Lead Dental Assistant

About the role

The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University's School of Dentistry is seeking a Lead Dental Assistant. Established in 1863, the school is the second-oldest dental school in the U.S., known for its innovative approach to dental education, research, and community service.

Responsibilities

• Provide assistance to residents, faculty, and students in the treatment of dental patients within the Prosthodontics Clinic.
• Assist with various routine and complex surgical dental procedures, including preparing chairs or surgical rooms for procedures, welcoming and seating patients into the chair, performing 4-handed dentistry during procedures, and maintaining and disinfecting operatories between and after patient visits.
• Support during medical emergencies, including monitoring emergency drug and oxygen supplies, and infection control and safety protocols.
• Take x-rays using digital imaging and upload x-rays and other patient related data into Axium.
• Pour and trim dental impressions, order and maintain supplies, troubleshoot dental equipment and instruments, maintain logs for equipment maintenance and safety required by the University, School, and Department for Infection Control, and assist with the sterilization process.
• Filling in at the front desk when needed, including greeting and checking patients into the clinic, scheduling and confirming appointments, creating and maintaining patient files, tracking and maintaining patient flow within the practice, answering phones, screening calls, taking messages, answering questions of a non-complex nature.
• May be rotated to other clinics as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• At least 1 year of experience as a Dental Assistant including some experience with prosthodontics procedures.
• Dental Assisting training and certificate from an accredited school.
• Dental Radiology Certification from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• CPR Certification.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to obtain PA Child Abuse Clearances.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the standard and complex procedures performed in the clinics area of specialty.
• Demonstrated ability to provide chair-side assistance.
• Ability to utilize dental instruments, sterilizer, operatory equipment, infection control equipment, dental x-ray equipment, and all other standard dental equipment and instruments.
• Must be able to work with a diverse populations of students, faculty, staff, patients and other external contacts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of dental terminology, procedures and diagnosis.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize projects and tasks and to respond to multiple requests.
• Demonstrated ability to work with potential pathogens during dental assisting and sterilization procedures.
• Ability to provide dental assisting within the legal and ethical boundaries set forth by the state.
• Demonstrate lifelong learning.
• Demonstrate accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to adapt and persist during times of change in circumstances.
• Demonstrate a personal commitment to providing strong customer service.
• Ability to transport/ assist patients in wheelchairs into operatories and departures as needed.

Essential Duties

• Chairside assisting for faculty and Residents with various routine and complex procedures.
• Works with faculty and other supervisors to ensure that patient care is appropriate and efficient.
• Affirms all regulatory compliance (HIPPA, OSHA, emergency preparedness, infection control, etc.) for the dental clinic.
• Sterilize and maintain dental equipment and instruments. Run appropriate tests to monitor their function.
• Maintains logs for equipment maintenance and for other safety logs required by the University, School, and Department.
• Maintain and disinfect operatories between and after patient visits.
• Assist patients with recovery and departure.
• Coordinate appliances that are sent out to and received from dental laboratories. Coordinate follow-up for all appliances for patients who have appliances.
• Prepare data reports for the department.
• Ensures that repairs of equipment, furniture and facilities are handled in a timely manner.
• Perform chart documentation checks.
• Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.
• Coordinate purchasing of inventory and supplies and maintains related records.
• Taking, processing, and mounting of digital X-Rays.
• Serve as information resource, resolves problems, and refers students, patients, staff, faculty and public to proper sources.
• Maintain clinic forms, handouts, and patient education materials.
• Utilize computer, printer, copying, autoclaves, ultrasonic units, operatory suction equipment, infection control materials, dental X-ray equipment and supplies, amalgamators, curing lights, and high and low speed dental hand pieces, etc.
• Must be able to perform similar functions in other departments within the school if needed.
• Filling in at the front desk when needed, including greeting and checking patients into the clinic, scheduling and confirming appointments, creating and maintaining patient files, tracking and maintaining patient flow within the practice, answering phones, screening calls, taking messages, answering questions of a non-complex nature.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• A hybrid work schedule
• Full medical, dental, vision coverage
• Paid time off
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Tuition remission - eligible employees and their dependents can obtain a degree
• TUITION FREE
• A generous retirement plan and so much more!

Pay

SALARY RANGE: $20.95 per hour

Schedule

A hybrid work schedule

Qualifications

• Required Education and Experience: At least 1 year of experience as a Dental Assistant including some experience with prosthodontics procedures. Dental Assisting training and certificate from an accredited school. Dental Radiology Certification from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. CPR Certification.