Dental Assistant

MISSION: To inspire health, wellbeing and humanity in our community, through all of life’s stages. 

JOB SUMMARY: Tepeyac understands that treatment of the whole person includes medical, behavioral health and dental care. All three are needed to achieve the utmost quality care and coordination for patients. Dental decay is the number one chronic disease in children that is 100% preventable —5 times more common than asthma, 4 times more common than early- childhood obesity, and 20 times more common than diabetes. Decay can affect speech and communication, eating and dietary nutrition, sleeping, learning, playing and quality of life, missed school and/or work for patients of all ages.

PAY & BENEFITS: Tepeyac offers a full compensation package to all full-time employees. Benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, a flexible spending account, a 401k, disability insurance paid by Tepeyac, eight paid holidays, four weeks of vacation and over eight days of sick leave each year. The hourly pay for this position is $24.48/hour for Dental Assistants (DA) and $24.48-$26.44/hour for Expanded Duty Dental Assistants (EDDA). 

We are currently hiring for two 0.5 FTE positions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Assist the dentist in providing routine, preventative and emergency dental care, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients in a clinical setting.
• Assure daily completion of dental clinic operations to include, but not limited to, scheduling, tool control, chemical control, infection control practices, biohazardous waste, hazardous materials and radiation control, and exposure regulations.
• Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Obtain digital x-rays
  • Set up restorative procedure and place temporary restorations under dentist’s direction
  • Educate patients about preventative dental care, including making appointments and confirmation calls
  • Sterilize instruments and equipment
  • Dispose of medical contaminated waste
  • Interpret and radiation safety and infection control guidelines and regulations to fit individual circumstances
  • Monitor and maintain intra-oral x-ray machines
  • Set schedule and assist in performing preventative maintenance on dental equipment, trouble shoot and initiate work orders
  • Maintain inventory levels of supplies and chemicals, prioritizing usage based on expiration dates and re-ordering as needed
  • Ensure safety and security by maintaining a controlled environment for tools, chemicals, and supplies
  • Maintain cleanliness of dental clinic
  • Under the direction of Dental Director and Clinic Leadership the dentist, plan the workload and assist in maintaining appointment schedule to achieve maximum efficiency
  • Triage urgency of dental requests for treatment, gather information, consult with dental provider and schedule appropriately
  • Perform and log autoclave spore strip testing as per dental service standards
  • May be required to participate in school and community outreach dental visits

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attend required internal meetings, trainings, and events.
• Other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Minimum Education: 

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Completion of dental assistant program preferred. May substitute for one year of the required experience.

Minimum Experience:

• One or more years’ experience dental assisting preferred.
• Oral and written fluency in English and oral fluency in Spanish required.
• X-ray certification per state requirements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES: 

• Flexible and adaptable. Willing to jump in where needed.
• Ability to flourish in a team-oriented care model; strong team building skills.
• Excellent communication and listening skills. Creative and positive approach to communication and problem solving. 
• Organized, able to multi-task, prioritize work and stay focused in a busy clinic setting. 
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals of diverse races, ethnicities, ages, and sexual orientations in a multicultural environment; strong initiative and the passion to advocate and provide healthcare to the underserved.

Vaccinations: Tepeyac Community Health Center employees are required to provide valid proof of vaccination prior to starting employment, subject to the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq..), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.), the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (C.R.S. § 24-34-401 et seq.), and any other relevant federal or State law.  This requirement includes volunteers.  The full list of required vaccinations can be found on our Tepeyac Careers page.

About us. For over 30 years, Tepeyac Community Health Center has been committed to providing integrated physical and behavioral health care to over 8,000 individuals across the Denver metro area. Tepeyac has distinguished itself as a dynamic organization dedicated to eliminating health disparities, particularly among Latino and immigrant communities. Tepeyac maintains an unwavering commitment to effective patient care, continual quality improvement, and the consistent treatment of each patient with the highest level of respect and compassion. Over the next 3-5 years, Tepeyac seeks to continue to expand medical, dental, behavioral, and pharmacy services, providing culturally relevant high-quality care.

All employees of Tepeyac Community Health Center are required to be Colorado residents at time of hire and through their duration of employment.