Dental Assistant (DA) – Coffield Unit

UTMB Health; Tennessee Colony (TX); On-site; USD 37,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

UTMB Health is seeking a dental assistant to perform direct and indirect patient care within a correctional dental clinic. The role supports radiography, lab work, patient education, and sterilization, while handling scheduling and clerical tasks.

Requirements include current Texas dental assistant registration and CPR certification. The position offers facility-based work within a secure environment, with opportunities to work across multiple units as needed.

Qualifications

• Must hold current Texas dental assistant registration.
• CPR certification is required.
• Experience with radiography and dental lab procedures is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Take and record patient health history and vital signs.
• Assist in preventive, restorative, endodontic, prosthodontic, and oral surgery procedures.
• Maintain clinic cleanliness and sterilization of instruments.
• Manage scheduling, data entry, and administrative tasks for the dental clinic.
• Track prosthetic cases and inventory levels; prepare impressions for labs.

Skills

Dental assisting

Infection control

Patient care

Record keeping

Education

Dental assistant registration

CPR certification

Tools

Scheduling program

Data entry system

Dental lab software

Inventory management system

Job description

The mission of Correctional Managed Care is to address the healthcare needs of underserved patient populations within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD).

JOB SUMMARY

Performs direct and indirect patient care procedures as well as general clinical and support asks, as specifically delegated or directed by the supervising dentist.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Takes and records patient health history and vital signs; performs radiography, dental laboratory procedures, inmate dental health orientation, and education.
• Provides assistance in preventive, periodontic, restorative, endodontic, prosthodontic, and oral surgery procedures; records clinical observations, treatment information, and data.
• Maintains general clinic orderliness and cleanliness; performs sterilization and disinfection of instruments and equipment. Maintains inventory of instruments, needles and all hazardous materials stored and used in the dental clinic, to include logs for tracking and control purposes.
• Operates personal computers to enter and assimilate data, generate reports, draft routine correspondence, and develop special administrative analyses upon request.
• Executes some degree of complex administrative support duties involving the exercise of independent judgment under general supervision. Performs administrative support tasks including but not limited to filing, routing phone calls/correspondence/mail, scanning, emailing, and faxing information.
• Operates data entry system for entry and receipt of daily sick call requests and schedules routine and sick call appointments for the dental clinic using the appropriate scheduling program. Prepares impressions and packages for delivery to the Dental Laboratory. Maintains a tracking log for all prosthetic cases.
• Receives, stores, distributes, and maintains proper inventory levels and stock for the dental department. Fills requisitions, work orders, supply requests, and returns expired/unused inventory to the warehouse. Checks contents received against invoices and purchase orders and reports discrepancies.
• Maintains and keeps an inventory of all dental equipment.
• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structures established for department.
• Performs related duties as required.

MARGINAL OR PERIODIC JOB FUNCTIONS

• Performs a variety of marginal duties not listed, to be determined and assigned as needed.
• Provides coverage to units outside of their normal assignment on an as needed basis.

EQUIPMENT

Standard office equipment and standard dental clinic equipment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Located within the confines of a prison, jail or juvenile detention center. Security clearance is required; pre-employment drug testing is also required.
May be required to provide dental assistance at multiple facilities.

REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• Dental assistant registration must be current and continuously maintained with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners.
• Must maintain a current CPR.

Salary is commensurate with years of relevant work experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Compensation