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Sea Mar

Nonprofit community health & housing services

Dental Assistant 3

Full-Time
$24.28/hr
Junior
Tacoma, WA, USA
In PersonSome travel may be required.
Medical, Clinical & VeterinaryDental

About the job

Requirements
  • A current Washington State Dental Assisting Registration is required.
  • The employee must pass the DAIII Competency test and DAIII Clinical Evaluation.
  • The employee must be able to operate in a manner that prevents employee and patient exposure to communicable diseases through proper infection control.
  • The employee must communicate, read, and write in English.
  • The employee must interpret common written materials about dentistry.
  • The employee must communicate mathematical figures and amounts such as discounts, proportions, and percentages.
  • The employee must respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, insurance agencies, or other health professionals.
  • The employee must define and solve problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
  • A high school diploma or equivalent GED is required.
  • The employee must have completed a formal Dental Assistant program at a college, technical institute, or equivalent.
  • The employee must have two years of work experience.
  • Employees without formal training must have at least three years of experience working as a Dental Assistant.
  • The employee must maintain a current Dental Assistant Registration.
  • The employee must obtain Basic Life Support CPR certification within 90 days of hire and maintain it throughout employment.
  • Annual TB testing is required.
  • The employee must maintain a current Washington State Dental Registration from the Department of Health.
  • Pre-hire and annual employee health screening are required.
  • An annual influenza vaccine is required, subject to approved medical or religious exemptions.
  • The employee must be able to sit, stand, walk, use their hands and fingers, handle or feel, reach with their hands and arms, talk, and hear.
  • The employee must occasionally stoop, kneel, or crouch.
  • The employee must be able to lift or move a child or object weighing up to 50 pounds.
  • The employee must have close, distant, color, peripheral, and depth vision and the ability to adjust focus.
Responsibilities
  • Provide dental providers with necessary chairside assistance using four-handed dentistry techniques for diagnostic, preventive, restorative, endodontic, periodontal, oral surgery, prosthodontic, orthodontic, and other services allowed by the Washington Dental Practice Act.
  • Identify and categorize each patient's age-specific needs, including infant, adolescent, and geriatric patients.
  • Escort patients to and from treatment rooms; greet, seat, and discharge patients courteously and professionally while protecting confidential information.
  • Participate in scheduling appointments and reviewing provider schedules in Dentrix and registering patients in Allscripts PM.
  • Complete thorough and accurate charting in Dentrix using SOAP or PARTS format.
  • Obtain accurate blood pressure readings and other vital signs as directed by the Dental Provider.
  • Maintain proper sterilization methods and OSHA compliance in clinic areas, including treatment rooms and sterilization areas.
  • Perform responsibilities outlined in the Dental Department Task and Duty List and duties assigned by the supervisor or Regional Dental Manager.
  • Participate in Quality Improvement Activities and maintain Joint Commission compliance for the Dental Department and Sea Mar Community Health Centers.
  • Maintain records for Material Safety Data Sheets, spore tests, inventory and ordering of dental supplies, equipment maintenance, nitrous oxide and oxygen cylinders, and the Emergency Kit Log.
  • Assist private-pay and insured patients by providing treatment plans with cost estimates and treatment sequencing.
  • Complete insurance pre-authorizations and verify patient eligibility and benefits.
  • Perform assigned clinical or administrative duties approved by the Dental Director, Dental Supervisor, Regional Dental Manager, or Clinic Manager.
  • Assist the supervisor, Regional Dental Manager, or Clinic Manager with scheduling dental assistants.
  • Demonstrate effective leadership and assist with implementing organizational and departmental policies and changes while communicating verbally and in writing.
  • Assist the Dental Supervisor and Regional Dental Manager with coordinating and training new employees, Dental Trainees, and other dental assistants.
  • Maintain efficient patient flow, eliminate bottlenecks, reduce wait times, and address patients' questions appropriately.
  • Notify the Dental Supervisor, Regional Dental Manager, Clinic Manager, and Dental Director of departmental performance concerns, policy violations, and feedback affecting operations, customer service, or patient flow.
Desired Qualifications
  • Bilingual English/Spanish communication is preferred.

About the company

Sea Mar is a nonprofit community health system based in Washington state, operating more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics across the state. It also provides affordable housing, community education, and social services, serving all residents regardless of ability to pay or immigration status. What sets Sea Mar apart is its focus on Latino and other diverse communities through bilingual, sliding-fee-scale care. The goal is to expand access to comprehensive, affordable health and human services statewide.

Company Size

N/A

Company Stage

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Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

N/A

Founded

1998

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Sea Mar is retaining all Lopez Clinic staff at current salaries during transition.
  • Sea Mar signed Lopez clinic lease, operating agreement, and pharmacy contract by May 2026.
  • Sea Mar is expanding into crisis stabilization and rural clinics, broadening referral pipelines.

What critics are saying

  • DOJ's April 7, 2025 ADA settlement proves Sea Mar's disability-access failures in dental care.
  • NLRB charges filed August 31, 2026 allege discharge and unfair labor practices at Sea Mar.
  • Lopez Island's transition depends on Sea Mar staffing; failure would collapse the clinic handoff.

What makes Sea Mar unique

  • Sea Mar runs 28 dental clinics across Western Washington, plus medical and behavioral health services.
  • Sea Mar won Lopez Medical Clinic operations after UW Medicine exits July 1, 2026.
  • Sea Mar secured Lynnwood's 23-hour crisis care center for January 2026 opening.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Paid Vacation

Paid Holidays

401(k) Retirement Plan