Hospital Dentistry Assistant Specialist

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.

School of Dentistry has an outstanding opportunity for Hospital Dentistry Assistant Specialist.

The UW School of Dentistry has an outstanding opportunity for a Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist at our UW Dentistry Campus Dental Center. At the UW Dentistry Campus Dental Center, patients receive care by highly-skilled, experienced UW School of Dentistry faculty and GPR Residents. Our experienced Dentists and Residents offer comprehensive oral care services, including sedation services in the clinic and UW Medical Center operating room, to UW students, UW employees, their families, and guests. Patients can find all dental specialties in one convenient locations, on campus at the Health Sciences Building. UW Dentistry Campus Dental Center is committed to the principle of diversity, equity, and inclusion and 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 Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist 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). The Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist reports to the Dental Clinic Supervisor and/or the Clinic Manager. The Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist is expected to communicate with their supervisor when they see areas for operational improvement or ways to improve the safety of the clinical environment.

Position Overview:

The Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist will work under the direct supervision of faculty attendings, performing tasks delegated by those individuals. These tasks may include direct patient care, technical procedures, and the preparation and monitoring of patients undergoing surgical procedures. This supervision may be done in the UW Dentistry Campus Dental Center, UW Medical Center operating room, ambulatory, recovery, and critical care settings. The Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist support may involve patients who are medically compromised or have special needs. This position provides surgery assistance to faculty and affiliated surgeons, including Residents.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist has a wide range of possible roles.

Procedures and Operations

• Prepare patients for surgery, including placing of sterile surgical drapes and attaching monitors, including?pulse oximeter, automatic blood pressure device, and EKG

• Monitor, assess, interpret, and record vital? signs including pulse oximetry during IV sedation and general anesthesia and throughout the recovery?period

• Present and document preoperative and postoperative care instructions, including nutrition and dietary guidelines, for general anesthesia and IV?sedation patients in the surgery settings and answer any questions appropriately before and after procedures

• Assist patients with wheelchair and gurney transfer before and after procedures

• Assist faculty dentists and residents in chair-side, ambulatory, and recovery of IV sedation/oral sedation

• Assist faculty dentists and residents with clinical care settings in the treatment of medically compromised and special needs patients, and those?requiring general or routine oral care

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

• Maintain specialized equipment and instrumentation and medical and surgical supply inventories

• Assist faculty and Resident providers with patient care procedures including; restorative treatment, endodontics treatment, periodontic treatment, and exams

• Take diagnostic quality radiographic images

• Educate patients on oral hygiene care; follow up on care?progress; instruct medically compromised or special needs patients in home care procedures and use of?specialized dental devices

• Provide post-surgical wound care; removing sutures; placing or removing temporary filings and rubber dams; removing and replacing wires; packing and medicating?extraction areas; obtaining and mixing necessary dental materials

• Maintain the School of Dentistry Dental operatory in the UW Medical Center

• The Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist performs all related Dental Assistant 2 job duties as required

• The Hospital Dental Assistant Specialist performs all job duties as required.

Implants

• Assist providers with implant placement by?ensuring a sterile environment and prepare the surgical suite with the appropriate set up, including?handpieces and graft materials

• May submit implant orders to clinic manager

Clinic Upkeep

• 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 to clinic manager

• Maintain all surgical treatment equipment.

Clinic Operations

• 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 patient's appointment

• Appropriate interactions between patients, surgeons, hospital, and the various other departments within the?School of Dentistry and UW Medical Center

• Instruct and orient new clinic staff and new residents in the use of equipment example: oral image sensors and?other equipment devices

• Collaborate with mangers 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.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Current certification as a dental assistant (CDA) or the ability to obtain same within six months; AND three years of experience as a dental assistant in a general practice setting and one year of experience in specialty practice (such as endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, orthodontics, or hospital dentistry)

OR

equivalent education/experience.

Legal Requirement

Registration with the State of Washington as a Dental Assistant

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

DESIRED:

The Hospital Dentistry Assistant Specialist may also have an anesthesia assisting certification or the ability to obtain the Dental Anesthesia Assistant Certificate within nine months. They should have knowledge of current infection control protocol and past experience in a dental education environment. They should also have strong computer skills including experience with word processors and online scheduling systems. The Hospital Dentistry Assistant Specialist should have strong written and oral communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, the ability to work in a diverse, team environment, the ability to work with limited supervision, the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines, and excellent organizational skills.

The Hospital Dentistry Assistant Specialist should have a current certification as a dental assistant (CDA) and have completed the Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Exam (DAANCE) or the ability to obtain the same within nine months, and a minimum of three years of experience as a dental assistant in a general practice setting. They should also have experience in a relevant specialty practice, i.e. prosthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, or hospital dentistry. They may have equivalent education and experience.

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.