Dental Assistant (Intermittent)

$52,871 - $68,734/Yr

United States Department of Veterans Affairs - Columbia, SC

Part-time,Full-time - Entry Level

Onsite - Columbia, SC

Administration of Human Resource Programs

About the position

The Dental Assistant position at the Columbia VA Healthcare System is a part-time role that involves performing a full range of dental assisting duties at the full-performance level. The role includes assisting in various dental procedures, maintaining equipment, and providing patient education. The position is intermittent, requiring flexibility in scheduling, particularly on Saturdays.

Responsibilities

• Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude towards patients, coworkers, and the public.
• Assists customers with questions or concerns.
• Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedures and cleans dental unit for timely turnover.
• Possesses advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in restorative, surgical, and periodontal care.
• Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry.
• Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently.
• Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably.
• Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions.
• Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols.
• Monitors and performs basic interpretation of patient vital signs during invasive treatment and recovery.
• Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site.
• Takes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication.
• Pours impressions and prepares study models.
• Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims.
• Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses.
• Provides procedure-specific, patient-preventative education and oral hygiene instruction.
• Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education.
• Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration.
• Fabricates athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays.
• Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental service standards.
• Relays patient concerns to treating dentist.
• Performs other dental laboratory functions as needed.
• Possesses the ability to identify normal anatomy.
• Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging in traditional and/or digital formats.
• Modifies settings to achieve images as requested by the provider.
• Captures images characterized by diagnostic quality and accurately oriented and exposed.
• Utilizes dental-imaging safety techniques and minimizes retakes.
• Accomplishes imaging requests within desired time frame.
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and operatories.
• Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross-contamination.
• Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPS for sterilization.
• Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment.
• Works closely with SPS to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed.
• Demonstrates proper infection-control procedures in exposing images.
• Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments.
• Initiates computerized progress notes.
• Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records.
• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information.
• Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities.
• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients.
• Participates in patient identification and time out per The Joint Commission requirements.
• Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Proficient in written and spoken English.
• Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work, or successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation.
• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
• Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) is preferred.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a dental office setting.
• Knowledge of dental radiology and safety procedures.

Benefits

• Access to a comprehensive benefits package as a federal employee.
• Eligibility for annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service.