Senior Dental Assistant

Senior Dental Assistant

Job ID: 300501
Location: Augusta University
Full/Part Time: Full
Time
Regular/Temporary:

*

About Us

Augusta University is Georgia’s innovation center for
education and health care, training the next generation of innovators, leaders, and healthcare providers in classrooms and clinics on four
campuses in Augusta and locations across the state. More than 12,000 students choose Augusta for educational opportunities at the center of
Georgia’s cybersecurity hub and experiential learning that blends arts and application, humanities, and the health sciences. Augusta is home
to Georgia’s only public academic health center, where groundbreaking research is creating a healthier, more prosperous Georgia, and
world-class clinicians are bringing the medicine of tomorrow to patient care today. Our mission and values https://www.augusta.edu/about/mis
sion.php make Augusta University an institution like no other.

Augusta University’s distinct characteristics in education and
research include real-world experiences and community engagement, as well as a culture of building community, corporate and government
partnerships that address health, security, economic and societal concerns locally and across the state.

The University System of
Georgia https://www.usg.edu/hr/orientation/welcome_to_the_board_of_regents_university_system_office is comprised of our 26
institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence,
Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is
responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are
available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at
https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as
stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at https://www.usg.edu/policym
anual/section6/C2653.

Location

Augusta University –

Our Health Sciences Campus:

1120 15th Street,
Augusta, GA 30912

Our Summerville Campus:

2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904

College/Department Information

The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University, we provide dental education to the next generation of professionals by offering
hands-on education through innovative research, patient care, and service. Join other dental providers to improve the oral health of Georgia
and beyond. The DCG was founded to provide the people of Georgia with quality dental care by educating students in dentistry. As a patient,
you have the option to receive treatment in one of our three different practice models consisting of student clinics, resident care, or in
the faculty practice. All dental treatments can be completed by the specialists in our facility. We also serve patients in more than 20
clinics across Georgia.

Job Summary

Performs comprehensive chairside assisting in all phases of dental care,
including emergency dentistry, restorative procedures, pediatrics, orthodontics, prosthodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, implant
surgeries, and periodontics. Supports clinical operations through a variety of responsibilities, including but not limited to preventive and
routine maintenance of dental operatories and equipment; operation of radiographic equipment and completion of required radiological
procedures; and clerical tasks and front-desk/receptionist functions to support patient intake and scheduling. Executes dental laboratory
duties, including pouring and trimming molds, and fabricating custom dental appliances (e.g., bleaching trays, mouthguards, splints,
nightguards). Serves as a liaison between patients, staff, students, residents, and faculty to facilitate effective communication, workflow
coordination, and continuity of care within the Dental College.

Responsibilities

The duties include, but are not
limited to:

CHAIR SIDE ASSISTANCE:

• Assist dental students, residents, and/or faculty in the treatment of patients
  requiring emergency, restorative, prosthodontic, periodontic, endodontic, and/or oral surgery services.
• Participate in four-handed
  dentistry, providing chairside support with air, water, suction, and instrumentation. Accurately mix and prepare dental materials as
  required.
• Assist in managing challenging clinical situations, including apprehensive or pre-medicated adult patients.
• Aid in
  the placement of rubber dams and the preparation of local anesthetic syringes. Properly dispose of sharps in designated containers
  immediately after the patient’s discharge.
• Utilize a mouth mirror for indirect vision and gentle retraction of the patient’s cheek,
  maintaining patient comfort and avoiding unnecessary pressure on oral tissues.
• Operate high-volume evacuation equipment with care
  and precision, ensuring suction remains stable during the use of handpieces or instruments.
• Comply with all published guidelines
  regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and clinical infection control protocols. Maintain awareness of MSDS (Material
  Safety Data Sheets) and properly handle and dispose of hazardous materials.

OPERATORY MAINTENANCE AND SUPPLY
MANAGEMENT:

• Manages and replenishes dental and specialty supplies to ensure operatories are consistently stocked and ready for
  use.
• Maintains assigned operatories in a clean, organized, and fully functional state throughout the day.
• Ensures dental
  equipment is cleaned and maintained in proper operative condition daily.
• Prepares, packages, and maintains dental instruments and
  equipment in accordance with infection control protocols, including coordination with Central Sterilization to ensure timely processing and
  retrieval, thereby supporting clinical operations.

DENTAL LABORATORY SUPPORT AND PROSTHODONTIC FABRICATION:

• Performs
  a variety of dental laboratory tasks, including pouring prosthodontic models from impressions, cleaning and trimming models, boxing and
  waxing impressions, and fabricating custom appliances.
• Constructs custom trays, night guards, mouth guards, bleaching trays, and
  bite rims to support patient care and prosthodontic treatment planning.
• Polishes dentures and prosthodontic appliances to ensure
  proper finish and patient comfort
• Takes and mounts face-bow records to achieve proper occlusion for cast
  restorations.
• Relines dentures using both hard and soft reline materials as needed for clinical
  adjustments.

RADIOLOGY:

• Operates dental radiographic equipment to obtain intraoral and extraoral images as requested
  by clinical faculty or providers.
• Explain radiographic procedures clearly to patients to ensure understanding and
  cooperation.
• Properly positions and secures lead aprons and collars to protect patients during imaging
  procedures.
• Processes, reviews, and uploads radiographs into the patient’s electronic record system, ensuring accurate and timely
  documentation.

IV SEDATION:

• Assist with IV sedation

OPERATORY PREPARATION:

• Prepares
  operatories for patient treatment, ensuring appropriate instruments, materials, and equipment are laid out according to procedural
  requirements.
• Seats and drapes patients explain upcoming procedures to ensure patient understanding and comfort.
• Assists
  with clinical procedures by mixing materials for impressions and restorations and assembling anesthetic syringes.
• Prepares surgical
  operatories, including proper draping of all fields to maintain a sterile environment following surgical protocols.
• Assists in
  various specialty areas as needed, depending on clinic demands and work schedule availability.

CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION AND
CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL SUPPORT:

• Enters clinical findings into the electronic health record as dictated by the dentist and ensures
  patient medical and dental histories are accurately updated.
• Assists in scheduling follow-up appointments to support continuity of
  care.
• Provides support across departmental areas as needed to ensure smooth clinical and academic operations.
• Assists with
  the fabrication of instructional materials and items used in pre-clinical courses, contributing to the educational mission of the Dental
  College.

OUTREACH, BOARD SUPPORT, AND SPECIAL EVENT PARTICIPATION:

• Provides dental assisting services at off-campus
  sites where the Dental College of Georgia delivers educational programs or patient care, utilizing personal transportation with mileage
  reimbursed at Augusta University rates.
• Participates in board examinations, including ADEX, CRDTS, Mock Boards, and other
  certification events as needed throughout the year. This may include weekend assignments.
• Assists with Health Fairs and community
  outreach efforts, both on and off campus, by supporting faculty in screenings, distributing educational materials, engaging with
  participants, and promoting the mission and services of the Dental College of Georgia.

INFECTION CONTROL, SAFETY, AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS:

• Follows all published guidelines regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and clinical infection
  control protocols as established by federal and state regulations, Augusta University, and the Dental College of Georgia. This includes, but
  is not limited to, the proper disposal of sharps (such as syringes, needles, and scalpel blades), handling of contaminated materials, and
  disposal of hazardous waste.
• Adheres to institutional emergency response protocols, including incident reporting procedures in the
  event of a medical emergency.
• Prepared to administer basic emergency support procedures until professional medical personnel
  arrive.

OTHER: Perform other duties as assigned by DCG Operations Management.

Required Qualifications

High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent from a recognized state or federal accrediting organization with two years of related
experience.

OR

Certified Dental Assistant and/or Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university with one
year of experience in dentistry

OR

One year of experience as a Dental Assistant at the Dental College of Georgia.

OR

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with dental knowledge.

Preferred
Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a focus in dental or health-related
studies.

Graduation from a Certified Dental Assisting program.

Current CPR certification.

Intraoral Radiographic
Certification and training in radiological safety.

Minimum of two years of experience as a dental assistant in a general dentistry or
multi-specialty practice, including hands-on experience in:

a.) Mixing dental materials

b.) Taking intraoral and panoramic
x-rays

c.) Chairside dental assisting in multiple dental disciplines, such as: Operative, Crown and Bridge, Removable
Prosthodontics, Periodontics, Endodontics, Oral Surgery, Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, and Esthetic Dentistry

Proficiency in
spoken Spanish in a clinical setting.

Certification as a Dental Surgical Anesthesia Assistant or the ability to obtain this
certification within the first year of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

KNOWLEDGE

Understanding of dental terminology, procedures, and infection control
protocols.

Familiarity with chairside assisting in general dentistry and various specialties (e.g., oral surgery, endodontics,
prosthodontics, periodontics).

Working knowledge of dental instruments, materials, and sterilization techniques.

Basic
knowledge of radiographic techniques and safety protocols (if radiograph-certified).

Awareness of HIPAA regulations and standards for
patient confidentiality.

Understanding of dental charting systems and electronic health records
(EHR).

SKILLS

Proficient in four-handed dentistry and the use of dental suction, retraction, and isolation
techniques.

Skilled in taking and processing dental radiographs.

Capable of preparing dental materials (e.g., amalgam,
impression materials, cements).

Strong interpersonal and communication skills for interacting with all patients, students, and dental
professionals.

Efficient in managing time, multitasking, and maintaining a clean, organized
operatory.

ABILITIES

Ability to remain calm, focused, and effective in fast-paced or stressful clinical
situations.

Ability to follow complex instructions accurately and anticipate the needs of the dentist during
procedures.

Ability to accommodate varying dentist styles and adapt quickly to changing procedures and clinical needs.

Ability
to work independently with minimal supervision on routine duties.

Ability to maintain confidentiality and exhibit sound judgment when
handling patient information.

Shift/Salary/Benefits

Shift: Days/M-F

Pay Band: B5

Salary: Minimum
$17.88/hour

Salary to be commensurate with qualifications of the selected candidate within the established range (generally
minimum-midpoint) of the position

Recruitment Period: Until Filled

Augusta University offers a variety of benefits to
full-time benefits-eligible employees and some of our half-time (or more) employees.

Benefits that may be elected could include
health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, Teachers Retirement System (or Optional Retirement Plan), as well as earned vacation
time, sick leave, and 13 paid holidays.

Also, our full-time employees who have been employed with us successfully for more than 6
months can be considered for the Tuition Assistance Program. Consider applying with us today!

Conditions of Employment

All selected candidates are required to successfully pass a Background Check review prior to starting with Augusta
University.

If applicable for the specific position based on the duties: the candidate will also need to have a credit check
completed for Positions of Trust and or approved departmental Purchase Card usage.

Motor vehicle reports are required for positions
that are required to drive an Augusta University vehicle.

For Faculty Hires: Final candidates will be required to provide proof of
completed academic degree(s) as well as post-secondary coursework in the form of original transcript(s). Those candidates trained by a
foreign institution will also be required to provide an educational/credential evaluation.

All employees are responsible for ensuring
the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of sensitive [patient, student, employee, financial, business, etc.] information by
exercising sound judgment and adhering to cybersecurity and privacy policies during their employment and beyond.

Other
Information

Augusta University is a tobacco-free environment, and the use of any tobacco products on any part of the campus, both
inside and outside, is strictly prohibited.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Augusta University is proud to be an equal
opportunity employer welcoming applicants from underrepresented groups, including individuals with disabilities and veterans.

How
To Apply

Consider applying with us today!

Applicants are encouraged to tailor their resumes to the position of interest
by clearly highlighting relevant work experience and skills gained from previous employment. Resumes should reflect how your background
aligns with the qualifications and responsibilities of the role.

https://www.augusta.edu/hr/jobs/

Select University Faculty & Staff >
External Applicants if you are a candidate from outside the university

Select University Faculty & Staff > Internal Applicants if you
are a current university employee

If you need further assistance, please contact us at 706-721-9365

To apply, visit https://careers.hprod.onehcm.usg.edu/psp/careers/CAREERS/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS
_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=12000&JobOpeningId=300501&PostingSeq=1

jeid-bb92ca562257314590ee20a357d7e01c

Tagged as: Health Care