Dental Assistant, Registered

Open Door Community Health Centers; United States; On-site; USD 35,817 - 41,369; Full time

Job summary

Open Door Community Health Centers is seeking a Dental Assistant to provide chair-side support to dentists in a patient-centered environment. This role includes assisting in various procedures, patient education, and maintaining office compliance.

Qualifications include completion of an accredited Dental Assistant training program, CPR certification, and the ability to effectively communicate within a diverse team. This role offers a pay ranging from $26.00 to $30.03 per hour with opportunities for additional language compensation.

Qualifications

• Completion of an accredited training program or relevant experience is required.
• Current CPR Certification is mandatory.
• Dental Radiography Certificate and Infection Control Certificate required.

Responsibilities

• Provide chair-side support to dentists and hygienists.
• Assist with dental procedures like cleanings and extractions.
• Prepare patients and operatories for procedures.

Skills

Effective communication between patient and provider

Ability to accurately chart information

Calm conflict resolution skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Teamwork and independence

Excellent written and verbal communication

Ability to write reports and correspondence

Community representation

Strong computer skills

Responsible judgment

Education

Completion of an accredited Dental Assistant training program

Two or more years of dental assistant experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Electronic Medical Records (EMR)

Job description

Position Overview

The Dental Assistant (DA) provides chair‑side support to dentists and dental hygienists in a patient‑centered care team setting. Dental Assistants advocate for patients and assist in delivering their care as directed within the California DA Scope of Practice. The role requires a basic understanding and demonstration of DA tasks and scope of practice, with additional training provided as outlined in the responsibilities below.

Salary

Dental Assistant: $26.00 - $30.03 per hour

Registered Dental Assistant: $28.00 - $32.35 per hour

Hmong and Spanish speakers who pass a language exam receive an additional $0.75 per hour.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepares patients for procedures by dentist and assists chair‑side.
• Assists dentist with procedures such as cleanings, fillings, root canals, crowns, extractions, dentures, and coronal polishing.
• Takes, develops, and mounts X‑rays; properly uses Scanx, sensors, and panorex machines; imports and exports images.
• Checks blood sugars for patients.
• Files patient dental information accurately into the chart.
• Provides patient education on proper dental care.
• Prepares operatories between patient visits by cleaning and stocking in accordance with dentist’s practices and OSHA compliance guidelines.
• Wraps equipment for autoclaving and operates autoclaves correctly; mixes and uses cleaning solutions as required for each test.
• Follows guidelines for universal precautions, including hand washing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Navigates medical emergencies according to safety procedures and scope of practice.
• Keeps operatories, hallways, and other areas clean.
• Adheres to the basic DA scope of practice in California.
• Performs other duties designated by supervisor.

Qualifications and Expectations

• Ability to promote effective communication between patient and dental provider.
• Ability to accurately chart patient information.
• Ability to handle difficult or confrontational situations calmly, consistently, and equitably.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish constructive professional working relationships among a diverse workforce.
• Ability to work as a member of a team to communicate and solicit pertinent information, supporting team decisions; ability to work independently as well.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to establish constructive working relationships with all levels of management and employees of varied backgrounds.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to effectively represent Open Door Community Health Centers’ (ODCHC) interests in the community and maintain working relationships among coworkers, public, private, and professional groups.
• Strong computer skills with aptitude in Microsoft Office Suite and/or Electronic Medical Records (EMR).
• Exercises sound and responsible judgment.

Education and Experience

Completion of an accredited Dental Assistant training program or two or more years of dental assistant experience.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Current CPR Certification.
• Certificate of Completion or degree from an accredited Dental Assistant training program or evidence of equivalent related experience and training as a Dental Assistant (required).
• Dental Radiography Certificate.
• Infection Control and OSHA Certificate.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None.

Supervision and Support

The Dental Assistant reports directly to the Administrative Site Director and is an integral member of the dental care team.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described are representative of those needed to successfully perform the essential duties. Reasonable accommodation will be made to allow otherwise qualified candidates to perform these functions: communication via telephone, video, and/or in‑person; vision adequate to read documents, computer screens, and forms; ability to remain stationary for extended periods; ability to lift, carry, or move up to 25 pounds; good manual dexterity; ability to use keyboard and view computer screens for extended periods; ability to travel locally and long‑distance as needed; ability to move around offices and clinics as needed.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Open Door Community Health Centers does not discriminate based on citizenship status or national origin in accordance with 8 U.S.C. § 1324b.

Workforce Verification

Open Door participates in the E-Verify program. This means we use E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees by electronically verifying information from their Form I‑9 with the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.