Career Center

Department Overview

OHSU's focus on healing, teaching, and discovery combined with our deep history in Oregon is unique. We are the state's only academic health center and one of the only universities in the U.S. devoted exclusively to educating doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and public health professionals. At OHSU's School of Dentistry, we strive to make an impact in our community by delivering excellence in our dental care facilities, utilizing cutting-edge technologies while enhancing the knowledge of our inclusive dental professionals and leaders. We value each and every one of our professionals by providing a welcoming work environment and industry leading benefits.

To learn more about the School of Dentistry click on the link below:

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/schools/school-of-dentistry

Function/Duties of Position

The Dental Assistant Advanced, under the supervision of a licensed dentist, provides chair side assistance to Orthodontic faculty, predoctoral and postdoctoral students, and patients in the Orthodontic clinic. This busy Orthodontic clinic focuses on providing excellence in patient care while training future leaders in the Orthodontic profession. Main job duties include: assisting with direct patient care, fabricating orthodontic appliances, radiographs, impressions, and assist in appointment scheduling and electronic maintaining patient records.

• Dental Assisting. Under the supervision of a dentist, Assist graduate students, pre-doctoral students, and faculty during clinic hours by setting up and clearing away instruments and materials used at patient appointments; access patient records (digital and analogue). Perform these tasks in coordination with other staff within the department. Assist patients with questions and concerns during work hours but outside of scheduled clinic time; address patient concerns within the scope of dental assisting certification in consultation with graduate students and faculty. For DA3, where certification as an expanded function orthodontic assistant is required, perform duties as allowed by the Oregon Board of Dentistry, including removal and replacement of appliances to relieve patient discomfort.

• Advanced Specialty Dental Assisting Functions: Advanced Specialties may require assistance in post-operative care, such as remove post-extraction and surgical dressings and sutures; IV sedation set up for patients requiring sedation; checks and ensure readiness of surgical aspirating equipment, nitrous oxide-oxygen unit and accessories and emergency kits; monitoring sedated patients for vital signs and instructing person accompanying patient regarding care of sedated patients. Advance Specialties may include assisting procedures that require the use of a dental microscope; or assistance with removal of orthodontic bands, brackets, attachments, bonding material and cement; fitting or recementing orthodontic bands; placing/removing orthodontic separators; preparing teeth and positioning orthodontic appliances for bonding; fitting/adjusting headgear; removing/replacing orthodontic wires including ligation; and cutting archwires.

• Dental Laboratory Functions. Pouring, trimming and scanning of models, soft denture reline, and fabrication of 6392A Page 2 of 2 Effective 4/2003 Updated 1/19/21 interim prosthesis or other oral appliance. Use and maintenance of equipment for fabrication of prostheses or other oral appliances. Fabrication of patient take home products.

• Educational Support. Provides support to dental students in techniques of four handed dentistry and use of chair side dental assistant. Reinforces aseptic techniques, posture, chair positions, instrument exchange, use of dental materials and efficient operatory set up. Explains and demonstrates equipment care. Evaluates dental students for infection control compliance. Match students with clinic partners which might include patient assignments.

• Clinical Support and Administrative Functions. Under dentist's supervision, Document in the EHR including medical health history information, examination findings or treatment procedures and other pertinent patient care information. Enter, progress and complete treatments. Schedule, plan and confirm patient appointments and recalls. Clerical duties related to patient status updates. Review and obtain patient signature for consent and other clinic procedural compliance forms. Ensure notes, codes, and referrals are completed in patient record. Clerical duties needed to ensure clinic function. Supply order coordination. May also need to rotate schedule coverage for clinics and ORs. May also include daily huddles and coordination with providers for daily readiness and best practice patient care.

Required Qualifications

• Completion of an approved Dental Assistant training program AND two years' experience as a chair side Dental Assistant in an Advanced Specialty OR Three years' experience as a chair side Dental Assistant in an Advanced Specialty
• Certification by the Oregon State Board of Dentistry for Radiological Proficiency required for all positions
• Current valid Basic Life Support (BLS) card from American Heart Association required for all positions
• Must have worked as a dental assistant in an advanced specialty within the last 5 years

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge or experience in the use of computer scheduling programs
• Advanced specialty dental assisting may require EFDA, EFODA, DAANC, dental anesthesia certification or other sedation/surgical advanced certifications, skills

All are welcome