Job Description

This position reports directly to the head of the department. The Dental Assistant supports the dentists in all aspects of patient care. This includes getting the appropriate instruments ready, take notes from dentists’ dictation for records, charting during examinations, preparing and mixing materials, providing support to patients during treatment, ensuring patient comfort and once the patient has left, the dental nurse tidies the surgery and sterilizes all of the instruments.
In general practice, the dental assistant may be required to assists the reception staff for patient appointments, dental related paperwork, and dental insurance, meeting, reassuring and educating patients.

Responsibilities

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITES
a)    Exercise good judgment and maintain confidentiality in maintaining critical and sensitive information, records, and reports.
b)    Actively participate in the Medical Center’s on-going Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Programs and other In-Service Training Programs. 
c)    Act as a translator if needed
d)    Perform other duties and tasks assigned by the Head of Department scope of job.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES 
1.    To accomplish high quality dental nursing whilst assisting the dentists s/he has been appointed with, in a safe and effective manner in accordance with the ‘Code of Ethics’. The performance of these duties is under the reasonable directions DOH guidelines, updated from time to time as appropriate.
2.    To perform all reasonable efforts to establish patient privacy and safety, ensuring that they are comfortable and relaxed during dental consultation, treatment and procedures.
3.    To establish patient rapport, provide reassurance and perform measures to lessen patient anxiety if applicable by educating the patient, answering patient questions on general dental procedures and dental insurance.
4.    To ensure safe disposal of sharps and clinical waste.
5.    To establish and maintain productive working relationships with all members of the dental team.
6.    To ensure that the surgical areas and equipment are regularly cleaned, sterilized, organized and maintained, including aspiration systems and autoclaves, paying all due attention to relevant legal and ethical codes, in addition to the practice policy in respect of cross Infection Control and Health & Safety measures established by the Department of Health.
7.    To keep complete and accurate patient dental records, correctly take and collate dental examination resources such as Intra Oral Peri-apical X-Rays, Orthopantomogram (OPG), Cephalo-metric X-Rays, laboratory results, etc, taking in regard that the recording methods used are in line with agreed Practice Policy and current DOH dental guidelines.
8.    To assist the Dentist to obtain written consent and/or signature from patient and/or their consent giver/s before performing dental procedures.
9.    To execute proper workflow on assigned Nursing tasks such as handling General Anesthesia cases, preparing dental reports, etc.
10.    To ensure the proper dental materials, equipment and consumables are well maintained, available and in good working condition. Inventory as well as ordering conducted as per the set materials ordering policy. Report equipment failures or breakages to the Dental Nurse Supervisor so that prompt action may be taken to

remedy any defects.
11.    To maintain and increase competence in dental nursing skills by attending dental CMEs and getting involved in dental research studies.
12.    To liaise with the Department Assistant and/or Dental Nurse Supervisor on all matters concerning administration and service concerns and conditions.
13.    To assist at reception and perform other clerical duties if required.
14.    Participation in the organization’s quality improvement and safety activities.