Lead Dental Assistant

About the role

Deliver excellence, oversee with integrity, and drive progress in a pivotal leadership position within our dental clinic. The Lead Dental Assistant provides chairside assistance while also overseeing daily operations, ensuring efficient workflow and high-quality oral healthcare services. This role requires strong leadership skills, clinical expertise, and a commitment to integrated, personalized, and judgment-free care.

Responsibilities

• Provide chairside assistance to dentists during dental procedures, ensuring patient safety, comfort, and efficient workflow.
• Assist in delivering patient care by taking and recording vital signs, updating medical histories, taking traditional and digital impressions, and addressing patient concerns.
• Maintain strict infection control protocols by sterilizing and organizing dental instruments and equipment.
• Take and develop dental radiographs as directed by the dentist, ensuring high-quality diagnostic images.
• Coordinate and schedule dental appointments, follow-ups, and treatments to optimize clinic workflow.
• Accurately record patient information, treatment plans, and procedure codes in an electronic health records (EHR) system.
• Manage dental supplies inventory, ensuring adequate stock levels and timely ordering.
• Maintain dental equipment per manufacturer guidelines and keep logs of all maintenance schedules.
• Educate patients on oral hygiene practices, post-treatment care, and preventive measures.
• Adhere to infection control guidelines, OSHA regulations, and clinic policies to maintain a safe and sterile environment.
• Collaborate with other healthcare professionals within Vivent Health to ensure comprehensive and integrated patient care.
• Maintain licensure according to state regulations, including completing continuing education geared toward the Vivent Health patient population.
• Provide leadership, structure, and guidance to dental assistants, ensuring efficient workflow and adherence to clinical protocols.
• Train and mentor dental assistant staff, fostering continuous professional development and compliance with best practices.
• Oversee the sterilization process, organization of dental instruments, clinic cleanliness, and equipment maintenance while maintaining strict infection control protocols.
• Oversee tracking of lab cases.
• Monitor and maintain dental supplies and equipment inventory, ensuring adequate stock levels, timely ordering, and scheduling repairs within the provided clinic budget.
• Serve as liaison between local dental clinic staff and local administrative staff.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Colorado-approved dental radiology/x-ray certification that complies with Rule X of the Colorado Dental Practice Act required.
• Completion of an accredited dental assistant program.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Dental Assistant in a clinical setting.
• Current, active state license (if needed) within the state where the clinic is located.
• Proficient in dental terminology, procedures, and use of dental equipment.
• Familiarity with electronic health records (EHR) systems.
• Proficient in use of email and Microsoft Office suite.

Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact effectively with patients and the dental team.
• Compassion and empathy toward patients, understanding their needs, and providing a supportive environment.
• Ability to collaborate with dentists, hygienists, and other healthcare professionals to deliver coordinated care.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities, procedures, and dental technologies in a fast-paced healthcare environment.
• Precision and accuracy in performing dental procedures, recordkeeping, and following infection control protocols.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and guide a team toward common goals.
• Strong conflict resolution capabilities.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills to manage daily clinic operations and maintain efficient workflows.
• Strong problem-solving skills to address clinical challenges and optimize processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in a leadership or supervisory role.
• De-escalation and conflict resolution training.
• Spanish-speaking proficiency.
• HIV experience in a not-for-profit environment.

Pay

$24.00/hourly - $29/hourly (depending on experience). The final salary will be determined based on factors such as market data, internal equity, candidate experience, and qualifications.

Benefits

• Generous PTO, including 12 paid holidays.
• 401(k) with 100% employer match up to 5%.
• 12 weeks fully paid parental leave for benefits-eligible employees after one year.
• Employer-subsidized medical, dental, vision, and gender-affirming care.
• Tuition reimbursement and licensure assistance.
• Benefits available for full-time and eligible part-time roles.
• Public Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility: Employment at our organization may qualify you for federal student loan forgiveness programs.