Dental Assistant 1

Job Description

The School of Dentistry’s Campus Dental Center has an outstanding opportunity for a Dental Assistant 1 to join their team.

About this Opportunity

Reporting to the Dental Clinic Manager of the UW Dentistry Camus Dental Center, the Dental Assistant 1 must work under the direct supervision of their assigned provider. The DA1 is expected to communicate with their manager when they see areas for operational improvement or ways to improve the safety of the clinical environment.

At the UW Dentistry Campus Dental Center, patients receive care by highly skilled, experienced UW School of Dentistry faculty and GPR Residents. Our experienced providers offer comprehensive oral care services to UW students, UW employees, their families, and guests. Patients can find all dental specialties in one convenient location, on campus at the Health Sciences Building. UW Dentistry Campus Dental Center is committed is committed to providing an environment where every employee feels welcomed, valued, and appreciated.

Desirable candidates for this position must have the ability to work independently and be a reliable team player with a strong work ethic. The DA1 must demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, resolve conflict in a positive manner, and interact with patients, staff, faculty, and students on a professional level at all times. They must also be able to handle difficult situations professionally and use good judgement while upholding the policies of the University of Washington and UW School of Dentistry (UWSOD).

Key Responsibilities

The Dental Assistant 1 in this position may assist chairside with one provider for long periods of time, as in typical dental assisting, or move from provider to provider to assist them during critical times of their patient care procedures and as needed. The DA1 must have the ability to prioritize work and understand when and how the residents or faculty providers need them. When assisting students, the DA1 should communicate constructively to the residents to help them gain as much as possible from their learning experience at the UW Dentistry Campus Dental Center. The DA1 must be caring and helpful yet be able to be firm if people within the clinic are not following the policies and guidelines of the clinic or Standard of Care.

The Dental Assistant 1 will be expected to communicate daily with the clinic faculty and resident providers to develop an excellent working relationship with them. The Dental Assistant 1 assigned in the clinic must be aware of the needs of the providers and assist them as needed.

Assisting Responsibilities (60%)

• Provide excellent customer service to the School’s patients, students, faculty, and staff.

• Aid dental residents and/or faculty in four-handed dentistry and in routine chair-side duties and patient care.

• Provide residents with knowledge and ideas to help aid in the dental care educational process.

• Clean and prepare treatment area.

• Keep all areas clean, orderly, and neat.

• Obtain and mix dental materials.

• Ability to expose digital intra and extraoral radiographs.

• May conduct inventories and stock supplies.

• Monitor school-owned instruments for breakage and wear.

• Assess replacement needs.

• Monitor and maintain clinic hand pieces.

• Take impressions for study models and opposing models.

• Mechanical polishing to amalgam restorations, clinical crowns and supragingival areas

• Place matrix and wedge.

• Remove excess cement.

• Fabricate, place, and remove temporary fillings.

• Expose digital dental x-ray images.

• Deliver fluoride treatments.

• Teach oral hygiene.

• Remove dry socket dressing and periodontal pack

• Remove sutures; pack and medicate extraction areas.

• Assist in the administration of nitrous oxide analgesia.

• Under direct supervision maintain IV, controlled substance, and non-narcotic drug inventories log and check emergency drugs for expiration dates.

• Placement of retraction cord

• Select denture shade and mold.

• Acid etch and apply sealants.

• Place cotton rolls and holders.

• Other duties as provided in the dental laws of the State of Washington

• Assist in the treatment of disabled patients and/or patients admitted in the clinic;

• Take and record vital signs when patients are sedated.

• Instruct patients in the appropriate role of dental assistants in the delivery of patient care; assist in various four-handed techniques, such as anesthetic administration, instrument grasps and transfer and gold foil malleating.

• Take and record vital signs and review health history with patients.

• May perform all duties of a Dental Assistant to the full extent of licensure.

Sterilization Responsibilities (20%) 

• Check instruments and cassettes keeping detailed records of all assets.

• Maintain and operate autoclaves and sterilization equipment; disinfect items and follow pre-sterilization and sterilization-established protocol. Duties include scrubbing, ultrasonic operation, drying, sorting, resetting, packaging and labeling instrument setups. 

• Assemble dental instrument packs.

• Store sterile and disinfected set-ups in preparation for delivery of patient care.

• Monitor school-owned instruments for breakage and wear; assess replacement needs. 

• Monitor and maintain hand pieces sterilization.

• Perform weekly spore testing on autoclaves and other sterilizers. 

• Keep all areas clean, orderly, and neat. 

• Inspect, assemble, package, label and date instruments and cassettes. 

• Perform additional sterilization duties as assigned. 

Clinic Upkeep (15%)

• Operate and maintain steam autoclave, clean all operatories and clinic areas, prepare treatment areas, and deliver hazardous waste to proper facilities between procedures.

• Maintain clean clinic environments, for example: daily dusting and cleaning of units and sterilization area; organizing and restocking supplies; sorting laundry; report housekeeping needs requiring a UW Facilities response request by the Clinic Manager.

• Maintain all surgical treatment equipment.

Clinic Operations (2%)

• Support front desk staff members in scheduling patient appointments and assigning patients to dentists and Residents.

• Confirm patient lab cases and any clinical records are available to the provider at the time of the patient’s appointment.

• Instruct and orientate new clinic staff and new residents in the use of equipment, e.g., oral image sensors and other equipment devices.

• Collaborate with managers and faculty to identify and evaluate patient issues and clinic processes and make operational recommendations for improvements when necessary.

• Articulate appropriate workplace behavior and foster compliance, identifying concerns and/or problems, and utilizing appropriate resources to assist in resolution.

• Comply with aseptic and sterile protocols by following Washington State infection control  protocols and guidelines and adhere to WISHA/OSHA regulations.

• Follow current HIPAA  policies regarding PHI related to IT equipment, email communication, phone or other communication, and proper handling, disposal or destruction of information and documents.

Additional Duties (3%):

• Process dental records requests for the school and ensure they are completed in accordance with legal and HIPPA regulations

• Perform related duties as required.

• This position performs essential services and may be required to work during any period of declared suspended operation.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Department. 

• Completion of a training program for dental assistants; current certification as a dental assistant (CDA) or the ability to obtain same within six months; or six months of dental assistant experience.

• Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Legal Requirement

Registration with the State of Washington as a Dental Assistant

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Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

Pay Range Maximum:

Other Compensation:

Benefits:

Shift:

Temporary or Regular?

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

Union/Bargaining Unit:

About the UW 

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.  

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Our Commitment 

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu. 

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.