Dental Assistant 2 - Dispensary

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Office of Clinical Services (OCS) at the School of Dentistry encompasses the Patient Registration and Patient Relations offices, Simulation Clinic and Labs, Central Sterilization, two dispensaries, and facilities maintenance team. OCS supports the operations of 13 dental clinics in delivering dental care to the state's largest and most diverse patient population.

We utilize a team-oriented approach and work very hard to delight our patients. The Office of Clinical Services is committed to the principle of diversity, equity, and inclusion and to providing an environment where every employee feels welcomed, valued, and appreciated.

The UW School of Dentistry (UWSOD) has an outstanding opportunity for a Dental Assistant 2 (DA2)(NE S SEIU 925 Non Supv). Within the School of Dentistry, there are thirteen clinics where pre-doctoral and graduate dental students are provided education while also providing care to patients. Faculty and staff oversee these dentists-in-training. To support the educational mission of the school, the Dental Assistant 2 will provide assistance, based on patient treatment procedure and staffing needs, to the D2 and D3 clinics for predoctoral students and provide back up support to the D2/D3 clinic dispensaries and Central Sterilization. In addition, this individual will float as needed in other predoctoral or graduate clinics within the UW School of Dentistry (Dental Admissions, Dental Urgent Care, DECOD (Dental Education in the Care of Person with Disabilities, Endodontics, Oral Medicine, Orthodontics, Pediatric, Graduate Periodontics, Graduate Prosthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and the UW Dentistry Campus Dental Center.)

Reporting to the Dental Clinic Supervisor 2 and Clinic Manager, the DA2 is expected to interact professionally with students and the workforce at all times and provide excellent customer service to our patients. Participate in UWSOD and supervisor-required trainings such as health and safety, HIPAA, FERPA, BBP, and other Relias trainings.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Dental Assisting Responsibilities:

The Dental Assistant 2 is assigned to work with student providers at critical stages throughout patient care, prioritizing work and coaching students in patient management. The DA2 interfaces with the supervising licensed dentist who is responsible for ensuring the quality of patient care.

The DA2 position may be asked to float in other areas of the pre-doctoral clinic such as Sterilization, Dispensaries, Clerkships, and other clinics within the UWSOD.

Assisting responsibilities include:

Perform chairside four-handed dentistry with dental students in the Student Teaching clinics.

Obtain and prepare dental materials, such as impression material, composite, bonding agents, and disposables needed for patient care.

Perform expanded functions to include taking impressions for study models, place and remove rubber dam, matrix, and wedge, expose radiographs, perform Coronal polish, chart clinical findings, and other delegable duties as specified by law.

Independently operate equipment to take a full range of routine and complex digital intraoral and extraoral radiographs, including periapical, bitewing, panoramic, occlusal, and lateral images, and cone beam computed tomography scans.

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

Clean and prepare treatment areas using School of Dentistry standardized infection control protocols.

Conduct inventories and stock supplies.

Monitor school-owned instruments for breakage and wear; assess replacement needs and maintain clinic hand pieces.

Suggest process improvements to leadership.

Participate in dental student clinic orientations and limited classroom activities related to the dental team; may participate in orientation and training of new staff members.

Perform related dental assistant duties as assigned.

Sterilization Responsibilities:

Conduct entire sterilization cycle for all School clinics; debride, perform quality checks, replace instruments as necessary, wrap and sterilize items, following pre-sterilization and sterilization protocols.

Utilize scanning software system to monitor the distribution and flow of instruments, hand pieces, and other patient care items to maintain strict infection control protocols.

Operate autoclaves, washers, and other sterilization equipment; conduct biological testing of equipment.

Maintain hand piece, cassette, bur, impression tray, and spore testing logs; Notify parties of discrepancies and report any ongoing problems to Manager.

Store sterile and disinfected set-ups in preparation for delivery to clinics and students.

Using the instrument ordering software, coordinate the pick-up and delivery of instruments to clinics.

Perform basic calculations related to verifying sterilizer functions and inventory control.

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

Enter inventory data using a computer terminal or a manual method.

Place orders, as necessary.

Keep all areas clean, orderly, and neat.

Perform related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Completion of an accredited training program for dental assistants; AND current certification as a dental assistant (CDA) OR the ability to obtain same within six months; PLUS two years of experience as a dental assistant. One year of additional dental assistant experience may substitute for required education.

Legal Requirement: Registration with the State of Washington as a Dental Assistant.