Registered Dental Assistant

Description

 Job Type: Full-time

FLSA Status-Non-Exempt

Imperial Beach Community Clinic will promote a healthy community by providing quality health care and resources, with a focus on the underserved. Our mission has been to provide high-quality medical care for all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay. Our team considers your overall health, preferences, and experiences as we create a treatment plan that is right for you 

The Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) provides clinical and operational support to licensed dental providers in delivering safe, timely, equitable, and patient-centered oral health services in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) environment. The RDA performs duties authorized by California law and regulation, under the appropriate supervision and direction of a licensed dentist. Responsibilities may include work in the main dental clinic, the mobile dental unit, and approved community-based outreach settings. The position supports the health center’s mission, applicable Health Center Program requirements, organizational policies, and quality and patient-safety initiatives.

Responsibilities

1. Chairside and Clinical Support

· Prepare treatment rooms, instruments, materials, and equipment before patient care; maintain readiness between patients.

· Assist the dentist during examinations and procedures using appropriate chairside techniques and only those functions authorized for an RDA under California law.

· Expose and process dental radiographs when appropriately certified, trained, and authorized; follow radiation-safety procedures and maintain required documentation.

· Prepare, mix, and handle dental materials and assist with restorative, preventive, surgical, prosthodontic, and other procedures as permitted by the RDA’s legal scope and demonstrated competency.

· Fabricate and/or place, adjust, finish, temporarily cement, and remove provisional (temporary) crowns and other provisional restorations when ordered by the supervising dentist, and only to the extent permitted by the RDA’s California scope of practice and required supervision. The supervising dentist must evaluate and approve the procedure before the patient is dismissed, as required by law.

· Perform coronal polishing only when the RDA has completed the required Board-approved course and holds any required evidence of qualification, under the supervision required by California law. Before polishing, a licensed dentist or registered dental hygienist must determine that the teeth are free of calculus or other extraneous material. Coronal polishing is limited to removal of plaque and stain from exposed tooth surfaces and is not a complete oral prophylaxis.

· Obtain and document patient information or measurements when assigned and legally permitted; promptly communicate relevant observations or patient concerns to the dentist.

· Provide clear, respectful, age-appropriate explanations of the assistant’s role and reinforce dentist-approved postoperative and home-care instructions without diagnosing, treatment planning, or independently recommending treatment.

· Protect patient dignity, privacy, comfort, and safety; promptly report adverse events, injuries, incidents, and changes in patient condition through established channels.

Your impact: Careful preparation and clear patient support help clinicians deliver safe, efficient care and help patients feel at ease.

2. Patient Access, Communication, and FQHC Service Standards

· Treat all patients with dignity, respect, cultural humility, and without discrimination, consistent with applicable federal and state law and health center policy.

· Support access to care for patients with limited resources, language needs, disabilities, or other barriers; obtain qualified language assistance in accordance with policy and do not rely on minors or unqualified individuals as interpreters except as permitted by law and policy.

· Follow established patient identification, check-in, handoff, referral, and care-coordination workflows; communicate delays or barriers to the appropriate team member.

· Provide services without conditioning clinical care on a patient’s ability to pay at the point of service. Refer questions about fees, insurance, eligibility, and the sliding fee discount program to designated registration or billing personnel.

· Do not quote, waive, negotiate, or determine patient fees or sliding fee eligibility unless specifically assigned and trained under approved health center procedures.

· Support continuity of care by accurately routing clinical messages, referrals, records, and follow-up needs to the responsible staff.

3. Infection Prevention, Occupational Safety, and Environment of Care

· Comply with the health center’s infection prevention and control program, written exposure-control plan, OSHA requirements, CDC guidance adopted by the organization, and applicable California regulations.

· Clean and disinfect clinical contact surfaces; transport, clean, package, sterilize, and store instruments according to validated manufacturer instructions and organizational procedures.

· Complete sterilizer monitoring, spore-testing support, biological/chemical indicator documentation, and sterilization logs as assigned; immediately report failed or questionable cycles and quarantine affected instruments.

· Use appropriate personal protective equipment and follow hand hygiene, sharps safety, instrument processing, and regulated medical waste procedures.

· Report occupational exposures, needlestick injuries, equipment failures, unsafe conditions, and workplace injuries immediately using established procedures.

· Maintain clean, organized, accessible, and adequately stocked operatories and clinical work areas.

4. Mobile Dental Unit and Outreach

· Provide chairside and operational support for dental services delivered in the mobile dental unit and at approved outreach events.

· Assist with safe setup, breakdown, inventory, equipment checks, and securing of the mobile unit in accordance with approved procedures.

· Follow established patient escort and handoff procedures between the main clinic and mobile unit, maintaining patient privacy and safety during transfers.

· Verify that required supplies, emergency equipment, infection-control materials, and communication processes are available before services begin; promptly report deficiencies.

· Follow applicable site-specific safety, emergency, infection-control, documentation, and vehicle/mobile-unit procedures.

5. Documentation, Quality, and Administrative Support

· Complete accurate, timely, and objective documentation in the electronic health record within assigned responsibilities; authenticate entries using individual credentials and never share passwords.

· Document services, materials, radiographs, patient communications, and other information as required by policy and within the assistant’s role; do not enter or attest to services not personally performed or verified.

· Protect the confidentiality and security of protected health information in accordance with HIPAA, applicable state privacy laws, and organizational policies.

· Participate in required orientation, annual training, competency assessments, infection-control education, emergency preparedness activities, and quality-improvement initiatives.

· Assist with supply inventory, equipment maintenance tracking, recall processes, and preparation for audits or reviews as assigned.

· Support accurate encounter workflows and complete assigned tasks in a manner that promotes timely, complete, and compliant records and billing; do not select codes, determine medical necessity, or submit claims unless separately authorized and trained.

6. Teamwork and Other Duties

· Communicate professionally and respectfully with dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, patient services representatives, interpreters, and other health center personnel.

· Attend team meetings and participate in operational problem-solving and continuous quality improvement.

Perform other duties consistent with the position, training, competency, and applicable law as assigned

Experience

· Current, active California Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) license in good standing, issued by the Dental Board of California.

· Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from a recognized provider, as required by the health center.

· Current certifications or permits required for assigned duties, including radiographic certification and any applicable infection-control or law-and-ethics requirements.

· Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with patients and coworkers, including individuals from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

· Ability to follow written protocols, maintain accurate records, protect confidential information, and work effectively in a team-based clinical setting.

Benefits:

• 403(b)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid jury duty
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Requirements

Preferred Qualifications

· Prior experience in an FQHC, community health center, public health, or safety-net dental setting.

· Experience with electronic dental/health records and standard dental practice workflows.

· Experience supporting mobile dentistry, school-based services, or community outreach.

· Bilingual skills relevant to the patient population; language proficiency may be assessed in accordance with organizational policy.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

· Working knowledge of dental terminology, instruments, materials, chairside procedures, and infection prevention principles.

· Knowledge of patient confidentiality, privacy, safety, and professional boundaries.

· Ability to prioritize tasks, adapt to changing clinical needs, and communicate concerns promptly.

Ability to maintain composure and provide respectful assistance in a busy, diverse, patient-centered environment.

Supervision and Scope of Practice

The RDA works under the supervision and direction required by California law and the health center’s policies. The RDA must perform only duties permitted by the Dental Practice Act and applicable regulations, and only when the required supervision, training, certification, and competency are in place. Nothing in this description authorizes an RDA to diagnose, prescribe, independently treatment-plan, perform duties reserved to a dentist or another licensed professional, or exceed the RDA’s legally authorized scope. When a task, delegation, or supervision level is unclear, the employee must stop and seek direction from the supervising dentist or Dental Director. The employee may not perform coronal polishing without the required Board-approved education/qualification and may not perform provisional crown or restoration procedures outside the supervision and approval requirements applicable to that specific duty.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The role requires frequent standing and sitting, repetitive hand and wrist movements, bending, reaching, and maintaining clinical working postures. The employee may be required to move or lift dental supplies and equipment within the limits of health center policy. Work occurs in a dental clinic, mobile dental unit, and occasionally approved community outreach locations. Reasonable accommodation will be provided in accordance with applicable law.

Compliance and Acknowledgment

This position description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Duties may be modified based on operational needs, provided assignments remain consistent with applicable law, licensure, training, and competency. Employment requirements, classification, and essential functions are subject to review and approval by Human Resources.