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Kaiser Permanente

Integrated healthcare provider and payer platform

Dental Assistant - Cert

DentalConfirmed live in the last 24 hours
Full-timeVancouver, WA, USANo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

  • At least one year of experience as a dental assistant, or graduation from an American Dental Association-accredited dental assisting program, or completion of a pre-approved nine-month dental assisting program with externship; current Kaiser Permanente Coalition employees have this requirement waived.
  • A high school diploma or General Education Development credential is required.
  • An Expanded Function Dental Assistant Certificate (Oregon) or Kaiser Permanente Dental Assistant (Washington) credential must be obtained within three months of hire.
  • A Dental Radiation Proficiency Certificate (Oregon) or State Radiological Certificate (Washington) must be obtained within three months of hire.
  • A Pit and Fissure Sealant Certificate (Oregon or Washington) must be obtained within four months of hire.
  • A Registered Dental Assistant credential from Washington is required at hire.
  • Basic Life Support certification must be obtained within one and a half months of hire.
  • Demonstrated competence in four-handed dentistry technique is required.
  • Knowledge and proficiency in using current dental materials, instruments, and equipment are required.
  • Ability to follow instructions and work effectively under direct and indirect supervision is required.
  • The final candidate must pass a clinical pre-employment skills test.
  • The applicant must be able to work in a Labor/Management Partnership environment.

Responsibilities

  • Provide direct support to dentists, hygienists, denturists, and other provider personnel in delivering dental care and service within a Kaiser Permanente dental office.
  • Perform dental assistant duties permitted by the individual's training under the presence or observation of a licensed provider and in accordance with applicable state dental practice laws and administrative rules.
  • Apply topical anesthetic and desensitizing agents as directed by the provider.
  • Remove sutures and post-extraction and periodontal dressings.
  • Retract a patient's cheek, tongue, or other tissue during an operation.
  • Assist with placement or removal of a rubber dam.
  • Remove debris created during operative procedures using a vacuum device, compressed air, mouth rinses, or water.
  • Perform non-hazardous extra-oral procedures.
  • Inspect the oral cavity using a mirror.
  • Dry root canals with paper points and place temporary filling material into endodontic access.
  • Take impressions for periodontal night guards and other authorized purposes, including diagnostic models, opposing models, temporary restorations, and intra-oral bite registration for study-model articulation.
  • Polish coronal tooth surfaces when the dentist has determined that the teeth are free of calculus.
  • Provide patients with instruction on oral hygiene and prevention of oral disease.
  • Place, adjust equipment for, expose, and process dental radiographs.
  • Select and size orthodontic bands; remove fixed orthodontic appliances; check loose bands and brackets; remove ligature ties and head appliances; place and remove arch wires, elastics, orthodontic separators, and ligature ties; and take intra-oral orthodontic measurements.
  • Remove supra-gingival orthodontic bracket-bonding material using a handpiece operating at no more than 25,000 revolutions per minute.
  • Organize, verify, and prepare patient dental records for provider use.
  • Greet and inform patients about general treatment and the provider they will see in accordance with established behavioral guidelines.
  • Review health questionnaires and notify the provider of conditions that could affect treatment.
  • Promote patients' emotional comfort and answer patient or parent questions about care as directed by the provider.
  • Anticipate the provider's needs during patient care and communicate information needed to maintain patient scheduling and flow.
  • Prepare, organize, arrange, and pass dental instruments, supplies, and materials requested by the provider.
  • Establish and maintain a clean operating field.
  • Record and verify patient-care information in dental records and required forms.
  • Enter, retrieve, and transmit patient-care information through the automated patient and provider scheduling system.
  • Respond to medical emergencies according to established guidelines.
  • Take patients' blood pressure and accurately record it in the dental record.
  • Clean, sterilize, and process instruments.
  • Maintain clean, orderly, organized, and supplied operatories, laboratory areas, and instrument-processing areas in accordance with infection-control requirements.
  • Handle materials according to hazard-communication and infection-control guidelines.
  • Perform preventive equipment maintenance, report damaged or non-functioning equipment, and perform other duties assigned by office management or supervisory personnel.
  • Follow program policies, procedures, guidelines, protocols, state dental-board rules, the state dental practice act, and other applicable laws and regulations.
  • Place matrix retainers for alloy and composite restorations, polish amalgam restorations, and remove supra-gingival excess cement when the dentist is on the premises and checks the patient before and after the functions.
  • Fabricate temporary plastic-type crowns.
  • Assist in monitoring patients receiving nitrous oxide according to established guidelines.
  • Perform other duties appropriate for a Registered Dental Assistant as authorized by Washington state regulations.

Desired Qualifications

  • Basic knowledge of sterilization and infection-control equipment.

About the Company

Kaiser Permanente

Integrated healthcare provider and payer platform

Kaiser Permanente runs an integrated healthcare platform that lets members manage and pay medical, premium, and pharmacy bills online. It serves Medicare Advantage, Individual and Family, and non-employer plans, offering options to pay as a guest or set up payment plans. The platform works by presenting a centralized online portal where users can view bills, choose how to pay, and handle multiple types of charges in one place. Revenue comes from premiums and medical services fees, while the service aims to reduce administrative work for both providers and patients and encourage on-time payments. What sets Kaiser Permanente apart is its combination of healthcare services with a single billing experience across multiple plan types, focusing on a user-friendly, centralized payment process rather than handling billing through separate systems. Its goal is to provide a straightforward, reliable way for members to manage and pay their bills, improving convenience and payment timeliness.

Company size
10,001+
Company stage
Grant
Total funding
$7.5M
Headquarters
Oakland, CA
Founded
1945

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