Salud Para La Gente (SALUD) provides high quality, comprehensive and cost-effective healthcare to underserved low-income communities in the Monterey Bay area, including Santa Cruz County and North Monterey County. We began in Watsonville 1978 as a storefront “free clinic,” and with the ever growing need for health services, in 1992 we became a federally qualified health center (FQHC). Today we are a primary health care network with 11 clinic sites, over 400 employees and continue to provide high quality services to patients of all ages.

SALUD offers a competitive salary and a collaborative culture that values excellence, achievement, innovation and compassion.

We are seeking a dynamic, organized and detail-oriented Registered Dental Assistant to assist the Dentist in the provision of dental services to the patients, both front and back office.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Chair side assistant to dentist and dental hygienist for chair side procedures, monitoring and reinforcing patient comfort under supervision of dentist and/or dental director
• Takes blood pressure reading, prepares and develop patient x-rays, labeling of x-rays.
• Sterilization of all instruments and chair side supplies; maintenance of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
• Maintain the evacuation system, laboratory equipment, air compressor, and supplies.
• Inventory control assistant, receiving and monitoring shipment supplies, restocking of dental materials and ordering.
• Chart documentation as instructed by provider, assists in management of patient scheduling, patient charts, and recall system.
• Pouring and care of laboratory impressions.
• Completion of Lab RX as instructed by provider
• Maintenance of dental hand pieces, equipment and units.
• Daily set up and shut down of dental delivery system.
• Take impressions for diagnostic and opposing models.
• Apply non-aerosol and non-caustic topical agents.
• Remove post extraction and periodontal dressings.
• Placement and removal of elastic orthodontic separators
• Hold anterior matrices, remove sutures.
• Apply topical fluorine after scaling and polish.
• Place and remove rubber dams, place wedge and remove matrices.
• Assists in front office as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate will embrace our mission to provide high quality health care to patients of all ages. This position requires the ability to follow instructions of the Dental Director and/or dentist, assess patients' complaints to determine whether to schedule, to refer to specialist, or to treat as walk-in, communicate effectively and respectfully with all patients, work as chair side Registered Dental Assistant as well as front office for dental clinic, work Saturdays and/or extended shift when required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Current Registered Dental Assistant State License (RDA)
• X Ray License
• Coronal Polish Certification
• Knowledge and experience working with dental patients and dental equipment.
• Knowledge of both front and back office dental procedures.
• Fluent bilingual Spanish/English
• Current CPR certification
• Valid Drivers’ License and current vehicle insurance; must be able to travel between sites.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bicultural candidates preferred

SALARY & BENEFITS:

Salary Range: $20.81 to $26.10 per hour.

Benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurances, Voluntary Life Insurance, Voluntary Long Term Disability, FSA for dependent care, 401(k) employer contribution, 12 Holidays and PTO.

Salud is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Salud is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact the Salud Human Resources Department, [831-728-8250, and HRDept@splg.org].