OHSU’s focus on healing, teaching, and discovery combined with our deep history in Oregon is unique. We are the state’s only academic health center and one of the only universities in the U.S. devoted exclusively to educating doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and public health professionals. At OHSU’s School of Dentistry, we strive to make an impact in our community by delivering excellence in our dental care facilities, utilizing cutting-edge technologies while enhancing the knowledge of our inclusive dental professionals and leaders. We value each and every one of our professionals by providing a welcoming work environment and industry leading benefits.

 

GENEROUS BENEFIT PACKAGE:

• Comprehensive medical, dental & vision care plans. Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents
• $25K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee
• Retirement: Choose between pension plan or employee matching voluntary savings plan
• Vacation - Up to 200 hours per year depending on length of service
• Sick Leave - Up to 96 hours per year
• 8 paid holidays per year
• Substantial Tri-met and C-Tran discounts
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Innovative Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Cutting edge Wellness Platform
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Discounts
  
  

Our department’s working locations are nestled in Portland's beautiful South Waterfront making it a convenient location to commute to. Our Skourtes Tower facility in the Robertson Life Sciences Building houses both our School of Dentistry and our patient clinics, providing sweeping views of the city and an unmatched setting for education, research, and exemplary oral health care.

 

To learn more about the School of Dentistry click on the link below:

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/schools/school-of-dentistry 

The Dental Assistant - Advanced, under the supervision of a licensed dentist, provides chair side assistance to dentists, dental or graduate students, interns and residents, dental hygienists, or dental technicians. Some employees in this class perform clinical support duties such as appointment scheduling, billing, and maintaining patient records

• Dental Assisting. Under the supervision of a dentist, provides chair side dental support to dentists, dental students, or dental hygienists. Prepares work station, instruments, and materials, and escorts patient to the work station. Provides 4 and 6-handed dental assistance support for OHSU dental practices. Retracts a patient's cheek, tongue, or other parts of tissues during a dental operation. Assists with the placement or removal of a rubber dam and accessories used for its placement and retention as directed by the dentist. Uses vacuum devices, compressed air, mouthwashes, and water to remove debris accumulated during operative processes. Prepares amalgams and adhesives. Reviews pre and post-operative instructions with patients. Sterilizes and wraps instruments and cleans work station between patients. Maintains operatory equipment. Exposes radiographs for dental diagnostic purposes. Instructs individuals in oral hygiene techniques and preventative procedures, which may include desensitizing agents. Ensures work areas are stocked and ready for patient care.
• Advanced Specialty Dental Assisting Functions: Advanced Specialties may require assistance in post-operative care, such as remove post-extraction and surgical dressings and sutures; IV sedation set up for patients requiring sedation; checks and ensure readiness of surgical aspirating equipment, nitrous oxide-oxygen unit and accessories and emergency kits; monitoring sedated patients for vital signs and instructing person accompanying patient regarding care of sedated patients. Advance Specialties may include assisting procedures that require the use of a dental microscope; or assistance with removal of orthodontic bands, brackets, attachments, bonding material and cement; fitting or recementing orthodontic bands; placing/removing orthodontic separators; preparing teeth and positioning orthodontic appliances for bonding; fitting/adjusting headgear; removing/replacing orthodontic wires including ligation; and cutting archwires.
• Dental Laboratory Functions. Pouring, trimming and scanning of models, soft denture relines, and fabrication of 6392A Page 2 of 2 Effective 4/2003 Updated 1/19/21 interim prosthesis or another oral appliance. Use and maintenance of equipment for fabrication of prostheses or other oral appliances. Fabrication of patient take home products.
• Educational Support. Provides support to dental students in techniques of four handed dentistry and use of chair side dental assistant. Reinforces aseptic techniques, posture, chair positions, instrument exchange, use of dental materials and efficient operatory set up. Explains and demonstrates equipment care. Evaluates dental students for infection control compliance. Match students with clinic partners which might include patient assignments.
• Clinical Support and Administrative Functions. Under dentist's supervision, Document in the EHR including medical health history information, examination findings or treatment procedures and other pertinent patient care information. Enter, progress and complete treatments. Schedule, plan and confirm patient appointments and recalls. Clerical duties related to patient status updates. Review and obtain patient signature for consent and other clinic procedural compliance forms. Ensure notes, codes, and referrals are completed in patient record. Clerical duties needed to ensure clinic function. Supply order coordination. May also need to rotate schedule coverage for clinics and ORs. May also include daily huddles and coordination with providers for daily readiness and best practice patient care.

• Completion of an approved Dental Assistant training program AND two years’ experience as a chair side Dental Assistant in an Advanced Specialty OR Three years’ experience as a chair side Dental Assistant in an Advanced Specialty.
• Certification by the Oregon State Board of Dentistry for Radiological Proficiency required for all positions Current valid Basic Life Support (BLS) card required (from approved vendor) required for all positions.
• Must have worked as a dental assistant in an advanced specialty within the last 5 year.

• Knowledge of pharmacology specific to sedation and general anesthesia, if applicable.
• Advanced specialty dental assisting may require EFDA, EFODA, DAANC, dental anesthesia certification or other sedation/surgical advanced certifications, skills.

Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu.


As an organization devoted to the health and well-being of people in Oregon and beyond, OHSU requires its employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.