Dental Assistant, Signing Bonus Available

Nova Scotia Health Authority; Halifax; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job description

Dental Assistant, Signing Bonus Available

Req ID: 182720
Department/Program: Dental Clinic, Children's Surgical & Critical Care
Location: Halifax
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT (100% FTE) x 1 position(s)
Start Date:
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $24.9623 - $28.8704 /hour
Closing Date: July 4, 2024 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

Successful applicants will be eligible to receive a one-time Signing Bonus $3,000. In turn, a Return of Service will be required for a one year period.

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs.

The Opportunity

The Dental Assistant assists in a team approach to oral health care for medically compromised and special needs patients, within guidelines for registered Dental Assistants and in accordance with the department and IWK Health Policies. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Prepares the operating room for all dental procedures.
• Prepares operatories for exam treatment and other dental/lab procedures.
• Assists the Dentists in the operating room during dental surgery and in the Clinic for patient exams and treatment. Travel may be involved to provide service at satellite operatory outside the IWK.
• Performs cleaning and maintenance of dental equipment and ensures proper infection control practices and sterilization of dental equipment in clinic and operating room.
• Performs all dental laboratory procedures as required.
• Performs the exposing, processing, and mounting of all dental radiographs. Uses knowledge and skills to perform these radiographic duties with medically compromised and special needs patients.
• Obtains medical histories including medically compromised/complex patients.
• Uses specialized knowledge in caring for our population of patients (medically compromised, complex co-morbidity, special needs patients).
• Has appropriate knowledge to assist Dentists during the treatment of a patient receiving sedation/nitrous oxide.
• Documents assessment/actions and patient/family responses to care accurately as per clinic charting guidelines.
• Provides pre and post-operative teaching, health promotion, and dental teaching to patients.
• Participates in and promotes dental research within the department and in collaboration with other health team members.
• Demonstrates familiarity with dental clinic receptionist duties.
• Ensures patients and/or families have access to appropriate dental information.
• Provides patient counselling and education on oral health issues.
• Specialized knowledge in assisting Dentists with trauma cases.
• Performs on-call duties as assigned.
• Records workload accurately and in a timely manner.
• Operative room booking, waitlist management and monthly reports.
• Promotes a safe working environment by identifying and resolving potential risk issues.
• Travel opportunities to a second location may be available for interested candidates.

Hours of Work

Hours as per departmental need. 7.5 hours bi-weekly.

Your Qualifications

• Graduate of a Recognized Dental Assistant Course with Level II Dental Assisting required.
• Current license with Provincial Dental Board Nova Scotia and active member of Nova Scotia Dental Assistants Association
• Successful completion of a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Basic Life Support (BLS) program within the last 12 months required or successful completion of a BLS Renewal Challenge Certificate required.
• Recent experience in Pediatric Dentistry required. Experience working in a clinical practice with significant pediatric client base will be considered.
• Competency in other languages considered an asset.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.