Dental Assistant

SUMMARY: Assists in the performance of dental procedures designed to preserve teeth and prevent the spread of oral disease by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assists the dentist and/or hygienist chairside in the performance of clinical procedures.
• Feels and visually inspects the oral cavity for sores and signs of disease.
• Under the direct supervision of the dentist, applies topical agents to desensitize teeth, liners and bases for cavity preparations (excluding capping or exposed pulpal tissues), oxygenating agents, astringents, anti-inflammatory agents, and fluorides.
• Takes and records case history, blood pressure, pulse, and oral temperature.
• Preliminarily charts conditions of decay and disease as diagnosed for treatment by dentist.
• Exposes and develops intra-oral and extra-oral dental radiographs.
• Makes impressions for diagnostic and opposing study casts.
• Removes sutures (excluding wire sutures) and dressings.
• Places and removes rubber dams, matrices, wedges, and other intra-oral devices.
• Places and removes with hand instruments only temporary restorations.
• Places, but does not pack or carve, amalgam and composite materials for further use by the dentist.
• Removes excess cement with hand instruments from around permanent dental restorations and orthodontic appliances.
• Places and removes periodontal and alveolar socket dressings.
• Construct and place temporary crowns (excluding stainless steel crowns).
• Assists in the administration of inhalation analgesia (nitrous oxide).
• Provides oral health education to improve and maintain oral health of school children including oral hygiene instructions, plaque staining, brushing, flossing and caries susceptibility tests.
• Applies reversible liners and bases to dentures, orthodontic appliances, prosthetic appliances, bridges or others structures.
• Conducts dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, and individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

High School Diploma

Certification from an accredited Dental Assistant Program through the State of Alabama

Dental Board

3+ years of experience as a Dental Assistant

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Effective verbal and written skills

Ability to organize

Good judgement

Strong customer service skills