Dental Assistant

Provides coverage at all dental clinics, including Morgan, Berwyn, and West Lawn, according to schedule designated by Dental Director or his/her designee. Sets up instruments, equipment and materials for each patient visit.

SUMMARY:

The Dental Assistant assists the dentist with direct patient care, providing comprehensive, skilled chair-side assisting services during dental treatment procedures. The Dental Assistant also performs office management duties as needed to maintain the order and efficiency of the practice.

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.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assists the dentist in maintaining a clear field of vision, passing instruments, equipment and materials as required for the procedure.
• Takes and processes digital x-rays, as prescribed by the dentist.
• Takes and pours up impressions, as prescribed by the dentist.
• Maintains cleanliness and neatness of the treatment and sterilizing rooms, cleaning and sterilizing instruments as necessary to maintain optimal infection control standards following established clinic procedures for infection control in keeping with OSHA standards and regulations.
• Processes, cleans and disinfects treatment rooms between patients.
• Keeps all supplies stocked and current.
• Helps maintain inventory of dental supplies.
• Assists dentist to increase efficiency of patient flow, especially when running behind schedule or busy.
• Cleans other areas in the dental department as needed.
• Performs equipment maintenance procedures and accurately logs activity, ensures all sterilization equipment works properly, submits weekly spore tests and receives results.
• Interviews patient and/or parent regarding sugar intake, parafunctional habits and at home oral hygiene practices; advises patients in accordance to guidelines published by the ADA and/or AAPD.
• Assists and relieves in Patient Support area as required, including answering telephone calls, scheduling appointments, reviewing treatment plans with patients, verifying insurance eligibility and collecting payments.
• Performs other duties as required

This position requires compliance with all of Alivio’s written standards, including its Standards of Conduct, Joint Commission standards, all policies and procedures and Corporate Compliance requirements. Compliance will be considered as part of the regular performance evaluation.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manages and supervises staff listed below, including hiring, training, evaluating and managing performance to meet departmental efficiency and performance measures in keeping with the Union Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Personnel Policies and Procedures and prevailing employment laws as appropriate

• N/A

KEY INTERRELATIONSHIPS

• Dental team
• Dental Director
• Medical Assistants and Patient Registration Representatives

WORKING CONDITIONS

• OSHA Category 1 – Involves exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Completion of accredited dental assisting program or at least six month of prior chairside dental assisting experience.

Certification or Licensure:

• Coronal polishing and Sealant Placement Certification, desired.
• BLS Certification Required

Experience:

• Six months prior experience in chairside dental assisting, preferred.

Special Training:

Demonstrated Competencies:

• Bilingual Spanish/English.
• Excellent written and verbal skills. Bicultural. Customer service and interpersonal communication skills needed. Organizational skills ability to prioritize and perform multiple tasks simultaneously.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• Rotating weekends

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Required)

Experience:

• Dental assisting: 1 year (Preferred)

Language:

• Spanish (Required)

License/Certification:

• Certified Dental Assistant (Preferred)
• CPR Certification (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Chicago, IL 60608 (Required)

Work Location: In person