Dental Assistant

Job Description

Assists the dentist in the clinic in sterilization, preparation and inventory control of dental instruments and supplies.

Responsibilities

General:

• Provides age-specific patient-centered care utilizing the nursing process.
• Performs patient assessment using appropriate, problem-focused, and age-specific assessment techniques.
• Performs continual critical care assessment of patient and family’s physical and psychological needs.
• Involves the patient, significant others, and health care providers in the plan of care when appropriate.
• Collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care.
• Coordinates and plans critical care/clinical pathway, and prioritizes care, based on individual needs. Revise the care plan as necessary.
• Initiates appropriate transfer plan.
• Recognizes subtle cues to anticipate potential problems.
• Documents all relevant data in the medical record according to hospital/departmental standards.
• Ensures availability and maintenance of supplies and equipment needed for the unit and patient care.
• Performs clerical duties when needed.
• Assumes responsibility for meeting Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCIA) required mandatory education (e.g. fire, safety, infection control and others).
• Ensures clinical competencies as well as life support courses are up to date. 
• Participates in staff meetings and unit committees/projects.
• Participates in developing and achieving unit goals.
• Maintains a safe environment for patients and staff.
• Performs safe handling and administrating of Narcotic/Controlled and Semi-Controlled Drugs and documentation as directed by policies and procedures.
• Ensures completion of unit competencies i.e. pain management, and utilization of Emergency department devices.
• Maintains clinical and professional competency based on the latest research and established standards of practice.
• Completes yearly, the critical care nursing competencies (basic).
• Participates in unit-based Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities (data collection, CQI teams, incident reporting, customer complaint reporting, medication error reporting etc.).
• Participates in ongoing educational activities.
• Maintains mandatory educational requirements.
• Performs additional duties when required.

Unit Specific:

• Serves as dentist’s chair side assistant during dental procedures.
• Prepares and maintains dental instruments, treatment, supplies and equipment.
• Exposes and develops dental radiographs and performs independent procedures as delegated and directed by the dentist per the hospital policies and procedures.
• Maintains dental department equipment and work areas in compliance with hospital policies and procedures relative to infection control and safety issues, including the sterilization of all reusable dental instruments and equipment and the proper disposal of all contaminated or potentially contaminated materials.
• Maintains adequate operatory supplies and compiles a list for inventory control and ordering purposes.
• Keeps accurate records of patient current medical history and dental charting.
• Monitors patients during Nitrous Oxide sedation per hospital policies and procedures.
• Performs oral hygiene instructions.
• Books patient for appointment, procedure, or treatment according to treatment plan. 
• Follows up on patients’ diagnostic tests and coordinates with the dentist to inform patients about their results, and treatment, or if a follow-up is needed with the dentist.

Qualifications

• Qualification of Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), or Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) or
• Diploma in Dental Assistant/Dental Nursing/Hygienist or
• Bachelor’s degree in nursing (minimum of three (3) years full-time course duration) or
• Degree in Nursing (minimum two (2) years course duration) and Registration as a Registered Nurse from Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia
• For UAE nationals graduates of UAE or non-UAE universities are exempted from the experience and clinical training requirements for the applied title. (UAE National must submit a copy of their birth certificate and the mother’s family book)
• Non-UAE national graduates from UAE universities are required to successfully complete six (6) months of clinical training post-graduation in an APS health facility (except for Registered and assistant Nurse titles)
• Must hold a valid License/Registration to practice in their home country and/or country of last employment (where applicable)
• Must hold a minimum of a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification or others according to the scope of practice

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of four (4) years of nursing care/dental experience
• Previous experience in a Private Healthcare institute is an asset
• Knowledge of dental assisting techniques and procedures for all phases of general dentistry
• Ability to prioritize tasks ensuring effective functioning of the area
• Skills in assessment of patient and family’s physical and psychological needs
• Skills in coordination and planning of care and prioritising care based on individual needs