DENTAL CARE ASSISTANT - Care Resource Community Health Center - Fort Lauderdale, FL

The Dental Care Assistant is responsible for providing chairside assistance to the dental providers and other dental staff in delivering direct dental care and associated services to patients. Dental Care Assistants must demonstrate ability to perform duties regarding sterilization and disinfection process with 100% accuracy. Upon completion of a comprehensive training, Dental Care Assistants will demonstrate proficiency through observation, written, oral assessment.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Administrative Duties

Routes patients to the appropriate areas within the Health Center for services.
Checks-in patients for dental visit.
Updates patients’ demographic in Health Center’s data systems (i.e., NextGen/Provide Enterprise)
Assists patients in completion of medical and dental intake documentation
Conducts and documents inventory of equipment and supplies (weekly/monthly basis)
Documents maintenance repairs of all dental equipment when presented.
Assists in coordinating oral health services.

Clinical Duties

Prepares patients for dental visit and/or procedures.
Assists Dental Clinicians on dental procedures as required.
Ensures proper sterilization and disinfection of instruments and work areas after each procedure.
Set-up and prepares instrument trays / materials prior to procedures.
Takes, develops and mounts dental diagnostic x-rays.
Records patient treatment plans and information on agency’s data system (i.e., NextGen/Provide Enterprise).
Records patient’s medical and dental history in agency’s data systems (i.e., NextGen/Provide Enterprise).
Takes and records patient vital signs at every visit.
Assists dentist with patient education including pre and post treatment indications.
Assists dentist in management of medical and dental emergencies.
Provides patient education on proper oral hygiene care.
Makes preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts.
Sets-up and stock rooms (i.e., operatories, lab and sterilization room) as required.
Maintains cleanliness of rooms and equipment following patient examinations and/or procedures.

Quality Assurance/Compliance:

Ensures timely and accurate recordings of activities (monitoring) on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Ensures that medical operations fully comply with Health Center and HIPAA requirements.
Reviews patient’s records on a monthly basis for quality assurance compliance.
Ensures trainings are current as required (UltiPro and other trainings).
Assists supervisor in the training of new staff (peers).
Participates in Health Centers developmental activities as requested.
Other duties as assigned.

Culture of Service: 3 C’s Compassion

Greets internal or external customers (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) with courtesy, making eye contact, responding with a proper tone and nonverbal language.
Effective communication with internal or external customer (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) attentively, reassuring and understanding of the request and providing appropriate options or resolutions.

Competency

Provides services required by following established protocols and when needed, procure additional help to answer questions to ensure appropriate services are delivered

Commitment

Takes initiative and anticipates internal or external customer needs by engaging them in the process and following up as needed
Prioritize internal or external customer (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) requests to ensure the prompt and effective response is provided

Safety Ensures compliance with Health Center’s Policies/Procedures/Protocols as it relates to air or blood borne pathogens.
Ensures proper handwashing according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Understands and appropriately acts upon the assigned role in Emergency Code System. Understands and performs assigned roles in the organization’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).

Contact Responsibility
The responsibility for internal and external contacts is frequent and important.

Physical Requirements
This work requires the following physical activities: constant sitting, standing, talking in person, talking on the phone, hearing/ visual acuity and exposure to blood borne pathogens. Frequent walking and occasional bending, stretching and reaching may be required. Work is performed in office and medical/dental settings.

Other Participates in Health Center developmental activities as requested. Other duties as assigned.

Travel Requirements and Details:
As required

Work Experience:
At least two years of experience in the dental field is required. One year of clinical work with HIV-infected persons is preferred.

Skills:
Bilingual (English- Spanish and/or English-Creole) is preferred. Computer knowledge should include Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. Excellent organizational, communication, problem solving, and teamwork skills are required to provide adequate treatment to patients. Ability to work with multicultural and diverse population is required. Satisfactory completion of an Annual Competency Skills Assessment.

Education
High school diploma and completion of an accredited Dental Assistant program is required.

Education Required

High School or better
Preferred

Associates or better in Other

Licenses & Certifications Required

BLS
CPR
OSHA Certification
Cert Dental Assistant

Skills Required

Achievement
Caring
Checking for Accuracy
Collaboration
Comforting
Commitment
Compassion
Conceptual Thinking
Conflict Resolution
Constructive Criticism
Continuous Learning
Cooperation
Coordination
Courteous
Critical thinking
Customer Service
Documentation
Integrity
Interpersonal Skills
Microsoft Office
Multitasking
Patience
Planning & Organizing
Problem solving
Quick Thinking
Self-motivation
Telephone
Verbal Communication
Written Communication

Behaviors Preferred

Functional Expert: Considered a thought leader on a subject
Team Player: Works well as a member of a group
Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Motivations Preferred

Goal Completion: Inspired to perform well by the completion of tasks
Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization
Self-Starter: Inspired to perform without outside help

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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