Front Desk Dental Assistant - UPDATED

Starting Wage Range: $22.36/hr. - $29.00/hr.

Job Summary:

Provides support to the dental clinic staff and coordinates all patient scheduling. Ensures the efficient, timely and accurate delivery of dental services to patients in a professional, non-biased environment. Assists the dental professionals with the daily operation of the Tribal dental clinic in accordance with the Tribe's holistic health and wellness objectives for patients and families. 

Essential Functions:

• Provides support for the dental clinic by courteously meeting and greeting individuals presenting themselves to the dental clinic.
• Schedules all dental appointments using patient scheduling software and ensures dental staff schedules are accurate. Maintains orthodontic schedule.
• Triages patients who call in for emergencies and prioritizes routine care.
• Calls to confirm appointments and activates alert sense messages when needed.
• Obtains medical history.
• Reviews patient demographics and verifies patient eligibility for services.
• Records patient information regarding broken appointments and cancellations; maintains a short call list of patients.
• Completes referral form and assists patients with information for contacting the provider.
• Processes and coordinates dental lab payments to labs directly (and with Contract Health Services for those patients eligible).
• Maintains office supply and stock.
• Prepares correspondence, copies, and faxes; takes and routes accurate telephone messages.
• Contacts various insurance companies for preauthorization of dental services, to verify coverage amounts and relay costs of dental services being provided.
• Notifies patients of the status of their dental plan benefits coverage and costs of dental services being provided to them.
• Assists patients by ensuring insurance/alternate resource eligibility and coverage; ensures collection efforts are exhausted and dental patient data integrity is maintained.
• Organizes supporting materials for claim forms, such as radiographs or written narratives.
• Ensures patients are notified of applicable lab fees and the applicable lab fees are collected before treatment begins.
• Collects patient insurance information and enters into database.
• Facilitates OHP referrals with assistance in plan
• Ensures patient confidentiality.
• Maintain and updates User Security Files in accordance to Clinic and Tribal Policy.
• Maintains patient confidentiality.
• Takes x-rays.
• Assists at chair side, utilizing basic dental techniques.
• Sterilizes instruments.
• Sets up and takes down patient rooms for treatment.
• Restocks patient rooms.
• Assists with prevention activities for tribal dental and wellness programs.
• Is authorized to serve both eligible and non-eligible beneficiaries in an outreach capacity both on and off site.
• May involve transporting native and/or non-native patients of the GRHWC in company vehicle.
• Performs a variety of other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Education, Experience, And Licenses:

• Requires a high school diploma or GED. Requires minimum of (1) year of clinical dental experience or comparable dental education.
• Requires two (2) years of work experience in a dental clinic setting.
• OR equivalent combination of education, training and experience. 

Driving Requirements:

• Must maintain a valid Oregon driver’s license or obtain one upon hire, qualify for the Tribe’s vehicle insurance, and provide proof of personal vehicle insurance. 

Qualifications, Registrations, And Certifications:

• Requires First Aid and CPR certificate or must be able to obtain within sixty (60) days of hire.
• A current Certified Dental Assistant Certificate is preferred or the ability to obtain within two (2) years of hire.
• A current radiology certification is preferred.
• Must be able to handle cash and other forms of payment for dental services.
• Must have the ability to efficiently plan, schedule, and accomplish a variety of tasks simultaneously and within appropriate time constraints.
• Must have the ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships in meeting and dealing with others.
• Must have the ability to use computer application software packages to include; spreadsheets, databases and word processing applications.
• Knowledge of patient scheduling software and clinical databases preferred.
• Must be able to operate standard office equipment i.e. computer, scanner, fax machine, copy machine, visa machine, 10-key, multi-line telephone.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to Native American culture required. Native American employees preferred.

Environmental Factors And Conditions/Physical Requirements:

• Continually requires the ability to express or receive detailed information or important instructions through oral communication.
• Continually requires working with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm. Requires repetitive movement of wrists, hands and/or fingers. Often requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks.
• Requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time, raising objects from a lower to a higher position and/or moving objects horizontally.
• Occasionally requires lifting of up to 40 pounds.
• Due to the nature of the interactions with other employees and the public we serve, employees may be required to provide documentation of, or receive, certain health vaccinations.
• This position is frequently subject to inside environmental conditions, which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes, and is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions.
• May be called upon to serve as a Disaster Reservist during emergencies.
• Local travel is occasionally required. Travel outside of the state is infrequently required.

Background Check:

• Candidates for this position will be subject to criminal and character background checks and may be subject to fingerprinting.