Dental Assistant II - Correctional Health Services

OCERS; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Dental Assistant II to provide essential support in patient care and treatment. This role involves hands-on assistance to dentists, operating radiography equipment, and ensuring proper infection control. The ideal candidate will have a passion for patient-centered care and a strong understanding of dental laws and regulations. Join a collaborative environment that values teamwork and quality service, where your contributions will make a significant impact on the health and well-being of patients. If you are ready to take your dental career to the next level, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Bilingual Pay

Night Shift Differential Pay

Jail Supplement Pay

On-Call Pay

Call-Back Pay

Qualifications

• 2 years of experience in the dental field required.
• Knowledge of dental laws and infection control practices essential.

Responsibilities

• Assist dentists in patient care and treatment.
• Manage patient schedules and sterilize dental instruments.

Skills

Knowledge of California Dental Laws

Infection Control & Prevention

Patient-Centered Care

Oral Communication

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Dental Assistant Certification

Tools

Digital X-ray Equipment

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

DENTAL ASSISTANT II

In addition to performance-based merit increases, this position is scheduled to receive a salary range increase on the following date:

Effective June 27, 2025 – 4.00% increase

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

Premium Pay

In addition to the hourly salary, eligible applicants may receive premium pay for the items listed below:

• Bilingual pay: Qualified employees who meet the criteria shall receive an additional $0.40 per hour for all hours paid.
• Night Shift Differential pay: Employees assigned to a night shift shall be paid a night shift differential for each hour actually worked on the assigned night shift.
• Jail Supplement pay: An employee in this classification who is assigned to work in an adult or juvenile correctional or institutional facility shall receive an additional $1.50 per hour for all paid hours.
• On-Call Pay: An employee in this classification who is assigned on-call duty by the County shall be eligible for On-Call pay.
• Call-Back pay: An employee in this classification who returns to work because of an agency/department request shall be eligible for Call-Back pay.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As a Dental Assistant II, the incumbent will provide hands-on assistance to the dentists in the care and treatment of patients. Due to the types of patients served and the cases seen, the clinic requires one-on-one support for the dentist and the dental team.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Providing dental services in accordance with the policies and procedures of the dental department
• Operating dental radiography equipment for the purpose of oral radiography
• Performing and assisting in 4-handed dentistry
• Mouth-mirror inspections of the oral cavity, to include charting of obvious lesions, existing restorations, and missing teeth
• Screening dental sick-calls
• Sterilizing dental instruments and maintaining proper infection control
• Managing patient schedules and fulfilling front-office duties
• Managing dental supplies/materials and fulfilling back-office duties
• Under the direction of the dentist, assisting in the preparation of medication for dispensing to patients
• Recognizing and reporting unusual events to dentist/dental officer (e.g., patient emergencies during treatment)

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES

The ideal candidate will have two (2) years of experience practicing in the dental field.

The ideal candidate will also possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities that demonstrate the following competencies:

Professional & Technical Expertise

• Knowledge of California Dental Laws and OSHA Regulations related to infection control & prevention
• Taking dental x-ray images using digital x-ray equipment (including sensors)
• Working with dentists in providing oral health evaluations, oral hygiene instructions, and dental care/treatment to youths and adults
• Maintaining general housekeeping, sterilization, infection control practices, waste management and compliance with general safety standards
• Taking inventory and maintaining sufficient dental supplies and materials for all dental offices
• Taking inventory of and accountability for dental instruments and sharps
• Understanding and applying PC computer knowledge and searching, retrieving, and entering information into online systems
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook

Patient Focus

• Delivering quality patient-centered care and services
• Advocating for patients by creating a comfortable dental clinic setting for youths and adults
• Establishing productive and professional relationships

Building & Maintaining Relationships | Interpersonal Savvy

• Providing oral health services and dental care/treatment to patients
• Remaining calm and appropriately focused in difficult interpersonal situations involving diverse interests, conflict, and firm deadlines
• Collaborating with others to create a teamwork environment for tasks and projects
• Building and maintaining effective and collaborative working relationships with CHS healthcare team, security staff, community hospital staff and other County agencies

Writing | Oral Communication

• Elaborating to patients on dental care and treatment
• Maintaining dental charts, medical histories, and other required documentation
• Communicating effectively with patients of all ages and from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:

• Incumbents must NOT have felony convictions or be on any form of probation.
• Must be able to pass and maintain background investigation to the satisfaction of the Probation and Orange County Sheriff-Coroner.
• Correctional Health Services are 24-hour, 7-days per week facilities. Incumbents may be required to be on-call or occasionally work on weekends, evenings or night shift and holidays.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Please click here to view the minimum qualifications for the Dental Assistant II.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

Independent body mobility to stand, walk long corridors, and climb or descend multiple stairways quickly; bend, stoop, and sit for prolonged time; strength to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 lbs; manual dexterity to reach, grasp, manipulate small objects and precision instruments, and perform delicate dental procedures; manual dexterity to hand write or use computer keyboard; vision sufficient to see/read gauges, labels on medications, and computer screen; hear and speak well enough to communicate with patients at normal conversation level in person and over the phone.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

For assignments in Correctional Health, incumbents will be required to work in a locked facility with adult inmates and/or youths who may have multiple and complex health, social, and psycho-social needs; wear protective equipment/clothing as required by protocol; may work with patients who have a communicable disease. Incumbents may be on-call or occasionally work on evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all applications to identify qualified candidates. Candidates will receive notification via e-mail of further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.

EMAIL NOTIFICATION:

Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.