Lead Dental Assistant

Lake County; Waukegan (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Lead Dental Assistant to enhance their Health Care Operations team. This dynamic role involves supporting Dental Assistants, ensuring compliance, and contributing to quality improvement initiatives. You will collaborate closely with dental providers and staff, delivering training and administrative support while maintaining high standards of patient care. If you are passionate about making a difference in the community and possess strong interpersonal and organizational skills, this is the perfect opportunity for you to thrive in a fulfilling environment dedicated to public health.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED and completion of an accredited Dental Assisting program required.
• CDA or RDA certification and three years of experience as a Dental Assistant needed.

Responsibilities

• Assist Dental Assistants with clinical resources and compliance logs.
• Order supplies and monitor instrument replacement for dental sites.
• Train and evaluate Dental Assistants and Hygienists.

Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Communication

Problem Solving

Adaptability

Collaboration

Inclusion and Cultural Competence

Organizational Awareness

Attention to Detail

Stewardship

Personal Accountability

Critical Thinking

Planning and Organization

Education

High School diploma or GED

Accredited Dental Assisting program

Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) or Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)

Three years’ experience as a Dental Assistant

Job description

The Lead Dental Assistant is a valuable member of our Health Care Operations teams who serves as a clinical resource for Dental Assistants in addition to performing Dental Assistant duties. This individual works with the Associate Director of Health Care Operations (Dental and VBC Support) to ensure that organizational compliance and quality objectives are achieved. Shall perform those duties as assigned to assist the Associate Director of Health Care Operations (Dental and VBC Support), Dentists, and Hygienists in the care and treatment of their clients. Performs chair-side assisting, inventory and dental records duties as well as administrative functions. This position is .8 FTE clinical and .2 FTE administrative.

To be successful in this role we are looking for:

1. Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates an understanding of the likely effect of one’s words, actions, appearance, and mode of behavior on others. Maintains stable performance and emotional control even when faced with opposition, pressure, and/or stressful situations.
2. Communication: Respectfully listens to others to gain full understanding of issues. Comprehends well, asking questions when clarification is needed. Presents information in a clear and concise manner orally and in writing; appropriately adapts message, style, and tone to accommodate a variety of audiences.
3. Problem Solving: Meets internal and external customers’ needs in a proactive manner that provides satisfaction for the internal or external customer within the resources that can be made available.
4. Adaptability: Adapts to change and different ways of doing things quickly and positively. Does not shy away from addressing setbacks, ambiguity, or shifting timelines. Maintains performance with changing circumstances. Manages change related stress well; deals effectively with varying people and situations.
5. Collaboration: Cooperates with others to accomplish common goals. Works with employees within one’s program and across the agency to achieve shared goals. Treats others with dignity and respect and maintains a professional and courteous demeanor. Values the contributions of others.
6. Inclusion and Cultural Competence: Supports and promotes an environment that respects, values, and holds opportunities for all, regardless of individual difference.
7. Organizational Awareness: Combines job knowledge and broad organizational knowledge to help achieve the agency’s vision. Able to prioritize tasks in order of value and urgency, allocating time and resources effectively based on appropriate priorities.
8. Attention to Detail: Thoroughness in accomplishing a task through concern for all the areas involved, no matter how small. Monitors and checks work or information and plans and organizes time and resources efficiently.
9. Stewardship: Careful and responsible management of entrusted resources – including people, time, finances, supplies, and materials. Adheres to the agency’s code of conduct and ethics.
10. Personal Accountability: Consistently demonstrates a results-oriented mindset. Sets and achieves goals, working in a way that meets deadlines and standards. Accepts full responsibility for self and contribution as a team member. Displays honesty and truthfulness. Appropriately confronts problems quickly and seeks out solutions when necessary.
11. Critical Thinking: Builds a logical approach to address problems or opportunities. Manages the situation at hand by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base. Calls on other references or resources, as necessary.
12. Planning and Organization: Establishes a systematic course of action for self or others to ensure accomplishment of a specific objective. Sets priorities, goals, and timetables to achieve maximum productivity.

Responsibilities include:

1. Provide help with clinical resources for Dental Assistants, including performing site visits, assisting with maintenance, compliance logs monitoring, and providing technical assistance in performing these tasks.
2. Reference and update clinical compliance infection and sterilization policies and Instructions for Use at each site.
3. Order supplies from standards list and monitor instrument and equipment replacement for each site.
4. Provide clinical input into the completion of performance appraisals in coordination with dental providers and Office Managers.
5. Share responsibility in training, development of dental assistants and their responsibilities.
6. Responsible for administration and evaluation of all Dental Assistants and Dental Hygienists skill assessments and competencies.
7. Provide input to Office Managers in the development of the dental assistant schedules as well as coordinating time off requests for DA staffing.
8. Assure assigned site dental assistant productivity, efficiency and evaluate dental assistant quality, making use of reporting data to drive decisions and strategies for quality assurance (QA) and quality improvement (QI).
9. Monitor Dental Assistant Quality dashboard.
10. Work in collaboration with the compliance team as well as the Infection Preventionist at sites to share best practices and enforce and report compliance issues for TJC standards and Infection Control standards per CDC and AAMI guidelines.
11. Evaluate and ensure compliance with preventive maintenance requirements at each practice site.
12. Work with the Associate Director of Health Care Operations (Dental and VBC), Dental Director, and Training Team to develop and implement organizational and clinical Dental Assistant training and onboarding plan.
13. Orient, educate and train newly hired dental assistants including EDR. EHR training is a shared responsibility with the training team.
14. Exhibit positive leadership skills, actively striving to improve the client and staff experience at LCHD, as well as strong communication skills.
15. Share responsibility with the Associate Director of Health Care Operations (Dental and VBC) assuring an appropriate clinical interface between dental sites.
16. Manage safety and compliance incidents or complaints directed at the dental assistant team, notifying the Associate Director of Health Care Operations (Dental and VBC Support as appropriate.
17. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• High School diploma or GED certificate.
• Successful completion of an accredited Dental Assisting program.
• Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) or Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) required.
• Three (3) years’ experience as a Dental Assistant required.

As the largest human service provider in Lake County, we believe that services must be available without barriers. No residents are turned away due to the inability to pay. We believe in providing services in an environment of mutual respect, free of discrimination or bias. Whether assuring accessible and effective care, impacting policy, or assessing and monitoring risks, the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center has been an essential part of the public health system in Lake County for 60 years. We are looking for passionate, qualified team members who can help make a difference in our agency and, most importantly, in our community.

Additional information about the Lake County Health Department, our culture, and why you should join our team can be found at our website.

Currently, you must reside in Illinois or Wisconsin to work for the Lake County Health Department. Any offer of employment is conditioned on the successful completion of a background screening, drug and alcohol testing and may include a pre-employment medical exam.

The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.