Job Description
Job Title:Dental Assistant
Reports To: Managing Dentist/Office Manager
Summary: Responsible for assisting the dentist in clinical treatment of patients.
CORE FUNCTIONS
- Attend and contribute to daily huddle.
- Attend and contribute to bi-weekly training.
- Write clearly, concisely, logically, and legibly.
- Demonstrate accuracy in spelling and basic math.
- Speak, understand, and write grammatically correct English.
- Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of dentistry.
- Facilitate interoffice team communication with respectful and constructive problem solving techniques.
- Understand and respect the behavior, attitude and beliefs in congruence with the values and vision of the practice.
- Maintain a clean and uncluttered environment in the work area.
- Focus conversations with patients and the patient or dentistry, avoiding personal problems or gossip.
- Educate patients at every opportunity.
- Greet each patient with a smile as welcomed guests to the practice.
- Meet and greet all patients as welcomed guests to the practice.
- Introduce each new patient to other team members (2-1 Transfer).
- Listen to each patient?s needs.
- Promote treatment plans and encourage patients to begin treatment.
- Maintain an outgoing, friendly attitude with patients and team member at all times.
- Ask each patient for a referral.
- Complete tasks within given time frames.
- Perform all other duties as assigned.
- Answer questions from patient and team members cheerfully.
- Contribute to team spirit.
- Combine efficiency, productivity, and caring for patients in all actions.
- Demonstrate exceptional human relation skills.
- Dress according to office policy.
- Monitor key indicators each day to evaluate attainment of its goals.
- Complete a tem action plan at the end of every meeting.
- Resolve conflict among team members quickly and fairly.
- Maintain a professional demeanor at all times.
- Answer the telephone by the third ring in a warm, friendly voice identifying the office, self and asking ?How may I help you??
- Charge out procedure and electronically send claims.
- Maintain and assist the Doctor with clinical notes.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Clinical Tasks:
- Maintain patient comfort and be sensitive to patient?s real or imagined fear of being alone in the treatment room.
- Oversee supplies and equipment.
- Possess exceptional human relation skills.
- Ability to work with interruptions and manage multiple tasks.
- Demonstrate exceptional manual dexterity.
- Ability to complete tasks within time frame.
- Turn on and off each day the x-ray machine, compressor, lights, water, nitrous and oxygen tanks, and suction system.
- Use gloves, mask, eyewear, and lab coat with every patient.
- Sterilize hygiene instruments and operative instruments.
- Set up and break down rooms.
- Disinfect room and equipment after each patient.
- Place barriers on equipment in accordance with OSHA guidelines.
- Introduce patient to Doctor enthusiastically.
- Use intraoral camera to educate patients..
- Follow Doctor?s recommendation for patient?s treatment plan.
- Cross train in other areas of the office.
- Maintain equipment ? suction lines & traps.
- Keep abreast of products, services, and treatments
- Attend continuing education courses annually.
- Enter complete treatment plan into each chart.
- Call each patient after difficult treatment.
- Be sure treatment room is ready, stocked and disinfected before a patient is brought to the room.
- Greet patient and introduce yourself when bringing the to the treatment room.
- Review and update patient health history, dental history and dental charting at each visit.
- Collect preliminary data prior to Doctor?s initial exam which would include necessary x-rays, full mouth charting ? including complete periodontal charting and Oral cancer screening.
- Educate patients as to the condition of their oral health, their options for treatment, what to expect with/without treatment ? guiding them to an informed decision. (NOTE: Dental Assistants cannot diagnose, but are knowledgeable enough to inform patients of what the Doctor might recommend for treatment.)
- Administer fluoride treatments.
- Maintain inventory and place oral hygiene supplies to be ordered.
- Try not to leave your patient unattended in the chair.
- Accurately chart all procedures performed including date, services, necessary clinical notes (i.e. prognosis, treatment option, etc.), procedures and time needed for next visit and your initials.