SUMMARY

This opportunity allows you to provide dental services to our military. The position offers a structured Monday-Friday work schedule on military bases.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Receives and schedules patients for treatment in dental clinic.
• Obtains and records information related to medical history of patient; routes patients for medical tests and services when required.
• Maintains dental equipment in a clean and operative condition.
• Orders and stores dental supplies.
• Performs optimum sterilization and/or disinfection procedures including proper instrument preparation, processing and sterilization in accordance with national policy and procedure and the CDC guidelines.
• Manges autoclave operation, maintenance and monitoring procedures to include spore testing per National Policy and Procedure and CDC guidelines.
• Makes preparations for general dentistry and oral surgery performed in the dental clinic by preparing instruments, equipment, and materials using aseptic technique and protective barriers.
• Assists in monitoring patient by noting vital signs for signs of adverse reaction to treatment.
• Demonstrates understanding of dental materials used in the dental clinic and the ability to properly mix and manipulate these materials per manufacturers recommendations.
• Performs operatory clean-up procedures including surface disinfection, waterline and suction treatment, proper sharps handling and disposal methods in accordance with CDC guidelines.
• Packages tissues specimens and routes to pathological laboratory, per standard protocol.
• Changes and removes surgical dressings and removes sutures as directed.
• Applies the concepts of four-handed dentistry to maintain a field of operation using retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing and removing cotton rolls and shields, lighting, etc., during the following dental procedure: Oral Surgery, Restorative, Periodontal, Endodontic.
• Provides patient education per dentist for all types of post treatment care including specialized instructions.
• Records treatment and examination information on patient records.
• Prepares health history and consent forms for dental procedures.
• Operates and maintains dental X-ray equipment to take intra- and extra- oral radio graphs.
• Develops and finishes film.
• Takes preliminary impressions, pours and trims models from impressions, constructs base plates and bite rims.
• Assist in maintaining daily/monthly statistics and preparing reports as needed.
• Provides oral hygiene education.
• Triages dental patients and determine appropriate referral source.
• Maintains all required logs/inventories: biopsy log, sharps log, tool log, chemical inventory, post-operative evaluation log, etc.
• Always maintains tool control.

QUALIFICATIONS to perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Knowledge of broad Dentistry functions (e.g. diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and emergency care).
• Knowledge of American Dental Associate and Center for Disease Control and Prevention standards regarding dental care and related issues.
• To perform four-handed dentistry, must have good finger dexterity and arm-hand steadiness, ability to work with persons from a wide diversity of ethnic and social backgrounds, ability to work with other health care providers from a variety of disciplines.

COMPETENCIES

• Interpersonal Skills
• Good Oral/Written Communication Skills
• Integrity/Honesty

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Registered Dental Assistants preferred. If not registered, must be a Certified Dental Assistant from a dental assisting program.
• X-ray certification is required per state board regulations. Dental Assistant National Board (DANB) certification is preferred, but not required.
• Information Technology (IT): Minimal requirement is a basic level of experience in working with office technology including Microsoft Office software.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The work may require physical exertion such as lifting objects greater than 30 pounds.
• Required to perform CPR standing or Kneeling.
• Must be able to assist patients in and out of wheelchairs.
• The work may necessitate some physical characteristics that will be required when responding to an emergency, such as running short distance, prolonged standing, and working in an austere environment.