Dental Assistant

Position Description

Harlem United is the parent company for Upper Room AIDS Ministry (URAM). URAM provides the healthcare services from the Federally Qualified Health Center located in the heart of Harlem. We provide Primary Care, Specialty Care, Dental Care and Wellness Care to those seeking diagnosis and treatment. All employees of URAM are responsible to perform their job practicing good risk management, quality assurance, and delivering excellent internal and external customer service.

The Dental Assistant will provide support of the Dental providers in the full range of dental services and oral health education for clients. Dental assisting includes maintenance and organization of dental materials and instruments, patient and laboratory record keeping, and performance and support of clinical procedures. The Dental Assistant will also be responsible for support front desk operations as well as prior authorizations for dental procedures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Accurate initial review of all client assessment forms for completeness
• Collecting and recording medical and dental histories and patient vital signs
• Ability to take and mount diagnostic digital radiographs
• Provide chair side information of dental education and post-operative instructions
• Ensure complete procedure set-up and breakdown of dental operatories
• Provide chair side support for clinical providers (four-handed dentistry)
• Ability to take accurate impressions with various materials and pour up study casts
• Preparing and sterilizing instruments and equipment using proper infection control guidelines
• Caring for dental equipment
• Use of 100% computer technology: data entry and maintenance
• Assistance with submitting pre-authorizations to dental insurances for procedures
• Help with ordering dental supplies and maintaining dental equipment inventory
• Participation in and compliance of all trainings and CQI activities of the dental program

Other Responsibilities

• Deliver excellent customer service reflecting a commitment to caring, courtesy, and respect for all patients upholding the mission of the organization
• Respect team members
• Collaborates to achieve the best outcomes for patients
• Promoting linkages with other service providers within and outside of the agency
• Assistance to maintain active and archived case records
• Administrative assistance as needed
• Conduct outreach activities to dental clinic patients

Qualifications/Education/Experience

• Certified Dental Assistant certificate preferred. Registered Dental Assistant certificate plus one year of qualifying experience accepted. Additional certificates or training a plus.

Special Skills and Knowledge

• Bilingual (Spanish-English) or (French-English) preferred
• Excellent organizational skills
• Superior written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work as an efficient team member
• Consistent professional appearance and attitude
• Able to provide great patient care
• Experience working with HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ and Substance abuse population
• Willingness to accommodate and provide services outside the normal business hours to meet the operational needs of the clinic

• Basic computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, e-mail etc) with ability to learn dental software system

Special Requirements

• The employee must be able to lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Requires full range of body motion including handling and lifting patients, manual and finger dexterity and eye/hand coordination. Requires sitting, standing and walking for extensive periods of time. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Ability to work with a moderate noise level in the work environment is required.
• The above information is intended to describe the most important aspects of the job. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required in order to perform the work. The health center reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the business need arises. Additionally, this job description is not intended as an employment contract, implied or otherwise, and the Center continues to maintain its status as an at-will employer.
• If the essential functions of this position cannot be performed in a satisfactory manner by the employee, reasonable accommodations may be made.