Dental Assistant, Registered

Schedule

Monday-Friday

Position Summary

Under the supervision of a licensed dentist, the Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) provides comprehensive clinical support within the CHLA Division of Dentistry, assisting in pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery, prosthodontics, oral pathology, oral medicine, endodontics, and other dental specialties. The Division of Dentistry delivers comprehensive oral healthcare services to infants, children, adolescents, including medically complex patients and those with special healthcare needs. Services include preventive, restorative, surgical, orthodontic, prosthodontic, and emergency dental care provided in both outpatient clinic and operating room settings.

As an essential member of the dental team, the RDA supports patient care by providing chairside assistance, maintaining efficient patient flow, preparing treatment rooms and equipment, assisting with operating room procedures, performing dental radiography, supporting sedation services, and adhering to infection prevention protocols. The RDA follows all applicable policies and procedures related to the handling of supplies, pharmaceuticals, and equipment, while ensuring compliance with CHLA, OSHA, CDC, and Joint Commission standards. Advanced support of dental procedures involving the operating room, dental radiography, and sedation is required.

This role supports a high-volume pediatric dental practice and requires the ability to care for medically complex and special healthcare needs patients while maintaining exceptional standards of safety, quality, and service. The RDA must adapt quickly to changing schedules, emergency add-on patients, operating room cases, and multiple specialty clinics. Success in this position requires balancing chairside clinical responsibilities, radiographic procedures, infection control practices, operatory turnover, and instrument processing while ensuring safe, efficient, and compassionate patient care. As patient volumes continue to grow and orthodontic services expand, flexibility, teamwork, strong organizational skills, and the ability to effectively multitask are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum of two (2) years of experience as a Dental Assistant required; pediatric dental experience preferred
• Demonstrated knowledge of pediatric dentistry, dental terminology, infection prevention practices, and sterilization procedures preferred
• Experience obtaining and processing digital dental radiographs, including intraoral, panoramic, cephalometric, and CBCT imaging preferred
• Experience utilizing electronic dental or medical record systems; Dentrix experience preferred
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with excellent organizational, time management, and multitasking abilities
• Ability to work efficiently and effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume pediatric healthcare environment
• Ability to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including dentists, residents, hygienists, physicians, nurses, Child Life specialists, anesthesia providers, and other healthcare professionals
• Demonstrated commitment to delivering compassionate, patient- and family-centered care while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism
• Working knowledge of and ability to comply with CHLA, OSHA, CDC, HIPAA, and Joint Commission policies, procedures, and standards
• Ability to stand for extended periods, lift up to 25 pounds, and perform repetitive clinical tasks as required
• Orthodontic dental assisting experience strongly preferred
• Experience supporting multiple orthodontic treatment columns, obtaining orthodontic records, preparing patients for treatment, and assisting with the placement and removal of orthodontic appliances preferred
• Experience working in a children's hospital, pediatric specialty dental practice, or other pediatric healthcare setting preferred
• Experience caring for medically complex children and patients with special healthcare needs preferred
• Experience assisting with operating room procedures and sedation dentistry preferred
• Experience working within interdisciplinary healthcare teams in a pediatric setting preferred
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills preferred

Education, Licensure & Certifications

• Graduation from an A.D.A. accredited program for dental assistants
• Licensed by the California State Board of Dental Examiners as a Registered Dental Assistant
• Licensed to take radiographs and to perform Coronal Polishing
• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (CPR) certification