• answering patients’ questions
• charting patients and recording the date, service rendered and any charges
• ensuring that accurate treatment notes are recorded in patients’ charts
• monitoring patient flow
• providing patients with instructions and demonstrating proper techniques when necessary
• monitoring and managing inventory
• performing allowable duties under expanded function when appropriate
Dental Hygienist
Each state has specific regulations regarding responsibilities and the range of services that can be performed by hygienists.
• reviewing the daily schedules for hygiene patients with the appropriate team member
• working with other team members to efficiently schedule hygiene patients
• reviewing patient health and dental history forms and updating them as necessary
• accurately charting each patient’s periodontal health
• performing prophylaxis, scaling, root planing and selective polishing
• administering local anesthetics (where allowed by the state’s dental practice act)
• taking radiographs
• applying fluoride and sealants
• teaching patients proper oral hygiene techniques
• counseling patients on oral health
• documenting pertinent observations and patients’ conditions and responses to recommendations for care
• cleaning and sterilizing instruments
• performing other tasks assigned by the dentist as allowed by the state’s dental practice act
Dental Laboratory Technician
• working closely with dentist on fabricating prosthetics
• constructing partial or full dentures; fabricating crowns and bridges
• manufacturing implant supported prostheses
• repairing dental prosthetics and appliances
• preparing models and molds from dental impressions
• preparing wax bite-blocks and custom impression trays
• casting and finishing gold or metal alloys for bridges and denture bases
• packing plastic material in molds to form full or partial dentures
• molding wax over denture set-ups to form full contours of artificial gums
• making orthodontic bands from gold, silver, stainless steel or other metals
• finishing metal framework of dentures and polishing and buffing dentures
• training and/or supervising other dental technicians or dental laboratory workers as appropriate
• improving quality results by studying, evaluating, redesigning processes for fabricating prosthetics
• maintaining the knowledge and skills required to successfully manage computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing technology
• documenting and maintaining records, preparing reports, correspondence and billing based on the work performed
POSITION OVERVIEWS — NON-CLINICAL STAFF
Administrative Assistant
• maintaining the appearance and order of the dental office to include patient scheduling and management
• opening and closing the dental office
• checking the daily schedule for accuracy and providing the schedule to the dental team
• answering and responding to telephone calls
• reviewing supplies for reception and submitting orders to the business manager
• maintaining petty cash
Appointment Coordinator
• greeting patients upon arrival and providing all appropriate forms
• creating a comfortable, relaxed yet professional environment in the front office
• keeping track of patient charts
• advising doctor and other staff of patient arrivals
• updating the schedule when it changes and coordinating patient flow
• noting when patients are late
• working with the doctor to reschedule missed appointments or change proposed treatment for the day
• scheduling and confirming appointments
• determining the appropriate response, in consultation with the doctor, when appointments are missed or when there are late arrivals or late cancellations
Bookkeeper
• overseeing accounts receivable and accounts payable
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