Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary (EFDA)

Ashbaugh Beal LLP; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashbaugh Beal LLP is seeking an Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary (EFDA) to join a broad dental services operation in Albuquerque, NM. The role includes chairside support, radiography, and patient administration under supervision, following workflow protocols.

The EFDA will prepare and sterilize equipment, maintain radiographic records, and assist in coordinating day-to-day clinic activities while adhering to NM Board guidelines.

Qualifications

• EFDA certification required per NM Board of Dental Health Care.
• Experience assisting dentists and hygienists in varied procedures.
• Ability to manage instruments, supplies, and patient records.

Responsibilities

• Provide chairside assistance for dental procedures including restorative and radiography.
• Prepare, sterilize, and organize dental equipment and supplies.
• Develop and process radiographs and monitor radiation safety.
• Maintain dental records and coordinate patient administration tasks.
• Educate patients on prevention and oral health practices.
• Order and inventory dental clinic supplies as needed.
• Contact patients for follow-up visits and manage patient interactions.

Skills

Chairside dental assistance

Radiography procedures

Record management

Education

EFDA Certification

Tools

Dental radiography equipment

Sterilization equipment

Job description

Description

Job Title: Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary (EFDA) Position Code: F19E

Non-Exempt

Department: Health Center Operations Salary Grade: F11 Acct Code:

Position Category (330)

Other Dental Personnel (L18) Position Category (Rphca):

Other Clinical Staff

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

Position Summary

Under general supervision, provides a range of clinical, administrative, and staff support to a full-range dental services operation. Assists in the performance of dental and radiography procedures; prepares and maintains dental equipment and supplies in accordance with established protocol, procedures, policies, and standards, and assists in the coordination of day-to-day patient administration, records management, and office support activities. Provides patient services within the scope defined by the New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Perform all job responsibilities of a DAIII including:

• Provides chair side assistance to dentists and/or dental hygienists in the performance of dental procedures, to include operative, preventive, periodontal, endodontic, prosthetic, and/or oral surgical procedures.
• Prepares, sterilizes, organizes, and sets up dental equipment, ensures that all dental instruments are cleaned, dated, and processed according to established clinic guidelines and standards.
• Monitors and maintains dental equipment, such as compressors, evacuator systems, radiographic developing equipment, sterilizers, and light curing units, in accordance with manufacturers' guidelines.
• Develops and processes dental radiographs in accordance with provider orders; assists in the monitoring and maintenance of radiation safety procedures and protocols.
• Follows and maintains all relevant federal, state, and institutional regulations, guidelines, policies, and standards for the provision of dental clinical services.
• Orders and maintains inventories of dental clinic supplies.
• Interacts with and processes dental clinic patients; performs telephone triage, conducts patient interviews, and obtains prior approvals from third party payors.
• Maintains dental laboratory slips and creates and maintains dental records in accordance with established protocol and procedures.
• Prepares instruments for sterilization and storage in trays.
• Educates patients based on a sound knowledge of prevention and control of oral diseases; uses various teaching aids to effectively present the information to patients.
• Inventories and orders materials and supplies for the dental clinic.
• Contacts patients by telephone for return visits.
• Takes and pours up dental impressions under direction of a dentist.

Perform the additional duties allowed for an EFDA by the New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care:

• Placing and shaping of direct restorative materials into cavity preparations completed by a dentist; EFDA may use instrumentation as necessary and proper for this purpose.
• Taking of impressions for permanent fixed or removable prosthetics involving single teeth, to include digital impressions. These include single crowns or single tooth replacement prosthetics. EFDA shall NOT take final impressions for multiple units of single crowns, bridges, cast framework partial dentures or full dentures final impressions.
• Cement permanent or provisional restorations with temporary or provisional cement, provided the permanent cementation will be completed or monitored by the dentist within six months.
• Place pit and fissure sealants under supervision as certification or licensure allows.
• Place temporary or sedative restorations in open carious lesions after hand excavation of gross decay and debris. If pain is perceived by the patient dentist shall evaluate lesion before completion by EFDA. The EFDA shall NOT use any automated method to clean out the lesion or prepare the tooth, including but not limited to