Dental Assistant/RDA - Heart of the City

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This role includes supporting the clinical and operational teams.  Responsible for performing in chair-side fourhanded dentistry of care/treatment of patients with general chairside duties, sterilization, patient care, and, if licensed, performing expanded functions permitted by the Michigan Board of Dentistry for RDA’s.

Business hours Monday – Saturday, early morning, late night and weekends and travel may be required to accomplish the essential job functions of this role

Must adhere to the Personnel Policies, Code of Ethics, and all licensing and accreditation standards of the position.  Must represent the organization’s Mission and Key Values in all actions, communications, and representations with all contacts.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

General Clinical Duties (DA & RDA):

• Prepare operatory rooms and instruments for dental procedures.
• Assist the dentist during exams, fillings, extractions, crowns, and other procedures.
• Take and process dental radiographs (X-rays).
• Ensure strict compliance with sterilization and infection control guidelines.
• Adhere to PPE and safety protocols at all times
• Comfort and educate patients before, during, and after treatment.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records.
• Provide oral hygiene and post-op instructions to patients.
• Support front desk operations as needed, including scheduling and confirming appointments.
• Taking and recording patient vital signs as needed.  i.e Blood Pressure, Glucose
• May be required to translate other languages if applicable
• Other duties as assigned

Expanded Functions (RDA Only – as allowed under Michigan law):

• Place and carve amalgam restorations.
• Place and finish composite restorations.
• Perform coronal polishing.
• Take final impressions for fixed and removable appliances.
• Apply pit and fissure sealants.
• Place temporary crowns and bridges.
• Place bases and liners.
• Use matrix bands and wedges.
• Take preliminary impressions for diagnostic models.
• Applying sealants and fluoride
• Remove excess cement from supragingival surfaces
• Polish teeth before a procedure that requires acid etching
• Replace existing temporary restorations, crowns, and bridges
• Cement and remove temporary crowns
• Remove sutures
• Place, condense, and carve amalgam restorations
• Place Class I bonded restorations, occlusal adjustment, finish, and polish with non-tissue cutting rotary hand pieces
• Take final impressions for indirect restorations
• Assist and monitor of N2O (upon course completion)
• Perform pulp vitality testing
• Place and remove matrices and wedges, rubber dams, and norepinephrine retraction cord.
• Apply cavity liners and bases
• Apply desensitizing agents
• Take impressions for mouth guards and bite splints.
• Dry endodontic canals with absorbent points

• Under the direction of the Dentist and after attending all required hospital orientation, a dental assistant may assist the Dentist in dental procedures performed in a hospital operating room.  Specific duties would be similar to those performed in the clinic setting. 
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SKILLS / KNOWLEDGE / ABILITIES:

Basic Life Support/CPR training according to requirements of license and/or certification.

Promotes and believes in NHSI mission statement “Health for All”.

Ability to relate to the public regardless of ethnic, religion and economic status.

Ability to work in a team environment.

CSHS reserves the right to assign a different location(s) dependent upon business necessity.

KEY VALUES:

• Customer Service
• Collaboration
• Integrity
• Respect
• Professionalism
• Learning

EDUCATION / LICENSES / CERTIFICATES:

Required (DA or RDA):

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Graduate of an accredited dental assisting program or equivalent experience.<