance
• Expose radiographs, take impressions, clean and disinfect operatories
• Perform a variety of recordkeeping and clinic maintenance duties
• Clean and oil dental equipment, replace and dispose of used materials
• Clean and sharpen instruments; sterilize instruments using autoclave and dryclave techniques
• Store and keep records of supplies in dental stations and note when quantities fall below designated levels and prepare purchase requisition forms, as required
• Receive patients and verify appointments
• Seat and drape patients; locate patient’s record
• Prepare requisition forms for dental laboratory work
• Record specific information in patient records as dictated by the dentist
• Enter specific information on records related to recurring dental activities
• Observe higher-grade dental assistants providing chairside assistance
• Pass instruments; arrange and mix materials; operate oral evacuator and retract cheek and tongue
• Document infection control practices and biological indicator tests results for Dental Department equipment
• Perform dental lab procedures, including but not limited to: pour primary and final impressions, construct custom trays for impressions, make orthotic appliances or mouthguards with vacuum-formed equipment
• Provide professional information and education services to both inpatients and outpatients and to other health services workers as required
• Clean, disinfect, and sterilize dental instruments according to manufacturers’ standards and IHS policies and procedures
• Treat children, adults and geriatric patients
• Additionally, patients who have a medically compromised status will be seen
• Discharge the patient after the procedure - this includes making new appointments, cleaning the operatory and any post-operative documentation required by the Dental Program’s Policy and Procedures

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Academic degree/Certificate of completion from an accredited Dental Assistant program
• Minimum 1 year of experience in Dental Assistance direct practice
• Active Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• Ability to work onsite in Harlem, Montana
• Knowledge of all instruments, materials, and procedures normally used in all phases of restorative, prosthodontic, oral surgical, endodontic and periodontal treatment
• Knowledge of dental anatomy and ability to properly expose and mount diagnostic radiographs
• Ability to explain to patient’s post-operative instructions, disease prevention techniques, and home care instructions
• Knowledge of steps and techniques required for the placement of sealants on teeth
• Knowledge and skill of tooth isolation techniques required to maintain a dry field of placement of restorations and sealants
• Knowledge and skill of sterilization techniques
• Proficient with MS Office Suite
• Provide immunization records as proof of immunity or disease: Tuberculosis, two MMR (Measles, Mumps& Rubella) vaccinations or proof of immunity, two varicella (chicken pox) vaccinations or proof of immunity or history of having the disease, Hepatitis B series vaccination, influenza vaccination during flu season, COVID-19 vaccination.