Dental Assistant

Job Announcement

Position Title: Dental Assistant

Department: Dental

Supervised By: Dental Office Manager

Location: Alpine/Campo

Status: Non-Exempt

Posted: March 2026

Closing Date: Until Filled

Salary: $17.35 – $23.56/hr - DOE

Hours: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

Dental Assistant assists the dentist chairside. Prepares rooms for treatment, cleans, disinfects, and sterilizes instruments. Monitors patient flow and perform front and back office duties as assigned. DA back-office duties as assigned, as needed.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Stocks dental operatories and prepares them for patients by setting out lab cases, patient charts and appropriate instruments. Mounts current x-ray on view block.
• Seats patient, perform dental intake in Next Gen, places patient napkin, informs dentist that patients are ready.
• Assists dentist chairside.
• Takes impressions, pours models and removes excess cement from seated crowns.
• Takes digital x-rays.
• Applies topical fluoride and gives hygiene instructions.
• Following treatments, rinses patients’ mouths, cleans patients’ face, disinfects dental operators, cleans and sterilizes dental instruments. Escorts patients to front desk with superbill.
• Perform daily maintenance and disinfection of dental equipment and counters.
• Performs dental reception duties like scheduling patients, confirming appointments, answering phones, etc. as needed.
• Assists Dental Hygienist with perio charting, dental recall and sealants as needed.
• Responsible for maintaining a clean dental lab, cleaning the sterilizers.
• Turns on units, runs handpieces and flushes air water syringes in morning.
• May need to fill in at either location when needed.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule may be required based on need.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Experience: Must be 18 years of age or older with a High School diploma or GED certificate.

Must be enrolled in Dental School and pursuing Dental Assistant certificate or Completed the Dental Assistant program and received completion certificate.

For currently enrolled dental students, it is preferred but not required that they have completed a board-approved course in the Dental Practice Act,
A board-approved 8 hour course in infection control. (and X-ray certification)

Licenses/Certifications: A valid driver’s license is required and must be maintained throughout employment. Applicant must be able to travel throughout the organization’s service area including all SIHC site locations. Current certifications and/or licenses are appropriate to the positions required education and profession.

Character: Applicants must have a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Must be responsible and able to exercise good judgment, accept administrative supervision, pay attention to detail, follow instructions, including the ability to interact effectively and communicate with people in a professional and courteous manner. Must be highly confidential and work as a team with other staff. Applicants should be sensitive to client’s needs.

Skills: Strong team building, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Ability to establish and maintain effective peer relationships with coworkers within the Department, clinic-wide, and the public. Must be able to express ideas clearly, concisely, address audiences effectively, and exercise balanced judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions. Willing to be part of a team and cooperate in accomplishing department goals and objectives. Ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, take initiative, be proactive, and function in a rapidly changing environment. Ability to work with people of all social and ethnic backgrounds, resolves conflicts, negotiates situations, and facilitates consensus.

Physical and Personal Requirements: Normal clinic/office environment. Sit or stand for long periods of time. Reach, bend, climb, stoop, lift up to 25 lbs. repetitive hand movement; use and view PC. Reliable transportation and car insurance as required by the state. Travel as needed.

Compliance: Each employee plays a key role in creating a compliance culture at SIHC. Employees are expected to learn and comply with all SIHC policies and procedures. One must have the ability to understand the implications and complexities of all compliance policies. Participation in all compliance training is mandatory, and generally has a heightened awareness of policies and regulations that are specific to one’s department and position. All SIHC employees are expected to report violations or suspected violations of compliance policies or regulations.

Other: Applicants must successfully pass a pre-screening tuberculin skin test or x-ray and a blood/urine drug screening test. Health must be adequate to perform all duties of the position. Applicants must complete SIHC Application and Authorization Form, both must be submitted to Human Resources prior to the close date indicated.

INDIAN PREFERENCE:

INDIAN PREFERENCE: In the filling of any SIHC job vacancy, preference may be given to qualified Native American Indians, pursuant to the Indian Preference Hiring Act, 25 USC 472, unless other laws require the filling of a vacancy without regard to Indian preference (e.g. Public Law (P.L.) 94-437, “Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). To receive Indian Tribe ore for any SIHC position, the applicant must be enrolled, or be eligible for enrollment, as an American Indian with their Tribe, or must be certified as an American Indian from the designated Tribal Representative. Applicants claiming Indian preference must attach verification of their claim to the SIHC application, including Certification of form BIA-4432, which is available from the SIHC Human Resources Department. If verification is not or cannot be verified, the applicant will not receive Indian preference for purposes of the interview.