Dental Assistant - Lexington Park

Job Summary

Greater Baden Medical Services (GBMS) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving over 18,000 patients annually across Southern Maryland. The Dental Assistant prepares the patient for treatment, assists the dentist, and performs various administrative tasks.

Essential Functions

• Prepares treatment room for patient by following prescribed procedures and protocols.
• Welcomes, comforts, seats, and drapes patient.
• Provides information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
• Positions, suctioning, and passes instruments.
• Selects, mixes, and places materials on instruments and in the patient's mouth.
• Exposes and develops radiographic studies; pours, trims, and polishes study casts.
• Fabricates temporary restorations; cleans and polishes removable appliances.
• Maintains patient appearance and ability to masticate by managing dental and medical emergencies.
• Documents dental care services by charting in patient records.
• Maintains patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
• Maintains a safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Adheres to infection-control policies and protocols.
• Evaluates new equipment and techniques.
• Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders, and verifying receipt of supplies.

Nonessential Functions

• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma, GED, or equivalent certification of competency.
• Certificate of completion from an accredited Dental Assisting Program.
• Active Dental Assistant License.
• Active Dental Radiation Technologist License.

Substitutions

• None.

Competencies Needed

• Accountability: Meets established expectations and takes responsibility for achieving results; encourages others to do the same.
• Communication: Listens and verbally in order to solve problems and provide information and direction, ensuring the experience is a positive one. Records issues and resolutions to maintain accurate records and data for further analysis by management. Organizes and keeps track of information or work progress. Develops and uses systems to organize and keep track of information or work progress. Connects meaningfully with customers to build emotional engagement and patient advocacy. Simplifies complexity and integrates internal efforts to deliver an optimal customer experience. Manages time effectively. Understands what is required and prioritizes to get tasks/projects completed and establishes/implements an effective course of action (ex. establishes appropriate deadlines). Reprioritizes work efforts based on changing situations and emerging issues (e.g., in response to organizational, systems, and/or schedule changes).
• Organization: Effectively manages tasks and information and organize information to ensure a timely response to questions. Develops and uses systems to organize and keep track of information or work progress.
• Customer Focus: Connects meaningfully with customers to build emotional engagement and patient advocacy. Simplifies complexity and integrates internal efforts to deliver an optimal customer experience.
• Time Management: Understands what is required and prioritizes to get tasks/projects completed and establishes/implements an effective course of action (ex. establishes appropriate deadlines). Reprioritizes work efforts based on changing situations and emerging issues (e.g., in response to organizational, systems, and/or schedule changes).

Physical and Mental Demands

• Ability to cope with stress.
• Operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer.
• Frequent communication with patients and/or employees.
• Must be able to summarize and exchange accurate information.
• Must be able to lift or catch patient weighing more than 50 pounds in the event of emergency.
• Frequent interruptions or distractions.
• Adjust priorities quickly as circumstances dictate.
• Interacts appropriately with colleagues for different purposes in different contexts.
• Perceives the nature of sound.
• Speaks effectively to patients, employees and/or stakeholders of the organization.

Language Skills

• Reads and interprets written or verbal documents and instructions.
• Speaks effectively to patients, employees and/or stakeholders of the organization.

Travel

• Must be able to drive between Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc. locations as required.

Compliance

• This position requires compliance with Greater Baden Medical Services (Health Center’s) compliance standards, including its Standards of Conduct, Compliance Program, and policies and procedures. Such compliance will be an element considered as part of the Dental Assistant’s performance evaluation.