Dental Assistant Job Description
Dental assistant
provides set-up of examination room and instruments in preparation for procedures using proper sterilization techniques established by infection control policies.
Dental Assistant Duties & Responsibilities
To write an effective dental assistant job description, begin by listing detailed duties, responsibilities and expectations. We have included dental assistant job description templates that you can modify and use.
Sample responsibilities for this position include:
Barcoding and inventorying instruments, cassettes, and equipment
Disinfecting, lubricating, washing, wrapping, and sterilizing instruments, cassettes, and equipment for clinic use and outreach projects
Passing instruments
Sterilize the instruments, clean the operatory after each patient and prepare for the next patient
Oversee routine instrument and equipment maintenance
Sterilizes instruments in the dental office
Performing routine cleaning, stocking, and equipment maintenance including but not limited to changing traps, maintaining water unit levels, cleaning chair bases, stocking supplies, and printing and stocking clinic forms
Assisting specialists with clinic procedures and maintaining specialty equipment
Dispensing medications, materials, instruments, and cassettes to student and faculty dentists
Inspecting equipment and replacing as necessary
Dental Assistant Qualifications
Qualifications for a job description may include education, certification, and experience.
Licensing or Certifications for Dental Assistant
List any licenses or certifications required by the position: CPR, BLS, DANB, DA, EFDA, ACLS, ADA, CDA
Education for Dental Assistant
Typically a job would require a certain level of education.
Employers hiring for the dental assistant job most commonly would prefer for their future employee to have a relevant degree such as Collage and Associate Degree in Education, Department of Education, Technical, General Education, Faculty, Dental Assistant, Teaching, Health, Dental Assisting, Biology
Skills for Dental Assistant
Desired skills for dental assistant include:
Dental procedures and terminology
Dental terminology
Instruments and equipment
Sterilization and infection control equipment
Equipment
Instruments
Ability to apply relevant current education methodologies and techniques
Academic
Curriculum
Education programs
Desired experience for dental assistant includes:
Organizing and verifyinbg all charges on laboratory bills
Answering telephone, co-managing schedule with front desk, making and confirming appointment, making recall appointments, arranging payments and collections
Performing other job-related duties as required
Pouring and trimming study models and ensuring patients' laboratory work is completed prior to their next appointment
Maintaining the inventory log and ordering supplies when necessary
Readying patients for procedures
Dental Assistant Examples
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Dental Assistant Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is looking to fill the role of dental assistant. If you are looking for an exciting place to work, please take a look at the list of qualifications below.
Responsibilities for dental assistant
- Dispensing, tracking, and inventorying pediatric materials and equipment
- All methods of sterilization, decontaminating, scrubbing, and packaging all instruments
- Assisting in four-handed dentistry
- Assisting student dentists with the preparation of procedures, chairside assisting, and radiology positioning and technique
- Providing Dentrix and Romexis technical support to students, staff, and faculty
- Assisting as a practical instructor for radiology positioning, technique, and troubleshooting
- Tracking radiology and screening procedures through maintaining and entering data in Excel
- Assisting in the education of patients on clinic policies and processes
- Assisting in the screening and radiology procedures of the clinic
- Assisting in the set up and break down of the operatory
Qualifications for dental assistant
- Must be able to ambulate patients for x rays and to dental chair
- Requires frequent data entry, lifting patients, pushing/pulling over 75 pounds, sitting, squatting, standing and walking
- Graduate from an accredited dental assistant program and current license or certification (where applicable) to practice in the state in which the facility is located is required
- A minimum of one (1) year experience as a Dental Assistant preferred
- Obtaining and uploading CBCT images for interpretation
- Ordering, organizing, and restocking supplies for clinic use and outreach projects
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Dental Assistant Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of dental assistant. We appreciate you taking the time to review the list of qualifications and to apply for the position. If you don’t fill all of the qualifications, you may still be considered depending on your level of experience.
Responsibilities for dental assistant
- Sterilizes and/or disinfects instruments and hand pieces following guidelines of the Dental Department Infection Control Manual
- Cleans instruments and prepares them for sterilization
- Participating in sterilization and wrapping of instruments
- Performs appropriate instrument maintenance, sterilization, set up and passing of instruments
- Registering and scheduling patients in Epic
- Checking patients out and collecting payment and/or insurance information
- Ensures the proper disposal of all contaminated or potentially contaminated materials in accordance with department directive, policy state and federal regulation(s)
- Administer and monitor nitrous oxide
- Perform restorative procedures limited to placing, contouring, and adjusting amalgam restorations, glass ionomers, and supragingival composite restorations (class I & V) and adapting and cementing stainless steel crowns
- Be able to obtain a Certification by the Oregon State Board of Dentistry for Radiological Proficiency
Qualifications for dental assistant
- Completion of a Certified Dental Assistant Program
- Professional telephone and patient reception manner
- Final candidates will need to complete the contact Center Simulation assessment with minimum competency score of fiftieth (50th) percentile or higher
- Must have an x-ray license for the state of PA
- Experience working as a Dental Assistant, prefer at least 1 - 2 years
- Experience working as a Dental Assistant, prefer 3+ years
3
Dental Assistant Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is hiring for a dental assistant. We appreciate you taking the time to review the list of qualifications and to apply for the position. If you don’t fill all of the qualifications, you may still be considered depending on your level of experience.
Responsibilities for dental assistant
- Sit chair side to pass instruments and support direct patient care as indicated by procedure
- Request instruments and supplies from other departments as directed by coordinator
- Pours and trims patient study models in the dental laboratory
- Documents patient records as dictated by dentist
- Assures patients comfort while waiting for the dentist
- Maintain dental operatory in an organized and clean fashion
- Takes, exposes, develops and mounts radiographs properly (when applicable)
- Assumes the standards of care related to infection control
- Provide chairside assistance to the dentist, utilizing proper four-handed dentistry procedures and observing universal precautions/protocols and sterile techniques
- Providing chair side assistance, including but not limited to setting up and breaking down chair & operatory, procuring supplies as needed, taking x-rays as requested, assisting with charting as requested, and providing patient instructions as directed
Qualifications for dental assistant
- Ability to serve as member of health care team, and communicate with clinicians, staff and patients
- Graduate of a New York State approved training program
- 1+ year of experience as a Dental Assistant
- Dental Assistant (DA) certification
- 5+ years of previous experience as a Dental Assistant
- Demonstrated ability to provide infection control/sterilization in accordance with the industry standards
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Dental Assistant Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is hiring for a dental assistant. Thank you in advance for taking a look at the list of responsibilities and qualifications. We look forward to reviewing your resume.
Responsibilities for dental assistant
- Sterilization and disinfection of dental instruments
- Prepares patient, sterilizes and disinfects instruments, sets up instrument trays, prepares materials, and assists dentist during dental procedures
- Performs chart audits to ensure accuracy of charge capture and other processes
- Provide support to dentists, surgeons and staff as needed
- Assist in updating and maintaining client dental records
- Offer patients advice and materials necessary to maintain good dental health
- Maintain a surgically clean work environment
- Assist chair-side as dentists examine and treat patients
- Support patients, prepare them for treatment, and obtain their dental records
- Prepare materials for impressions and restorations
Qualifications for dental assistant
- Must have dental assistant experience
- X-ray license for the state in which you work, must
- EFDA State Certification - Preferred
- Must have experience working as a Dental Assistant
- Must have experience working with crowns and bridges
- X-ray license for the state in which you work not required
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Dental Assistant Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is hiring for a dental assistant. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for dental assistant
- Operating oral evacuation equipment, retractors, and water and air sprays
- Provide chair-side assistance to dentist by passing instruments, holding devices such as suction tubes and cleaning patients’ mouth during and after procedures
- Ensure that equipment used for dental procedures is sterilized and areas are clean and ready to receive new patients
- Comply with infection control procedures by stripping, disinfecting and bagging unit after patient care provided
- Enter findings and procedure information in patient chart as directed by faculty and students
- Mix materials for use by faculty and students
- Prepares and explains the dental procedure to the patient
- Assists the dentist chairside with all dental procedures
- Takes and develops intraoral/panorex/cephlometric x-rays, impressions and fabricates custom fluoride/bleaching trays
- Assisting the Doctor during procedures
Qualifications for dental assistant
- Experience working as a Dental Assistant preferred
- Experience working as a Dental Assistant, or formal Dental Assistant training
- Expanded Functions is a must
- Formal Training for the state in which you work
- X-ray license for the state of Virginia, required
- Expanded Function Dental Assistant certification, a plus!