Dental Assistant - Job Description
Equipment Management
- Check treatment rooms for cleanliness; make necessary changes
- Check and turn on treatment room equipment
- Accurately prepare trays for treatment according to each patients’ treatment (preferably night before)
- Set-up treatment rooms for 1st hour patients the night before
- Clean treatment rooms after each visit by discarding all disposable items, assembling soiled instruments, and placing them in sterilization area and cleaning treatment room surfaces with disinfectant solution
- Presoak soiled instruments and place them in an ultrasonic cleaner tank
- Package and load instruments into the proper sterilizer
- Store instruments in appropriate places
- Mix required cleaning solutions and keep them fresh
- Clean sterilizers and ultrasonic cleaner tank
- Clean up treatment rooms at the end of the day; turn off equipment
- Check patient charts and laboratory work orders at the end of each day
- Maintain a supply inventory for treatment rooms and laboratory
- Submit supply orders to business manager once a month or as necessary
- Make an annual clean-up of storage areas for the practice
Patient Management
- Escort patients into treatment rooms and make them comfortable
- Prepare patients for treatment; explain scheduled treatments to patients
- Communicate with patients in a clear and professional manner
- Check on patient comfort during treatment; helps allay patient anxiety
- Hand dental instruments to dentist in an accurate and timely manner
- Prepare necessary treatment materials in an accurate and timely manner
- Enter/take accurate notes on the provided treatment
- Check on post-operative patients
- Provide post-treatment instructions and materials to patients
- Escort patients to the front office after visits
Laboratory Duties
- Pour & Trim Models
- Mail out and check in cases
Clerical
- Maintain daily phone list of patients who require follow-up call by dentist (after work call back)
- Assist the receptionist and business administrator with telephone, billing, filing, and typing as needed.
Back Office Duties
- Arrive 15-20 minutes before the first patient(s) seen
- Set up rooms (Try to complete day before)
- Unload autoclave and store instruments away
- Fill ultrasonic with water and tablet
- Morning huddle (review schedule) begins at 8:45AM
- Bring patient(s) back into treatment room(s) for dentist and hygienist:
- For patients new to the practice – Place blood pressure cuff on patient’s left wrist and have patient lay hand across chest, and review health history (PRE-MED, DRUG/OTHER ALLERGIES). Explain that x-rays will be taken (FMX/BWX/PAs) depending on history and take x-rays.
- For returning patients:
- Recare – Take x-rays if needed, may begin polishing for child or adult, if plaque or gum inflammation is mild.
- Treatment – Dependent on initial steps
- Break down and wipe-down/clean rooms after patient are escorted to front desk after treatment Run instruments through cleaning cycle:
- Place instruments/burs in ultrasonic and run when instruments collect. Do not wait till instruments are piled up, then dry and bag as indicated.
- Place handpieces in Quattro-Care unit (at end of day), then bag as indicated; Pour, trim models and make bleaching trays and occlusal guards (if trained); Keep lab area clean
- Replace traps on chairs every 2-3 weeks or sooner if needed
- Clean off alginate and PVS impression from trays for cold sterile soaking
- Sweep/Mop floors every Friday (time permitting)
- Empty and take out trash from under-sink cabinets, lab area and kitchen as needed Stock rooms weekly
- List all supplies that are low (on order sheet in lab)
- Place order with Dr. Putrasahan’s log-in to Henry Schein website
- Assist with Front Office clerical duties when back-office duties completed and time permitting.