Oral Surgery Dental Assistant

Akahi Associates/Kako'o Services, LLC; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 22,650 - 32,260; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness benefits

Vacation and sick leave

401(K) matching with employee participation

Job summary

Akahi Associates/Kako'o Services, LLC is seeking an Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Assistant to support an oral surgeon during complex procedures. Responsibilities include patient scheduling, managing X-rays, and assisting in the operating room.

The ideal candidate must have graduated from a formal dental assistant program and possess CPR, ACLS, and PALS certifications. This position offers competitive pay and various benefits.

Qualifications

• Graduate from a dental assistant program with clinical experience.
• Certification in basic CPR, ACLS, and PALS required.
• Experience in dental assisting within the last two years.

Responsibilities

• Assist oral surgeon in complex maxillofacial procedures.
• Schedule patients and record medical history.
• Manage dental X-ray equipment and radiographs.

Skills

Oral and maxillofacial assisting

Patient monitoring skills

X-ray equipment operation

Sterilization procedures

Surgical assistance

Education

Graduates from a formal dental assistant program

Certification in CPR

Certified in ACLS and PALS

Job description

Overview

Location: Fort Sam Houston, TX

Hours of Performance: The performance hours of the MTF are as follows: In general, all Dental Clinics are open between the hours of 0600-1700, Monday-Friday. Routine Clinic hours may vary by location.

Regular dental services may be scheduled between 0600 hrs. (6:00 a.m.) and 2200 hrs. (10:00 p.m.) Monday through Friday, excluding U.S. Federal holidays. Depending on mission requirements, services may be required on weekends.

Pay: $19.93/hr & Health & Wellness $5.09*/hr worked (in lieu of benefits)

Benefits: Vest vacation, sick leave, holiday leave, Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, Short Term Disability

Optional Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(K) matching with employee participation in 401(K) plan

Responsibilities

• Serves as sole assistant to an oral surgeon in a variety of complex oral maxillofacial procedures performed in the hospital operating room and dental clinic.
• Receives and schedules patients for treatment.
• Obtains and records information related to medical history of patient and routes patients for medical tests and services when required.
• Takes preliminary dental impressions plus pours and trims study models from impressions.
• Responsible for maintenance and equipment of surgical section of the dental laboratory.
• Operates the dental X-ray equipment for routine and specifically requested intraoral and extraoral radiographs to include panographic, facial bone, and cephalometric radiographs.
• Exposes, develops, mounts, and labels all radiographs.
• Processes laboratory specimen and routes to the pathology laboratory.
• Prepares the dental clinic and hospital operating room for any of several types of surgical procedures.
• Obtains necessary supplies and equipment and selects proper instruments for the specific surgery.
• Attaches and activates major patient monitoring equipment.
• Sets up instruments, equipment, and materials; prepares patient for surgery; and obtains and records patient’s vital signs such as pulse, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate.
• Assists the surgeon in administering IV medications.
• Performs a variety of scrub duties in preparation of intraoral and extraoral procedures.
• Anticipates the oral surgeon’s needs and assists the oral surgeon in the hospital operating room in a variety of complex oral and maxillofacial procedures that involve lengthy, delicate surgery such as malignant growths, correction of congenital anomalies such as cleft palates, prognathism, traumatic injuries that require mandibular ramus surgery, implants, and other conditions that impair respiratory and masticatory functioning.
• Retracts vital vessel, nerve, and muscle structures and ensures that precautions are taken to prevent injury to these structures.
• Ensures patient does not aspirate fluids and that injuries to the lip, tongue, cheeks, and skin are prevented.
• Assists in wiring splints and maintains placement of retractors.
• Passes and uses materials in precise order and detailed fashion to prevent cross-contamination of surgical instruments.
• Prepares and places surgical dressings, removes contaminated instruments from the operating field, and cuts sutures on direction.
• Monitors the patient under general anesthesia or sedation throughout surgery and closely observing numerical displays, facings, and audible alarms.
• Informs the oral surgeon of abnormal vital signs that include pulse rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and oxygen saturations.
• Applies, changes, and removes dressings, sutures, and other maxillofacial appliances as directed by the oral surgeon.
• Provides oral hygiene instructions for care of prosthodontic appliances and post-surgical instructions to patients.
• Cleans and sterilizes materials, instruments, and equipment IAW OSHA Regulations.
• Maintains dental equipment in a clean and operative condition.
• Orders and stores dental supplies.
• Records treatment and examination information on patient records, prepares consent form for anesthesia and surgery, and prepares prescriptions for dentist’s signature.

Qualifications

Education/Experience: Shall be graduates from a formal dental assistant program, with a curriculum of a minimum of three (3) months in length plus at least six (6) months of clinical dental assisting experience or have at least one (1) year of clinical dental assisting experience. Oral and maxillofacial surgery assistants must have completed their training or have dental assisting experience within the past two (2) years and must have at least three (3) additional months of assisting experience in either an office based out-patient surgery practice or the operating room.

Certifications: Shall be certified in basic Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) that is approved by the American Red Cross or American Heart Association and reads Healthcare Provider Course in the subjects listed prior to beginning performance at the Dental Health. Must be certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), prior to the beginning of the contract and maintain certification throughout the term of the contract.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

Only qualified individuals who are being considered will be contacted for an interview.