Registered Dental Assistant
$36.37 - $37.69/hr
Mid
San Leandro, CA, USA
In Person
Medical, Clinical & VeterinaryDental
About the job
Requirements
- Provide proof of a high school diploma.
- Be fluent in English and Cantonese, Mandarin, or Vietnamese.
- Hold a valid California Registered Dental Assistant license.
- For the Supervising Dental Assistant certification, hold a CDA.
- Pass the Radiation Health and Safety examination and Infection Control examination.
- Hold a current coronal polishing certificate, current CPR card, and valid X-ray certificate.
Responsibilities
- Assist the dentist and dental hygienist during treatment procedures and perform other functions legally allowed in California.
- Set up for dental procedures and help patients feel comfortable before, during, and after treatment.
- Ask about or verify patient medical history when necessary, and take blood pressure and pulse.
- Take and develop dental radiographs.
- Provide chairside assistance and instructions for oral care after dental treatment.
- Teach patients oral hygiene strategies, including tooth brushing, flossing, and nutritional counseling.
- Serve as infection control officer; develop infection control protocols; prepare and sterilize instruments, equipment, and patient areas.
- Keep operating rooms stocked and sterile, maintain dental equipment, and take impressions for study casts.
- As permitted, apply non-aerosol and non-caustic topical agents; remove post-extraction and periodontal dressings; place and remove elastic orthodontic separators; hold anterior matrices; remove sutures; apply topical fluoride after scaling and polishing by an authorized clinician; and place and remove rubber dams.
- Perform other assigned dental or chairside duties.
- Under general supervision, inspect the oral cavity with a mouth mirror, including charting obvious lesions, existing restorations, and missing teeth; place and remove temporary sedative dressings.
- Under direct supervision, obtain endodontic cultures; dry canals previously opened by the supervising dentist with absorbent points; test pulp vitality; place bases and liners on sound dentin; remove excess cement from gingival surfaces with a hand instrument or fluoride; size stainless steel crowns, temporary crowns, and bands; perform temporary cementations and remove orthodontic bands; place orthodontic separators; place and ligate arch wires; and place post-extraction and periodontal dressings.
- Perform coronal polishing if certified and remove excess cement from coronal surfaces using an ultrasonic scaler if certified.
- Observe professional and ethical standards and follow clinic protocols.
- Comply with OSHA regulations and Asian Health Services health and safety rules and procedures.
- Meet Human Resources requirements, including periodic in-service training, annual health exams, and submission of proof of continuing medical education and license renewals.
- Assist with orientation for newly employed front desk assistants, dental assistants, registered dental assistants, dental hygienists, dentists, and other new employees.
- Assist with other tasks as requested when appropriate and time allows.
- Attend regular department and organization-wide staff meetings.
- Promote teamwork and a positive work environment in the department.
- Participate in agency-wide quality improvement processes and performance improvement teams to support the quality of services across the agency.
Desired Qualifications
- Have at least one year of paid dental assisting work experience.
About the company
Asian Health Services provides health, social, and advocacy support for people regardless of income, insurance, language, or culture. It runs primary care clinics and extends care beyond the clinic through community programs, aiming at whole patient health. Its offerings include prenatal wellness classes for expectant moms, IT classes for seniors, and monthly food distribution, all designed to reach people where they are. Unlike providers that focus only on clinical visits, Asian Health Services connects medical care with social and community services to address broader needs. The goal is to improve overall well-being and equity by making health and support services accessible to diverse communities.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Oakland, California
Founded
1974
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- The 2026 patient services conference drew nearly 1,000 attendees, signaling strong community demand.
- Oakland City funding awarded AHS $200,000 for youth leadership programming in 2026.
- HRSA-backed dental residency and teaching center deepen recruitment and training pipelines now.
What critics are saying
- Federal Medicaid work requirements from 2027 threaten AHS patients' coverage retention.
- PACE center fundraising still shows 0% of a $15 million goal, delaying opening.
- AHS depends on public grants like $2.3 million county mobile vaccination funding; renewal risk remains.
What makes Asian Health Services unique
- Oakland-based AHS serves 50,000 patients in nine Asian languages, built since 1974.
- AHS runs California's first FQHC-based dental residency, starting July 2026 in San Leandro.
- AHS is building Alameda County's first integrated FQHC-based PACE center, opening 2027.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Paid Vacation
- Paid Sick Leave
- Paid Holidays
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- Commuter Benefits
- Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Wellness Program