Dental Assistant

Job Code: 32000593
Salary Grade: MH04

Class Concept

This is skilled work in rendering technical assistance to dentists in the care of dental patients. Positions provide primary clinical support for patient care by performing dental assisting duties in a variety of clinical settings. Duties performed include maintaining inventories of supplies and equipment, cleaning and sterilizing instruments, preparing and arranging instrument trays for clinical use, explaining procedures and providing support to patients, passing instruments to the dentist during dental procedures, preparing impression and filling materials, operating oral evacuation equipment, retractors, and water/air sprays, monitoring the patient's behavior and vital signs as requested by the dentist, completing patient records and charts, billings and reappointments, clearing and cleaning the operatory and instruments, taking routine x-rays and photographs, and instructing patient, family, and/or health care staff in basic oral hygiene. Positions in this class typically have some responsibility for orienting dental and dental assistant students in the utilization of dental assistants in office management, patient relations, and routine chair-side procedures. Work may include supervision of other dental assistants.

Recruitment Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of dental equipment, instruments, and procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of dental office business procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of preparation methods and dental materials.
• Ability to maintain records, inventories, and patient histories.
• Ability to deal tactfully with patients.
• Ability to observe, evaluate, and report required information pertaining to a dental or dental assistant student.
• Ability to orient dental and dental assistant students, other health care personnel, and patients.

Minimum Education and Experience

Completion of a dental assistant program from an appropriately accredited institution and one year of onthe-job training as a dental assistant and required x-ray training when needed; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.