Dental Assistant, College of Dentistry

Dental Assistant, College of Dentistry

Primary Purpose: This position provides clinical support to Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Dental Therapy (DT), Dental Hygiene (DH) and Dental Assisting (DA) students, staff, faculty, and patients within a dentistry educational setting. The position is responsible for providing continuity of patient care and ensures timely, efficient, and effective service.

Nature of Work: As a part of teaching and learning, the College of Dentistry has a strong commitment to patient and clinical experience for its DMD, DH, DT, and DA students. Reporting to the Director of Clinics, under the direction of the Assistant Dean of Clinics, the Dental Assistant works with dental students, faculty, staff, and clinic patients to support the teaching, learning, and patient care functions from a coordination, administration, and technical teaching perspective. The position provides excellent customer service to all and must have a good overall understanding of Clinic and College policies and processes to appropriately meet the needs of the faculty, students, and patients. The Dental Assistant works in both small clinical settings and in a large, high volume, multi-disciplinary student clinic with shifting priorities. Due to high volumes of work in a busy clinical environment with frequent interruptions, this position requires the ability to multi-task with speed and accuracy as patient care and clinic income are directly affected. This position has little control of the work pace as pace is driven by clinic and student activity. Discretion is required as this position is privy to and works with sensitive and confidential patient information.

Clinics include 85 operatory general purpose Education Treatment Clinic, a 6-unit Fellowship Specialty Clinic, a 5 unit Oral Surgery Unit, and a Radiology Unit. Clinical Support Services also has associated responsibilities with the Dental Hygiene, Dental Therapy and Dental Assisting Program and Pre-clinical Labs for first and second year dental students). Additionally, the College has several outreach clinics which the Clinical Administration office will support.

Typical Duties:

• Directly or indirectly support the delivery of patient and clinical care
• Provides corrective and formative instructional feedback to students to support appropriate patient safety and appropriate procedural processes.
• Helps coordinate necessary schedules and activities for patient care and student learning
• Assists patients by acquainting them with policies, procedures, costs relevant to their care and helping them navigate the system as necessary
• Responds to patient inquiries and concerns in-person, via phone or email.
• Provides chairside support to students, staff and faculty in dental procedures
• Provides support in preclinical activities when required
• Provide support for Infection Prevention and Control protocols including but not limited to: conducting patient, staff and student screenings, cleaning and disinfecting of workspace, assisting with teaching and enforcing the protocols to students, staff and faculty.
• Uses and monitors the Electronic Health Record to ensure students enter timely and accurate information and facilitating corrections as required
• Audits and reviews patient charts to monitor patient progress and ensure proper protocol is being followed by students
• Attends regular meetings to ensure delivery of patient care and student experience is consistent within the clinic
• Facilitates patient referrals for specialty services
• Assist with student orientations and demonstrations
• Sterilizes, distributes and maintains dental instruments and equipment maintaining overall asepsis in clinical areas
• Updates policies and procedure manuals as directed
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications
Education: Completion of Grade 12; and a current Registered Dental Assistant Level II license in Saskatchewan with knowledge of current infection control procedures is required. Ortho Training is an asset.

Within the first six months of employment in this position, the incumbent will be provided with the following training Infection Control and Safety; CPR and AED Certification; Biosafety Certificate; and WHMIS training.

Experience: 1 - 4 years’ experience in clinical dentistry, with experience as a Dental Assistant is required. Experience working with the public in a busy environment is required. Experience in dental administration and digital imaging (intra and extra-oral) would be an asset. A combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.

Skills:

• Proven effective interpersonal and mentoring skills with the ability to build an effective, positive and respectful working environment for patients, students and other staff;
• Effective organization, coordination and time management skills;
• Effective written and oral communication;
• Demonstrated ability to perform duties and responsibilities in a pleasant, positive, and professional manner
• Ability to interpret and apply departmental policies and procedures, and apply basic analytical skills to problems where clear precedent may not exist;
• Skill in organizing and executing multiple assignments under specific time constraints;
• Skill in exercising initiative, resourcefulness, and sound judgment with an ability to solve problems and make decisions;
• Keyboarding skills and proficiency with MS Office is required;
• Experience with Electronic Health Records would be an asset;
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment with a team approach to delivery of patient care;
• Ability to independently perform specialized tasks following stated procedures;
• Ability to manage and prioritize competing deadlines;
• Ability to communicate and co-operate effectively with all levels of management, staff, faculty, students and patients within and outside of the College;
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and tact;
• Ability to establish and evaluate administrative methods and procedures to negotiate resolution to scheduling and procedural problems