Dental Assistant

Forsyth County (NC); Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 33,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The Forsyth County Department of Public Health is seeking a full-time Dental Assistant to support Dentists at the Cleveland Avenue Dental Center. This role is essential in the Dental Clinic, handling patient care, treatment plans, pre-authorizations, and front desk duties.

Ideal candidates have four-handed dentistry knowledge, experience, and OSHA familiarity; must be able to maintain patient records, schedule appointments, and assist with X-rays and basic lab tasks.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited dental assistant course, or a high school diploma with 3 years of on-the-job training.
• Certification for coronal polishing and dental radiography required; willing to train in nitrous oxide supervision.
• Certified Dental Assistant preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist in rendering treatments by preparing trays and handing instruments to the Dentist.
• Sterilize and care for dental instruments and equipment.
• Maintain patient records, treatment notes, and future treatment planning.
• Take, develop, and mount simple X-rays.
• Perform routine laboratory tasks such as mixing cements and pouring models.
• Assist with front desk duties, including scheduling and patient inquiries.

Skills

Customer service

OSHA compliance

Four-handed dentistry

Verbal communication

Education

Accredited dental assistant program

High school diploma with 3 years on-the-job training

Certified Dental Assistant (preferred)

Tools

Dental radiography equipment

Sterilization equipment

Job description

The Forsyth County Department of Public Health is seeking a full-time Dental Assistant to assist the Dentists with all aspects of the Cleveland Avenue Dental Center. The Dental Assistant is considered to be an essential part of the Dental Clinic. Candidates to be considered for this position should possess great customer service traits, dental assistant experience, knowledge of four-handed dentistry, and familiarity with OSHA standards. The Dental Assistant would need to manage and perform the daily responsibilities of assisting the Dentist in all dental procedures, inputting treatment plans, sending pre-authorizations to insurance companies, verifying patient health history and writing chart notes. The Dental Assistant will also assist with front desk duties, including answering phones, scheduling appointments, checking patients in and out, maintaining patient records, and assisting patients with questions about the Dental Center.

Work Schedule: Monday - Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

The ideal candidate will possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Working knowledge of dental equipment and supplies.
• Working knowledge of dental diseases, general dentistry, and treatment procedures.
• Ability to use the sterilizer and care for dental instruments and equipment.
• Ability to learn procedures helpful in dental work as directed by the Dentists.
• Ability to deal tactfully with patients.
• Ability to keep simple records and to prepare reports.

Graduation from an accredited dental assistant course; or graduation from high school and three years of on-the-job training as a dental assistant, including certification for coronal polishing and dental radiography, and willing to train in supervision of nitrous oxide. Certified Dental Assistant preferred. A higher education level may be considered as a substitution for all or part of the experience requirement.

Driver's license required to drive to local schools or other community sites for sealant projects and/or health fairs.

Essential duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Assists in rendering treatment by preparing trays with necessary instruments and supplies and handing these to the Dentist as required.
• Sterilizes and takes care of dental instruments and equipment.
• Maintains records indicating the number of patients treated, the kind of treatment rendered, and future dental work to be done.
• Takes, develops, and mounts simple X-rays.
• Performs routine laboratory work such as mixing cements, pouring models, and making bite blocks.
• Assists in maintaining supplies required in the dental clinic.
• Performs related work as required.