Dental Assistant

Description

Job title

DENTAL ASSISTANT 

#FPCN-DA-11-08192024

Reports to

Practice Manager

Location

850 N 11th St., Philadelphia

Program Summary 

The Family Practice & Counseling Network (FPCN) provides comprehensive primary care, dental and behavioral health services. We stand behind the belief that all people are entitled to accessible, comprehensive, quality, and affordable health care, and that care must be delivered in a culturally competent, trauma-informed and compassionate manner by caring for the whole person – mind, body & spirit.  The network’s mission is to provide person-centered, integrated and comprehensive health services to individuals and families across their lifespan. The network promotes resiliency and well-being among patients, staff and surrounding communities.  

We are a network of 3 comprehensive health centers, one convenient care center and six school-based health centers in Philadelphia.   

Today, FPCN serves more than 15,000 patients annually and is a NCQA certified Patient-Centered Medical Home and recognized by HRSA as a National Quality Leader for Behavioral Health. 

FPCN is opening Philadelphia’s First Birth Center; its collaborating hospital is the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. This brand new 30,000 sq ft space will feature exam rooms, birthing suites, community meeting rooms and a gorgeous community garden park. The Family Health and Birthing Center will provide full prenatal, birth, and postpartum care in Southwest Philadelphia. Services include education on nutrition, exercise, childbirth preparation, breastfeeding, infant, and self-care; and mental health and substance abuse therapy for those who need it. These services will be provided by interdisciplinary teams of professionals led by nurse midwives and doulas, including behavioral health specialists, addiction counselors, social workers, and registered nurses. Additional services will include transportation assistance; lactation counseling; prenatal and parenting education; legal services; and complementary mind/body services, such as yoga, massage, and meditation. All staff will have training in anti-racism, justice, diversity, and inclusion (A-JEDI), trauma-informed care, and sanctuary model practices.  

Position Summary

The Dental Assistant supports dental care delivery by preparing treatment rooms, patients, instruments, and materials to provide quality care. In addition, Dental Assistant’s perform a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties, and provide chair-side assistance to dentists during exam. 

Team members are expected uphold the health center mission by assuring that patients receive health care that is competent, caring, and meets with a high degree of satisfaction. In addition, staff must support FPCN's commitment to the creation of a trauma-informed system of care that continually recognizes and responds to the impact of traumatic stress on all those who have contact with the organization, including children, adults, families, caregivers, and staff.

Essential Duties and Functions

1. Prepares and maintains dental instruments, supplies (materials, cement, amalgam, composite, impression), and equipment.
2. Assemble instrumentation by sterilizing and delivering instruments to treatment area, positioning instruments for dentist’s access, suctioning, and passing instruments.
3. Collects and records patient health information thoroughly in the electronic health record regarding all treatment plans and procedures completed. 
4. Manage patients and educate on all procedures during dental procedure/treatment. 
5. Seat patients in exam room as soon as possible after patients are checked in perform medical history update, blood pressure reading and x-rays as determined by the doctor 
6. Help to confirm the clinic schedule in conjunction with front desk staff
7. Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, anticipating needed supplies, checking and stocking all operatory for supplies and ensuring there fully stocked. 
8. Print x-rays as needed as well as periodontal and full mouth charting from electronic health record for Endo, Crowns, Removable Prosthetics and scaling/root planning’s for insurance preauthorization and billing for treatment completed. 
9. Complete lab work on time (Models, trays, occlusal rims) 
10. Coordinate outgoing and incoming lab cases, assuring that lab slips and return dates are correct and calling labs for pickups. 
11. Flush water lines daily and perform DUWL disinfection procedures weekly. 
12. Maintain HIPAA and protect patients and