Dental Assistant at St. Lukes Orthopaedics & Trauma Hospital

Job Purpose

The overall purpose of this job is to provide administrative and clinical support to the dentist in carrying out dental examinations and related procedures to the hospital’s patients in line with established protocols the hospital’s patient care objectives.

Key duties and responsibilities

1. Provide advice to patients on preventive dental care, causes and treatment of dental problems and health care;
2. Book patients and attend to emergency patients in the clinic;
3. Prepare patients for dental procedures;
4. Assist the dentist in managing medical and dental emergencies as and when necessary;
5. Assist dental hygienists with procedures as and when necessary;
6. Set up instrument trays, prepare materials and assist with dental procedures;
7. Ensure proper use of dental materials and equipment and monitor the functionality of the equipment to ensure seamless provision of dental services;
8. Document and record all processes for ease of reference and decision making purposes;
9. Sterilize and disinfect instruments in line with infection control guidelines;
10. Record treatment information in patient records;
11. Expose dental x-rays from dental diagnostics and ensure proper use of dental x-ray equipment;
12. Provide postoperative instructions as directed by the dentist, dental hygiene, oral health care, and
13. control programs to patients;
14. Collect and record medical and dental histories and patient vital signs;
15. Form preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts;
16. Fabricate temporary restorations and custom impressions from preliminary impressions; and
17. Any other responsibility assigned to the jobholder by the supervisor from time to time.

Working relationships

Internal Relationships: Security, Prosthesis, Procurement, Dental Unit, OPD, Front Office, MRI and Radiology.

External Relationships: Patients and external consultants

Knowledge, experience and qualifications required

1. Diploma in Dental Technology from a recognized institution.
2. Certificate in Dental x-ray.
3. Must be registered as a Community Oral Health Officer in Kenya.
4. Minimum of 2 years’ experience

Competencies

Technical & Behavioural competencies

1. Working knowledge of dental x-ray and hygiene;
2. Ability to work with and trouble shoot dental equipment
3. Basic life support skills
4. Patient care skills
5. Analytical skills
6. Problem solving skills
7. Attention to detail
8. Customer service skills
9. Planning and organizing skills
10. Communication skills
11. Interpersonal skills
12. Accountability
13. Integrity

Responsibility for finances and physical assets

• The jobholder is in charge of all instruments and x-ray machines used in dentistry.

Decision-making

• The jobholder has no final decision making authority other than routine decisions related to their work

Working Conditions

Working Environment: Minimum disagreeable conditions in the environment.

Job Hazards: The jobholder is exposed to significant hazards such as potential risk of infectious and non-infectious contamination from patients