Dental Assistant

Role Overview

Dental Assistant at NMC Healthcare. This position reports directly to the head of the department and supports dentists in all aspects of patient care and general practice operations.

Role Purpose

Support dentists in clinical care delivery, patient management, and practice operations while maintaining accurate records, infection control standards, and a safe, organized surgical environment.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Support

• Prepare appropriate instruments for procedures.
• Take notes from dentists' dictation for records.
• Chart during examinations.
• Prepare and mix dental materials.
• Provide support to patients during treatment.
• Ensure patient comfort throughout consultation, treatment, and procedures.
• Assist the dentist to obtain written consent and/or signature from patient and/or their consent giver/s before performing dental procedures.
• Execute proper workflow on assigned nursing tasks such as handling General Anesthesia cases and preparing dental reports.

Patient Records and Documentation

• Keep complete and accurate patient dental records.
• Correctly take and collate dental examination resources such as Intra Oral Peri-apical X-Rays, Orthopantomogram (OPG), Cephalo-metric X-Rays, and laboratory results.
• Ensure recording methods used are in line with agreed Practice Policy and current DOH dental guidelines.

Infection Control and Safety

• Tidy the surgery after patient departure.
• Sterilize all instruments.
• Ensure the surgical areas and equipment are regularly cleaned, sterilized, organized, and maintained, including aspiration systems and autoclaves.
• Pay all due attention to relevant legal and ethical codes, as well as the practice policy with respect to cross Infection Control and Health & Safety measures established by the Department of Health.
• Ensure safe disposal of sharps and clinical waste.

Inventory and Equipment Management

• Ensure proper dental materials, equipment, and consumables are well maintained, available, and in good working condition.
• Conduct inventory and ordering as per the set materials ordering policy.
• Report equipment failures or breakages to the Dental Nurse Supervisor so that prompt action may be taken to remedy any defects.

Administrative and Reception Support

• Assist reception staff with patient appointments.
• Handle dental-related paperwork and dental insurance matters.
• Meet, reassure, and educate patients.
• Assist at reception and perform other clerical duties if required.

General Responsibilities

• Exercise good judgment and maintain confidentiality in maintaining critical and sensitive information, records, and reports.
• Actively participate in the Medical Center's ongoing Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Programs and other In-Service Training Programs.
• Participate in the organization's quality improvement and safety activities.
• Act as a translator if needed.
• Establish and maintain productive working relationships with all members of the dental team.
• Liaise with the Department Assistant and/or Dental Nurse Supervisor on all matters concerning administration and service concerns and conditions.
• Maintain and increase competence in dental nursing skills by attending dental CMEs and getting involved in dental research studies.
• Perform other duties and tasks assigned by the Head of Department within scope of job.
• Accomplish high quality dental nursing whilst assisting the dentists assigned, in a safe and effective manner in accordance with the Code of Ethics, under the reasonable directions of DOH guidelines, updated from time to time as appropriate.

Qualifications & Experience

• Valid DOH/DHA Dental Assistant License.
• Bachelor's Degree as Dental Nurse, Dental Assistant, or Nursing.
• Minimum of two years' experience in any dental facility in the UAE as a dental assistant.
• Valid Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification from American Heart Association (AHA).

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent Communication in English.
• Knowledge in Arabic will be an advantage.