Dental Assistant

JOB DESCRIPTION    

Title:                                      Dental Assistant

FSLA Category:                    Non Exempt

Reports To:                           Center Manager

Date Issued:                         October 2016, Revised June 2023, May 2026

Greater Baden Medical Services (GBMS) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) dedicated to providing high-quality healthcare across Southern Maryland. With 9 clinical sites across Prince George's, Charles, and St. Mary's counties, we serve over 18,000 patients each year. We provide fully integrated care that includes primary care, pediatrics, women's health, Title X family planning, dental care, behavioral health, WIC, pharmacy services, and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program. Our patient population is primarily made up of Medicaid and uninsured individuals. We are deeply proud to deliver these vital services to everyone in our community, regardless of their ability to pay, making Greater Baden an incredibly rewarding place to grow your career while making a tangible, life-changing impact every day.

Job Summary:

Prepare the patient for treatment, assist the dentist in performing their treatment to the patient, prepare materials and equipment for treatment, take x-rays and assist the dentist in laboratory work. May perform other related work to include, but not limited to, making appointments, answer the phone, ordering supplies.

Essential Functions:

1. Prepares treatment room for patient by following prescribed procedures and protocols.
2. Prepares patient for dental treatment by welcoming, comforting, seating, and draping patient.
3. Provides information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
4. Provides instrumentation by sterilizing and delivering instruments to treatment area; positioning instruments for dentist's access; suctioning; passing instruments.
5. Provides materials by selecting, mixing, and placing materials on instruments and in the patient's mouth.
6. Provides diagnostic information by exposing and developing radiographic studies; pouring, trimming, and polishing study casts.
7. Maintains patient appearance and ability to masticate by fabricating temporary restorations; cleaning and polishing removable appliances.
8. Helps dentist manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining cpr certification, emergency drug and oxygen supply, and emergency telephone directory.
9. Educates patients by giving oral hygiene, plaque control, and postoperative instructions.
10. Documents dental care services by charting in patient records.
11. Maintains patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
12. Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
13. Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
14. Ensures operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; following manufacturer's instructions; troubleshooting malfunctions; calling for repairs; maintaining equipment inventories; evaluating new equipment and techniques.
15. Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies.
16. Conserves dental resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.

Nonessential Functions:

1. Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
2. Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Core Values: - Quality Respect Teamwork Equity Integrity Passion Love

Supervisory Responsibility- None

Managerial Responsibilities- None

Substitutions- None

Minimum Qualifications

1. High School diploma, GED, or equivalent certification of competency.
2. Certificate of completion from an accredited Dental Assisting Program.
3. Active Dental Assistant License.
4. Active Dental Radiation Technologist License.

Competencies Needed

Accountability – Meets established expectations and takes responsibility for achieving results; encourages others to do the same.

Communication – Listen and verbally in order to solve problems and provide information and direction, ensuring the experience is a positive one. Record issues and resolutions to maintain accurate records and data for further analysis by management.  

Organization – Effectively managing tasks and information and organize information to ensure a timely response to questions. Develops and uses systems to organize and keep track of information or work progress. 

Customer Focus – Connects meaningfully with customers to build emotional engagement and patient advocacy. Simplifies complexity and integrates internal efforts to deliver an optimal customer experience.

Time Management - Understands what is required and prioritizes to get tasks/projects completed and establishes/implements an effective course of action (ex. establishes appropriate deadlines). Reprioritizes work efforts based on changing situations and emerging issues (e.g., in response to organizational, systems, and/or schedule changes).

Work Environment

This job operates in an outpatient office environment. This role is frequently exposed to {fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibration}, and high stress situations or events.

Physical and Mental Demands

1. Ability to cope with stress.
2. The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office
3. Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer.
4. The person in this position frequently communicates with patients and/or employees. Must be able to summarize and exchange accurate information.
5. Must be able to lift or catch patient weighing more than 50 pounds in the event of emergency.
6. Performs with frequent interruption or distractions.
7. Adjust priorities quickly as circumstances dictate.
8. Ability to interact appropriately with colleagues for different purposes in different context.
9. Ability to perceive the nature of sound.
10. Expressing or exchanging information by means of the spoken word, or to convey detailed spoken instructions accurately, loudly or quickly.
11. Ability to judge distances and spatial relationships to perceive objects where and as they actually are.
12. Cognitive ability to analyze, count, summarize and synthesize information from multiple sources.
13. Ability to recognize social or professional behavioral cues.

Language Skills

Ability to read and interpret written or verbal documents and instructions. Ability to speak effectively to patients, employees and/or stakeholders of the organization.

Travel

Must be able to drive between Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc. locations is required.

Compliance

This position requires compliance with Greater Baden Medical Services (Health Center’s) compliance standards, including its Standards of Conduct, Compliance Program, and policies and procedures.  Such compliance will be an element considered as part of the Dental Assistant’s performance evaluation.