Dental Assistant - Eugene, United States - Department Of Veterans Affairs

Description

Summary

Dental assistants at this level serve as expanded-function dental assistants independently performing advanced clinical duties in assigned specialties at least 25% of the time.

Higher-level assignments cover greater scope, complexity and variety and require advanced clinical skills.

Duties

The incumbent also performs the full range of duties for routine patient care. Incumbents must maintain current Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification.

The clinical expanded-function dental assistant assists the general dentist and dental specialist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.

Functions:

a


Expanded Function Duties:

Performs mouth mirror inspection of the oral cavity;

Gathers diagnostic information;

Performs pulp vitality testing;

Charts existing restoration and conditions;

Selects shades for fixed and removable prostheses;

Places and removes rubber dams and matrix bands;

Places and removes retraction cord;

Places and removes intracoronal temporary restoration;

Removes temporary crown/bridge and clean tooth preparation of debris;

Fabricates, adjusts and cements temporary crowns;

Removes permanent cement from supragingival surfaces;

Removes sutures;

Places and removes surgical dressings;

Monitors nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesic;

Performs coronal polishing of teeth;

Removes hard accretions from and polishes removable prostheses.


b


Customer Service:

Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public;

Assists customers with questions or concerns and provides service recovery.


c

Chairside Assisting:


Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover;

Possesses advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care;

Monitors, and performs basic interpretation of, patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure;

Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry;

Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions;

Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols;

Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry;

Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration;

Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental service standards;

Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure;

Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site;

Takes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication;

Provides procedure-specific, patient-preventative education and oral hygiene instruction;

Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration;

Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental service standards;

Relays patient concerns to treating dentist.


d


Dental Imaging:

Possesses comprehensive knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone beam, cephalometric, advanced panoramic imaging, TMJ, etc.);

Possesses ability to identify anatomy;

Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, cephalometric, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats;

Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider; Captures images characterized by diagnostic quality and accurately oriented and exposed;

Utilizes dental-imaging safety techniques and retakes are minimized;

Accomplishes imaging requests within desired time frame.


e


Information Management:

Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information;

Follows computer security regulations.


f


Employee Education:

Complies with Employee Education requirements;

Completes mandatory annual training sessions;

Maintains DANB certification as required for above full-performance-level dental assisting positions.


g


Information Management:
Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information.


h


Patient Safety:

Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position).


i


Employee Education:
Completes mandatory annual training sessions;

Maintains DANB certification as required for above full-performance-level dental assisting positions.


j


Dental laboratory functions:

Pours impressions and prepares study models;

Performs other dental laboratory functions as needed and requested.


Work Schedule:
M-F, 7:30am-5:00pm


Telework:
Not Authorized


Virtual: This is not a virtual position.


Functional Statement #: 00000


Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
Not Authorized


Financial Disclosure Report: Not required