DENTAL ASSISTANT - 64002285

Requisition No: 858311 

Agency: Department of Health

Working Title: DENTAL ASSISTANT - 64002285

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 64002285 

Salary:  $ 34,760.00 - $ 39,353.60 

Posting Closing Date: 08/14/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

 

Job posting category (Internal)

Applicants accepted only from Department of Health employees, (includes OPS, Career Service, SES or SMS employees). Applicants will not be accepted from outside of the department.

 

Your Specific Responsibilities:

The Incumbent, an employee of the Florida Department of Health in Putnam County, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, County, and community efforts.  The incumbent is expected to promote Innovation by searching for creative solutions and managing resources wisely.  They are expected to collaborate through teamwork to achieve common goals and solve problems. The incumbent is expected to be accountable and perform with integrity and respect. They are expected to be responsive by serving our customers and engaging our partners.  Finally, the incumbent is expected to perform with excellence by promoting quality outcomes through learning and continuous performance.  This is a Dental Assistant position located at the Putnam County Health Department and functions under the supervision of the Dentist. This work provides dental assisting with preventive and educational dental health programs.

Assists the Dentist/Dental Hygienist in all phases of dentistry by utilizing current concepts of fourhanded dentistry to increase productivity, reduce client stress, and improve quality of dental care.  Performs all pre-op and post-op clinical duties.  Utilizes safe needle/sharps handling and control; prepares and loads local anesthetic syringes; safely disposes of needles and local anesthetics (if applicable).  Adheres to established State infection control guidelines, Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, and Local Operating Procedures.  Minimizes the possibility of occupational hazards and exposure to infectious and communicable diseases among patient and staff. 

 Ensures all dental forms (e.g., consent, health history, and other relevant treatment documentation are available, completed, signed, and organized for the Dentist before and after each procedure.  Verifies client’s identification prior to seating and draping.  Takes and records vital signs (e.g., blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration) and informs Dentist/Dental Hygienist of vitals prior to the start of each procedure.  Mixes and assists with preparing various restorative and impression materials, waxes, and resin products.

Follows dental radiograph capturing and processing mandates and regulations.  Captures, processes, and ensures all radiographs are of diagnostic quality.  Uses barriers and disinfects all x-ray equipment after each use.  Provides relief during absences/vacancies as required to ensure continuity of dental treatment for chairside, back-office and self-care duties.

Lead Dental Assistant coordinates dental back-office schedule with Senior Clerk’s front office to ensure the dental office flow runs smoothly. Oversees dental operatories and provide comments, feedback, and tips to management staff on improving operations. Trains new Dental Assistants in Putnam CHD clinical operation.  Maintains (e.g., stocks, restocks, orders, and inventories) dental supplies e.g., local anesthetic, gauze, cotton rolls, filling materials, needles, patient bibs) and ensures enough are readily available for the Dentist/Dental Hygienist.  Completes inventory sheets, requisition forms through MFMP under the direction of the Dentist and or Sr. Public Health Services Manager.  Monitors expirations dates on all applicable dental materials. 

Plans, organizes, coordinates, and provides Oral Hygiene Instruction (OHI) to clients.  Educates clients on the importance of proper oral hygiene (e.g., brushing, and flossing techniques); informs patients of available dental services.  Performs chart reviews prior to the patients scheduled appointment to ensure charts are up to date.

Presoaks, cleans, and decontaminates, rinses, dries, bags, wraps, or packages, sterilizes, and properly stores all dental instrument, tools, and hand pieces. Monitors the sterilization process and performs spore tests as required. Mails spore tests (if applicable) or process sample through the incubation process for analysis and maintains a log with test dates and results of analysis.   Properly disposes of bio-hazardous dental waste materials (e.g., extracted teeth, bone, tissue, blood-soaked gauze, used dental sharps). Follows the m