Dental Assistant

The mission of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is to work collaboratively toward the prevention of homelessness and the creation of lasting solutions for homeless and at-risk families, children, and individuals throughout Colorado. The Coalition advocates for and provides a continuum of housing and a variety of services to improve the health, well-being, and stability of those it serves.

Assists the Dental Director, Dentists, and Hygienists in the care and treatment of patients.

NOTE: In order to ensure that our consumers receive the best possible care the candidate chosen to fill this position will be required to complete our internal credentialing and privileging process prior to a start date.  The credentialing and privileging timeline is dependent on the selected candidate's submission of documents necessary for clearance.  Please note that a start date will be scheduled once credentialing and privileging is complete.

• Choice of HMO or PPO health insurance coverage options: full-time employees contribute only 1% of their earnings for their own HMO health coverage and no more than 4% of their earnings for coverage of eligible dependents. We’re proud to offer same-and opposite-sex domestic partner coverage. 
• Choice of dental insurance or discount plan. 
• Vision insurance.  
• Flexible spending accounts for health care / dependent care / parking expenses. 
• Free basic life and AD&D insurance coverage. 
• Employee Assistance Program, a problem-solving resource available to you and your household members. 
• Dollar-for-dollar retirement plan matching contributions up to 5% of earnings with 3-year vesting. 
• Extensive paid time-off, including 9 holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and three weeks of vacation for new full-time employees in their first year. 

• Assists the dentist and hygienist during a variety of treatment procedures.
• Maintains compliance with infection control protocols, including appropriate sterilization of instruments.
• Maintains a clean and orderly work environment.
• Completes protocols for opening and closing of the clinic.
• Seats patients, obtains medical history, completes radiology and prepare patient for new exam and dental procedures.
• Assists dental office coordinator with maintaining charts, scheduling appointments and other front office tasks as requested.
• Assists the dentist and hygienist in the prevention, examination, and treatment of oral disease.
• Has chart present and x-ray mounted when patient is seated.
• Prepares patients, set up instrument trays, and prepares materials used in dental procedures.
• Keeps the patient’s mouth free of debris and hands the dentist appropriate instruments during the procedure.
• Practices rubber dam techniques, sterilizes equipment and maintains infection control protocols.
• Cleans, disinfects, sterilizes/ disinfects and re-circulates instruments.
• Prepares dental materials, cements, amalgams, composites, impression materials; prepares casting models and dies.
• Takes, develops, mount and labels dental radiographs (x-rays).  
• Prepares outgoing lab cases and receives incoming lab cases.
• Collects and records patient medical and oral health histories; takes blood pressure and blood sugar if necessary.
• Helps patients feel comfortable before, during and after the procedure. This may include using low voice tones and voice control and providing reassurance.
• Provides patients with instructions prescribed by the dentist for oral care following surgery or other dental treatment procedures, such as the placement of a restoration.
• Stocks, cleans and disinfects treatment rooms; maintain equipment and work areas.
• Disposes of contaminated biological and chemical waste according to OSHA procedures and protocols.
• Retrieves and maintains dental records, records treatment information in patient records.
• Assists dentist in managing medical and dental emergencies, performs CPR with attending dentist if necessary.
• Perform dental assisting duties within scope of practice as defined by Colorado law.
• Secondary front office duties (as requested/ assigned): 
• Schedules and confirm patient appointments.
• Handles incoming phone calls and inquiries about the dental clinic. 
• Maintains patient reception procedures; receives and seat patients. 
• Completes task list for opening and/ or closing the clinic each day. Tasks include starting up compressors and vacuum each morning and at noon, arranging dental chairs, filling all water bottles, and changing x-ray developer and fixer once per week with cleaning.
• Completes patient registration and insurance verification procedures and enters data into the computer.
• Assists patients in completing new patient registration packets and other financial/ benefits forms as needed (e.g., Friends of Man applications).
• Makes charts, organizes and maintains filing of patient records and release of confidential health information. 
• Accurately records information in patient records.
• Prints patients route slips; ensures completion and timely submission of route slips to the MIS department.

• Graduation from high school required.
• Graduation from a dental assisting program is required. Program accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association preferred.
• Current CPR certification required.
• 1+ years of experience as a dental assistant with patient care and front office duties preferred.
• EDDA strongly preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.

Employee must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation and without posing a direct threat to safety or health of self or others. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Employee will perform job according to applied laws. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is committed to delivering services, making employment-related decisions, selecting volunteers, and selecting vendors without regard to age over 40, race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, military status, or any other applicable status protected by law.