Prosthodontics Dental Assistant

Permanent Dental Assistant

Dental Assistant works under a dentist's supervision to prepare equipment that will be used in dentistry procedures, to ready patients for these procedures, and to help the dentist during these procedures by passing instruments, holding the suction catheter in place, and generally anticipating the dentist's needs. Some other responsibilities may include sophisticated functions such as removing sutures, processing x-rays and taking the oral impressions that are used to fit crowns.

Job responsibilities include:

• Work under the direct supervision of the oral surgeon/prosthodontist
• Perform a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties, including but not limited to providing chair-side assistance while dentists examine and treat patients.
• Ensure patients are as comfortable as possible in the dental chair, prepare them for treatment, and obtain their dental records.
• Hand instruments and materials to dentists and keep patients' mouths dry and clear by using suction or other devices.
• Sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, prepare trays of instruments for dental procedures, and instruct patients on postoperative and general oral health care.
• Prepare materials for impressions and restorations, take dental x rays, and process x-ray film as directed by a dentist.
• Handle other radiological equipment and assist patients with these procedures as directed by a dentist
• Perform office duties as needed including: scheduling and confirming appointments, receiving patients, keeping treatment records, sending bills, receiving payments, and ordering dental supplies and materials.
• Assist in specialty areas such as oral surgery, periodontics (treatment of gum disease) and prosthodontics (replacement of missing teeth) including dental implantology
• Support and assist the hygienist as needed, including but not limited to cleaning trays, room setups and cleanups.
• Help track the inventory of the prosthetic supplies and keep the storage closet organized.
• Support the radiographic needs of the patient education consultants, oral surgeon & hygienists.

Working conditions:

• Dental assistants work in a well-lighted, clean environment.
• Work area is usually near the dental chair to allow for arranging instruments, materials, and medication and handing them to the dentist when needed.
• Dental assistants must wear gloves, masks, eyewear, and protective clothing to protect themselves and their patients from infectious diseases.
• Follow safety procedures to minimize the risks associated with the use of x-ray machines.

Requirements:

• Must be reliable, work well with others in a fast paced environment, and have good manual dexterity.
• Eager to learn
• Removing a prosthetic/scan well

Experience: Two years of dental assistant experience/oral surgery preferred. Dental implant experience, desired.

License/certification: Certified as a dental assistant by the A.D.A. Must have current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Physical requirements:

• Regularly required to work in an office environment at both his/her own and others' desks/offices.
• Required daily to walk the floor, sometimes for extended periods and be able to help wherever needed.
• Able to regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Able to stand for extended periods of time.
• Able to keep hand and arm steady while moving arm or while holding arm and hand in one position.
• Able to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate or assemble very small objects.
• Able to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine to exact positions.
• Able to bend, stretch, twist and/or reach with your body, arms and/or legs.
• Must possess good multi-limb coordination i.e. the ability to coordinate two or more limbs while sitting or standing.
• Must possess good trunk strength i.e. the ability to use abdominal or lower back muscles to support part of the body continuously or repeatedly over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
• Able to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information.
• Good manual dexterity required to enable safe, skillful use of instruments while working in the mouth.