Job Announcement: HR2024:168Position Title: Dental AssistantAdvertising: Tribal- WideDepartment: HealthDivision: Health & Human ServicesImmediate Supervisor: Chief DentistDepartment Director: Director-HealthEmployment Status: Non-ExemptPosition Type: Regular Full-TimeMandatory Reporter: YesBackground Check Required: Yes (child-sensitive)**Opening Date: Tuesday, December 17, 2024Closing Date: Tuesday, December 31, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.Preference shall be given in accordance with the Title 33 (Tribal Employment Rights) of the Tribal Code/DFWP.Overall Objectives of PositionThe Dental Assistant is responsible for providing the necessary clinical support to the Dentist. This job description is not an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of this position. The Dental Assistant is expected to perform all duties and responsibilities necessary to meet the goals and objectives of applicable program. The Dental Assistant is expected to live the Purpose and Values of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and will go beyond the call of duty.Primary Responsibilities of the Dental Assistant
- Performs routine chairside dental assisting, fully anticipating the dentist's need for various instruments, materials, and services.
- Accurately records treatment rendered, and examination information in patient records.
- Organizes and maintains dental laboratory correspondence file systems.
- Keeps dental area properly stocked at all times and ensures supplies are ordered in a timely manner.
- Maintains clinic areas in a clean and operative condition.
- Takes primary impression for study models, pours and trims models.
- Provides receptionist duties, scheduling and seating of dental patients, sets up proper instruments for dental procedures.
- Instructs patients in prevention of dental disease and personal oral hygiene.
- Develops and maintains follow-up system to monitor patient needs and instruct patients in post-operative care.
- Prepares routine dental reports as necessary.
- Fabricates temporary crowns from preliminary impression.
- Takes clinically acceptable/diagnosable digital X-rays.
- Performs supportive laboratory procedures, properly completes laboratory requisition.
- Participates in community health education projects as necessary.
- Observes and abides by the bylaws of the PCI Health Center, Clinical Staff Policies and Procedures, Tribal policies and procedures and other applicable protocols.
- Promptly and appropriately completes patient clinical records and other required forms in the proper format utilizing the appropriate clinical informatics system.
- Develops and participates in performance improvement activities to advance the quality of patient care.
- Ability to prepare reports, and present facts and information in a clear and concise manner.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the appropriate person.
Day-to-day Responsibilities
- Provides routine maintenance and clean-up procedures on all dental equipment and instruments. Maintains logbooks for sterilization of instruments and cleaning equipment.
- Sets up and breaks down rooms according to CDC/OSHA standards.
- Cleans, packages, and sterilizes all dental equipment and ensures proper storage when not in use.
Education/License/Certification and Experience Requirements
- Certificate in Dental Assisting from a Dental Assisting Program required.
- Two (2) year experience as a Dental Assistant required.
- Must maintain annual continuing education hours as required for certification as Dental Assistant.
- Must maintain current professional licensure in Basic Life Support (BLS) or obtain licensure within ninety (90) days of date of hire.
- Must possess certification of Mandatory Reporter Training or obtain certification during the first week of employment.
Skills Required
- Absolute confidentiality, adhering to HIPAA guidelines and the Privacy Act.
- Experience with dental software is preferred. (Dentrix and Dexis)
- Must have a working knowledge of computers and electronic health records, with the ability to work in a Windows environment with various software programs such as Microsoft Office software etc.
- Familiarity with the cultural factors relative to the care of Native Americans preferred.
- Ability to work in a high-performance, fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
- Adept at multi-tasking, have unquestionable integrity, with an uncompromising commitment to quality.
- Organized with unfailing attention to detail.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Tribal Officials, Tribal Staff, managers, coworkers, applicants, patients and the public.
- Ability to exhibit confidence in judgement and decision-making.
- Ability to work independently, with a minimum of supervision.
- Ability to develop improvements in or design new work methods and procedures.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
- Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
- Adequate hearing is required to hear/talk with all individuals, and to use telephones on a consistent basis.
- Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
- Work is performed in a clinical setting with some exposure to environmental stress.
- Work involves direct patient contact requiring standard/universal precautions.
- Must be in good physical condition with the ability to sit, stand walk, kneel, crouch, stoop, squat, and twist for an extended period of time as well as climb, lift, hold, and move objects weighing a minimum of forty (40) pounds.
Additional Requirements
- Ability to work odd and irregular hours, as needed; flexible regarding accommodating emergency visits as needed.
- Must successfully pass the required criminal and character background check.
- Must travel and participate in required training, leadership development, and other events.
- Ability to adequately and successfully perform all duties and responsibilities of this position.
Every applicant must complete an application provided by Human Resources. A resume will not be accepted in the place of an application. **Please note ALL individuals selected for employment are required to complete a background investigation. Individuals being placed in positions designed as child-sensitive or data-sensitive must successfully complete a background check prior to employment.INDIAN PREFERENCE, SPOUSAL PREFERENCE, OR FIRST GENERATION:In the event more than one applicant meets the requirements, as stated in a job description, preference shall be given in the following order: (1) Tribal Member (2) First Generation Descendant of a Tribal Member (3) Spouse of Tribal Member (4) Indian (5) Non-IndianIn the event that a position of employment is funded in whole or in part my any federal grant and/or contract or other public funding, preference shall be given in the following order: (1) Indian (2) Non-IndianIn order to receive preference, the appropriate documentation must be submitted.