Dental Assistant I

Job Summary 

Entry-level position for the dental assistant role which is responsible for performing all the delegable clinical dental assisting duties listed in Florida Statutes 466 and Administrative Rules 64B-5, including but not limited to screening and preparing patients for treatment, assisting hygienist/dentists in treating patients, educating patients, and processing instruments, with adherence to HIPAA, CDC, and OSHA standards.  Team members are involved in continual training. 

Qualifications and Requirements 

• Education and Training:  

• High School diploma or GED required. 

• Successful completion of an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant Certificate (EFDA) Training course from an Accredited Dental Assistant school or training program, including dental radiology, is required.   

• Current BLS certificate from an accredited AHA or American Red Cross provider. 

• Nitrous oxide certification is preferred or willing to obtain within 12 months of hire. 

• Must have a valid Florida Driver’s license and have a reliable form of transportation. 

• Experience:  

• Experience working with children is a plus.  

• Experience dealing with underserved populations and cultural competency a plus.   

• Behavioral Management: Experience working with children and comfortable working with patients of all ages preferred or willing to train. 

• Cultural Competency:  Experience dealing with underserved populations and ability to relate to patients of all religions, ethnical and cultural backgrounds preferred. 

• Good Communication Skills: Must have good people skills and communicate following the HFHC Core Values.  

• Emotional Intelligence and Adaptability: Must be able to stay positive in stressful situations and deal professionally with unhappy, fearful, and confrontational individuals. 

• Adherence to Policy and Procedures: Must have a good working knowledge of dental terminology, dental policies and procedures, oral health issues, or be willing to train. Team members must follow the organizational and department professional code of conduct. 

• Time Management Skills: Must be able to organize and prioritize workload.  

• Competent in General Office Skills such as computers (Microsoft Office products, EHR i.e. eCW), faxes, telephones, and copy machines.  

• Teamwork:  Must be team-oriented and maintain an effective and positive professional working relationship with all clinical and nonclinical staff, including but not limited to other Dental Assistants, Patient Service Representative, Senior Dental Staff, Dental Practice Manager, Hygienists, Dentists and Dental Director.  

• Proactive Attitude: Must be willing to train in additional duties and expanded functions to grow professionally within the organization. 

• Flexibility and Attendance: Must be able to work flexible hours and at various sites as needed or assigned by the Dental Practice Manager and COO. 

• Bilingual a plus:  Spanish speaker preferred.  

Essential Functions 

• Chairside dental assisting tasks as allowed by the Florida Statutes and Administrative Rules as well as: 

• Identify patients using Double Identifiers – i.e., name and birth date.  

• Document patients’ chief complaints in their patient’s own words. 

• Collects and records medical history, list of medications and allergies, surgeries, hospitalization, and social/dental history records. 

• Obtain and record in medical record patient vitals, including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and or glucose levels (when applicable), height, and weight as needed. 

• Operates dental X-ray equipment and takes diagnostic dental X-rays as prescribed by the dentist.  

• Handle dental instruments, including cleaning/oiling, bagging, sterilization/disinfection, and re-circulation following OSHA and CDC standards. 

• Assists in educating patients and parents/guardians regarding oral hygiene, treatment options and plans, dental consent and provides witness signatures prior to specialty procedures.  

• Assist the dentist through 4-handed dentistry, including suction, handling dental materials, and transferring instruments.  

• Performs preventative dental treatment including but not limited to clinical crown polishing, tooth flossing, sealant, and fluoride placement as delegated by the supervising dentist. 

• Performs operatory disinfection before and after dental procedures. 

• Records accurate dental charting of existing restorations, new dental caries, and planned restorations. 

• Records dictated dental and periodontal charting as needed for patients >18 years of age.  

• Assists the dentist in completion of dental exam and procedure documentation and closes procedure codes at the end of each visit. 

• Completes any necessary paperwork/data entry required into eCW medical record. 

• Assists in patient scheduling. 

• Perform follow up phone calls. 

• Flexible to work with various providers and dental assistants as needed. 

• Presents treatment plans prepared by the dentist and obtains patient and/or parent signatures.  

• Provide patient education, including oral hygiene and post-operative instructions. 

• Prepares, scans, and or faxes referral, medical clearance, and other forms as needed. 

• Proactively participates in patient care to ensure office efficiency and productivity. 

• Assists with maintenance of the office inventory, dental equipment and logs as instructed by dental practice manager, assigned dentist or Dental Direcotr.  

• May be required to travel to other HFHC locations as needed. 

• Assists with other clinical and office duties assigned by the supervising dentist, dental practice manager, and/or COO. 

Physical Requirements 

• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. 

• Must be able to stand or sit chairside for extended periods of time. 

• Must have manual dexterity to allow for the handling of specialized dental equipment. 

• Must have clear vision to allow inspection of instruments for cleanliness, residue or defects.