Description:
Dental assistants work with dental providers and team other members in the dental practice. They are expected to always behave in a professional manner and work collaboratively with assigned providers. It is the dental assistant’s responsibility to learn specific providers methods and procedure flow. It is a dental assisting best practice to keep and maintain a document of ‘Provider Workflow’ and review/revise as needed. Because of the significance of the role during patient care, the dental assistant must remain professional during all patient interactions (written communication (email), verbal communication etc.). He/she must also have an excellent grasp on common dental procedures and be able to answer patient questions.
Qualifications:
- High School Diploma or Higher
- High Level of accountability and self-direction
- Excellent communication skills
- Computer and practice software proficient
Dental Assistant Duties:
- Assist dentist/hygienists during dental treatment procedures
- Assist dentist/hygienists with typical procedures such as taking X-rays, taking vitals, updating patient medical history, charting, intra oral photos, and assisting with any other clinical procedures up to their legal ability
- Assisting with operatory setup, breakdown, maintenance, or other preparation of rooms and equipment & instruments daily
- Understand the supply ordering process
- Keeping assigned operatories stocked and patient ready
- Sterilization of instruments
- Disinfection of operatories in accordance with OSHA standards
- Proper documentation of patient demographics on lab prescription
- Manage lab cases for assigned dentist
- Provide post operative instructions
- Post-op follow-up calls to patients
- Enter patient chart notes in software
- Manage unscheduled patient lists, contact and schedule patients during down time
- Maintain neat and organized clinical common areas (sterilization area, lab, operatories etc.)
- Manage daily patient schedule to ensure provider stays on time
Office Participation
- Be an active participant in staff meetings
- Perform other tasks as assigned by office manager
Interpersonal
- Good interpersonal skills to maintain effective rapport with patients, dentists, other staff members and community
- Effective verbal skills to communicate with patients and staff
- Team player
- Able to adapt to office policy improvements (office is constantly striving for improved customer care/service)
- Conflict resolution experience
- Customer service or patient relations experience
- Communicate all concerns to Office Manager