Dental Assistant Lead (Dental Care II)

• University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
• Department: Department of Diagnostic Sciences and Surgical Dentistry
• Job Title: Dental Assistant Lead (Dental Care II)
• Position: #00840834 – Requisition: #37905

Job Summary:

The School of Dental Medicine (SDM) has an opening for a full-time Dental Assistant Lead in the Advanced Care Clinics. Under the direction of the Advanced Care Clinics Manager, this position serves as both a functional working dental assistant and a lead, providing chairside assistance in specialty areas including oral and maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, periodontics, general practice residency, and community dentistry. The Dental Assistant Lead supports clinical operations, mentors dental assistants, ensures adherence to infection control protocols, and collaborates with faculty, residents, students, and staff to deliver high-quality patient care. This onsite position is located at the University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus, with typical hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Key Responsibilities:

Chairside Assistant (90%)

• Clinical/patient treatment preparation and positioning; inspect instruments/tools for proper condition and functionality.
• Use sterile techniques and infection control procedures; perform appropriate aseptic and sterilization processes.
• Provide demonstration and instruction in technical dentistry practices when assisting dental students.
• Perform dental intraoral and extraoral radiographs using proper techniques and safety equipment; develop, mount, and identify radiographic films.
• Troubleshoot the scanner to ensure high-quality film development.
• Serve as a working Dental Assistant and back-up as needed.
• Coordinate and prioritize clinic dental assistant responsibilities and tasks.
• Monitor clinic and patient needs throughout the day; communicate recommended adjustments to address emergencies, cancellations, and changes in treatment plans.
• Provide support and coaching to lower-level dental assistants to help them adapt to clinic changes.
• Monitor inventory levels and collaborate with department leadership to ensure adequate supplies for daily clinic needs.
• Perform daily checks of emergency airway black boxes.
• Ensure weekly chair audits and clinical logs are completed, reviewed, and accurate before submission to department leadership.
• Serve as the first point of contact for audit-related questions.

Training and Mentorship (10%)

• Serve as the day-to-day work lead for unit operations, including assigning work and serving as a resource.
• Serve as an assigned trainer for new employees and those requiring additional training in patient procedures and clinic workflows.
• Provide input to team leadership for higher-level decision-making; offer regular feedback to the Advanced Care Clinics Manager for performance reviews.
• Demonstrate continuous learning and apply principles of patient care and four-handed chairside procedures.
• Provide quality assurance by ensuring all clinical protocols, sterilization, and infection control procedures are followed according to policies.

Work Location:

Onsite – this role is expected to work onsite and is located in Aurora, Colorado.  

Why Join Us:

Benefits statement to include in all benefits-eligible positions:

Why work for the University?

We have AMAZING benefits and offer exceptional amounts of holiday, vacation and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 10/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service
• There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.
• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 10/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service
• There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.

Qualifications:

Please make sure to include the following in your resume: job title, duties, months and years employed, and average hours worked per week as minimum experience is calculated on a 40 hour/week basis.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Two (2) years of dental assisting experience, which included mentoring and/or training colleagues in four-handed chairside dental assistance.  Substitution: Successful completion of an accredited dental assisting program may substitute for one year of experience.  NOTE: If exercising the education substitution, applicants MUST attach a copy of their dental assisting certificate to their application materials no later than the closing date listed in the announcement.
• Current valid CPR and/or BLS certification.

Colorado law requires that candidates for state government jobs be residents of Colorado at the time of application.

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Five (5) years of dental assisting experience. 
• Experience working with students and faculty in a higher education and/or academic medical environment.
• Recent experience working in a fast-paced dental environment.
• Experience with clinical area preparation, taking x-rays, and performing/developing digital dental radiographs in a dental clinic and/or office.
• Comprehensive knowledge of dental materials, their use, maintenance and storage.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities:

• Knowledge of the professional standards, concepts, and practices of dental care assistance (i.e., dental terminology, materials, tools, instruments, and proper use and technique).
• Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.
• Demonstrated effective time management skills with the ability to prioritize and multi-task.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.
• Demonstrated commitment and leadership ability to advance diversity and inclusion.
• Knowledge of professional standards, concepts and practices related customer service and patient care. 
• Knowledge of applicable Federal and State laws and regulations (i.e., OSHA, HIPPA).
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality while working with sensitive information.
• Ability to take initiative with daily work activities and collaborates to create a positive effect on team performance.
• The ideal candidate for this position will be a detail oriented, dedicated and professional individual growth.
• Learn and develop appropriate/effective supervisory principals.
• Learn supervisory administrative responsibilities (i.e., leave and timesheet processing, performance planning and evaluations, compliance/policy interpretation and management)
• Promotes professional and ethical work standards and behaviors; cultivates standard of professionalism, integrity, ethics and employee competency.

How To Apply:

Questions should be directed to: Traci Wells, Traci.Wells@CUAnschutz.edu

Application Materials Instructions:

APPLICATION DEADLINE: This announcement is open until 10/13/2025.

To apply, please submit the following materials to this posting:

• A cover letter and resume that specifically addresses the job requirements and outlines your qualifications.
• Special Instructions to Applicants
• Classified Staff positions have specific application requirements:
• A cover letter and resume that specifically addresses the job requirements and outlines your qualifications.
• Special Instructions to Applicants
• Classified Staff positions have specific application requirements:
• Submit all required documents indicated in this posting and include a current email address and phone number. 
• Please address minimum qualifications, competencies and preferred qualifications in your cover letter, as these along with previous work experience will be used in the assessment process.
• Click here to view Veteran and other General Information regarding Classified Staff positions: https://www.cu.edu/cu-careers/special-instructions-classified-staff-applicants

For those who meet minimum qualifications, the comparative analysis process will include one or all of the following: 

• Preferred Qualifications Application Review based on the preferred qualifications listed in the posting. 
• Candidates will be evaluated and rated against the preferred qualifications based on information submitted within their application materials.  Note: Candidates are not physically present for this portion of the comparative analysis. 
• Interviews based on the job requirements, preferred qualifications and competencies listed in the posting. 
• Candidates will be evaluated, scored and ranked based on oral responses
• Interviews may be over the phone, videoconference or in-person
• Candidates will be evaluated and rated against the preferred qualifications based on information submitted within their application materials.  Note: Candidates are not physically present for this portion of the comparative analysis. 
• Candidates will be evaluated, scored and ranked based on oral responses
• Interviews may be over the phone, videoconference or in-person

You will be notified via email if the comparative analysis process changes or includes additional assessment tools other than those listed above.

Anticipated Pay Range:

The starting salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established as $3,651- $4,236 per month ($43,812- $50,830 per year).

This position is eligible for overtime compensation.

The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

If you have prior state-classified service in the same class series as this position, your pay may be set at a higher amount per the state Step Pay Program implemented on July 1, 2024. For more information about the Step Pay Program, please visit the 2024 Step Pay Program for State of Colorado Employees | DHR.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Ada Statement:

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at hr.adacoordinator@cuanschutz.edu​.

Background Check Statement:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students, and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

Vaccination Statement:

CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases. If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU Anschutz, you will be required to comply with the vaccination and medical surveillance policies of the facilities or clinics where you work, visit, or volunteer, respectively. In addition, if you work in certain research areas or perform certain safety sensitive job duties, you must enroll in the occupational health medical surveillance program.