Dental Assistant
Albuquerque NM
Healthcare – Medical /
On-site
Overview:
Akicita Federal is seeking qualified Dental Assistants to provide non-personal healthcare services at the Albuquerque Indian Dental Clinic within the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Service (IHS). The Dental Assistant will support dental and orthodontic operations, ensuring high-quality patient care in accordance with Federal, State, Local, Tribal, and IHS regulations, with minimal disruption to government personnel, property, and the general public.
$50,000 - $60,000 a year
Duties and Responsibilities:
-Document all patient encounters in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) following AIDC policies, AAAHC standards, and CMS regulations.
-Assist dentists by restoring teeth following preparation, including:
-Selection, contouring, and placement of matrices
-Placement of bases and liners
-Packing, carving, and polishing of complex alloy restorations, including those requiring cusp replacements and retentive pins.
-Place and finish complex composite restorations and fabricate/adjust temporary restorations.
-Select, contour, cement stainless steel crowns, and fabricate and adjust temporary acrylic crowns and bridges.
-Provide patients with post-operative care instructions.
-Perform various procedures including:
-Placement and removal of rubber dams
-Removal of sutures
-Application of desensitizing agents and periodontal dressings
-Placement of surgical gauze following extractions
-Assist with endodontic procedures by isolating teeth, cleansing, irrigating, applying medicaments, and closing teeth temporarily.
-Take primary impressions for study models, pour and trim models, and fabricate custom trays and bite rims.
-Perform complex oral prophylaxis, apply topical fluoride treatments, and place pit and fissure sealants.
-Operate ultrasonic scalers and hand instruments for calculus removal.
-Educate patients on disease prevention and demonstrate individual home care techniques.
-Expose, process, and mount intra-oral and extra-oral radiographs.
-Maintain cleanliness and operability of clinical areas, ensuring instruments are sharpened and sterilized.
-Manage inventory and order necessary supplies to ensure the clinic remains properly stocked.
-Take and record patient blood pressure.
-Apply and remove periodontal and surgical packs and dressings.
-Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor.
-Maintain all necessary clinical privileges.
Qualifications:
Education:
Graduation from an accredited dental assistant training school or proof of equivalent on-the-job training.
Certifications:
-Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
-Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.
Experience:
Relevant experience assisting with complex dental and orthodontic procedures is strongly preferred.
