NEEDED: DENTAL ASSISTANT

LOCATION: 1529 W. Highway 366, Safford, AZ 85546

SCHEDULE: Monday – Friday, 8 hours per day, between 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Shall possess specialty training from a licensed dentist and/or certification from an accredited Dental Assistant school. Training must include dental radiology and radiology safety.
• Shall be certified in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in accordance with the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
• Must have a minimum of two (2) years of experience providing Dental Assistant services.
• Bilingual oral communication skills and experience in a clinical correctional setting are desirable.

DUTIES:

• Assists Dental Officer in dental specialty sections: restorative, oral surgery, periodontics, prosthetics, and examinations.
• Retrieve patient’s records and escorts patients to proper dental specialty section; seats and prepares patient for attending Dental Officer
• Assists Dental Officer by preparing dental instruments, essential materials, drugs, and medications.
• Passes instruments, retracts tissues, irrigates oral cavity, and operates aspirator.
• Observes patient’s responses, and assists patient for dismissal from the Dental Clinic
• Gives instructions for subsequent dental appointments.
• Makes necessary entries on dental treatment records (both electronic and paper records)
• Prepares dental treatment room for the next patient.
• Assists in the treatment of emergency cases.
• Provides dental health education.
• Dental prophylaxis
• Dental screening examination
• Preparation of patients for periodontal surgery
• Dental and periodontal charting
• Prepares places and removes packs.
• Places temporary fillings.
• Places and removes rubber dams.
• Maintains dental equipment.
• Cleans, sharpens, and sterilizes instruments.
• Performs daily inspection of equipment and makes minor repairs.
• Reports defective equipment or utilizes corrective action.
• Performs routine oral prophylaxis of the clinical crowns of teeth.
• Uses dental hand instruments, mechanical instruments (including ultrasonic), oral hygiene aides and prophylaxis paste to provide necessary oral prophylactic services.
• Prepares entries for patient’s records.
• Selects and applies medication in proper portion and anti-cariogenic agents to surface of teeth Applies medication prescribed by a Dental Officer to gingiva to promote healing.
• Fabricates and repairs dental prosthesis and appliances under supervision.
• Performs procedures pursuant to fabrication and repair of complete denture prosthesis and removable partial prosthesis.
• Uses acrylic resins and porcelain as basic materials.
• Takes radiographs of patients using standard and digital dental radiographic, panelipse, cephalometric, and transcranial equipment
• Obtains diagnostic quality periapical, occlusal, lateral, jaw, TMJ, and panographic radiographs.
• Correctly positions patient and film.
• Determines level of radiation intensity to minimize radiation exposure of patients.
• Processes and saves digital radiographs to patient medical records.
• Performs quality assurances on radiographic and developing equipment and safelight.
• Maintains proper infection control procedures in radiographic techniques.
• Sterilizes contaminated biological waste of dental clinic.
• Places and finishes dental restorations, including bases and liners.
• Make primary impressions and pours casts.
• Selects tooth shade for composite restorations and dentures.

BENEFITS: Competitive hourly pay rate, accrued vacation, accrued sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays, 401K opportunity, and healthcare benefits contributions.