DENTAL ASSISTANT - 64002285

 Pay Plan: [[custSubGroup]]

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Job posting category (Open Competitive)

Your Specific Responsibilities:

The Incumbent, an employee of the Florida Department of Health in Putnam County, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, County, and community efforts.  The incumbent is expected to promote Innovation by searching for creative solutions and managing resources wisely.  They are expected to collaborate through teamwork to achieve common goals and solve problems. The incumbent is expected to be accountable and perform with integrity and respect. They are expected to be responsive by serving our customers and engaging our partners.  Finally, the incumbent is expected to perform with excellence by promoting quality outcomes through learning and continuous performance.  This is a Dental Assistant position located at the Putnam County Health Department and functions under the supervision of the Dentist. The Public Health Dental Assistant provides clinical and administrative support within the fixed dental clinic, ensuring efficient operations and high-quality dental care. The role emphasizes serving pediatric clients and supports the delivery of preventive, restorative, and educational dental services. The Dental Assistant upholds public health principles, infection control standards, and patient-centered care in all clinical activities.

Assists the Dentist/Dental Hygienist in all phases of dentistry, by utilizing current concepts of four-handed dentistry, to increase productivity, reduce client stress, and improve quality of dental care. Incumbent will ensure all dental forms (e.g., consent, health history, and other relevant treatment documentation) are available, completed, signed, and organized for the Dentist before and after the clinical visit. Incumbent will perform and record vital signs (e.g., blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration), and informs Dentist/Dental Hygienist of vitals, prior to the start of each visit. Incumbent may mix and assist with preparing various restorative and impression materials, waxes, and resin products, as directed by the dentist. Incumbent performs dental radiographs of patient, ensuring that all radiographs are of diagnostic quality, and compliance and guidelines are maintained, at all times. Incumbent will use provided client barriers, for means of infection prevention, and then disinfects all x-ray equipment after each use. Incumbent provides relief during absences/vacancies, as required, to ensure continuity of dental treatment for chair-side, back-office and front-office duties. Incumbent will prepare, organize, and maintain dental instruments, supplies, and equipment, according to sterilization and infection control protocols. Incumbent will document charting, notes, and treatment information in electronic dental records system, as directed by licensed providers. Incumbent will accurately enter all services provided into the electronic health record for billing. Incumbent will learn and implement behavior guidance techniques appropriate for pediatric patients, to support comfort and safety during procedures. Incumbent is responsible for setting up and breaking down dental trays and supplies for each operatory, as needed during day-to-day operations, ensuring readiness and adherence to safety protocols. Incumbent presoaks, cleans, and decontaminates, rinses, dries, bags, wraps, or packages, sterilizes, and properly stores all dental instruments, tools, and hand pieces, while completing the sterilization process, and performing spore tests, as required. Incumbent processes the sample through the incubation process, for analysis, and maintains a log with test dates and results of analysis.   Properly disposes of bio-hazardous, dental waste materials (e.g., extracted teeth, bone, tissue, blood-soaked gauze, used dental sharps). Follows the manufacturer’s recommendations when using, cleaning, and maintaining dental vacuum systems; lubricates hand pieces before and after sterilization, and uses, cleans, and maintains dental sterilizations units.

Maintains (e.g., stocks, restocks, orders, and inventories) dental supplies e.g., local anesthetic, gauze, cotton rolls, filling materials, needles, patient bibs) and ensure supplies are readily available for the Dentist/Dental Hygienist. Incumbent will complete inventory sheets & requisition forms, through MFMP, under the direction of the Dentist or Director of Nursing, Clinical and Dental Services. Incumbent will assist the dental hygienist by monitoring expiration dates on all applicable dental materials, ensuring older items are used first. 

Incumbent will participate in community dental health outreach events, including the educating of clients and caregivers, on the importance of proper oral hygiene (e.g., brushing, and flossing techniques); informs patients on and off site of available dental services. Incumbent will, when needed, assist with SBSP functions, as directed by the SBSP Coordinator/Hygienist. Incumbent performs chart reviews, prior to the patients scheduled appointment, to ensure charts are up to date. The incumbent in this position may be required to use vehicles owned, leased, or operated by the state or county to conduct official state business. State or county vehicles shall be used only for officially authorized duties and not for personal use, unless a specific exception applies under Florida law (F.S. § 287.17).

Perform other related duties as required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

Principles and methods of sterilization; uses of the more common dental instruments, equipment, and materials; dental hygiene and prophylaxis; dental office procedure and principles of digital dental record keeping, including techniques used in dental radiography; and names or numbers of the teeth and various surfaces of the crown of the tooth. Communicate effectively at a level required for successful job performance; identify the more common dental instruments, equipment, and materials; mix dental materials and prepare dental accessories; stand for long periods of time; analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action; follow directions; and maintain effective working relationships with health care professionals and others. Ability to assemble, disassemble, and transport portable dental equipment to and from school setting with time proficiency, based on distance, in county designated vehicle

Qualifications:

Minimum -Expanded Functions and Dental Radiography certifications Per Chapter 64B5, 1-25, F.A.C

Preferred - DOH-Experience, Bi-Lingual, Pediatric Experience, Dental Software (EagleSoft)

Florida Department of Health Mission, Vision, and Values:

Mission:

To protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county & community efforts.

Vision:

To be the Healthiest State in the Nation.

Values:

I nnovation: We search for creative solutions and manage resources wisely.

C ollaboration: We use teamwork to achieve common goals & solve problems.

A ccountability: We perform with integrity & respect.

R esponsiveness: We achieve our mission by serving our customers & engaging our partners.

E xcellence: We promote quality outcomes through learning & continuous performance improvement

.

Where You Will Work:

Florida Department of Health in Putnam County

2801 Kennedy St

Palatka, FL 32177

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions

(For more information, please click www.myfrs.com);

• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, including monthly costs, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Please be advised:

Your responses to qualifying questions for this position must be verifiable by documentation provided through the electronic application process.  

This position requires a security background check and/or drug screening and participation in direct deposit. Any misrepresentations or omissions will disqualify you from employment consideration. Note: You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to conduct this background check Successful completion of a drug test is a condition of employment for safety-sensitive positions.

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov 

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida.  Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement. 

The successful candidate will be required to complete the Form I-9 and that information will be verified using the E-Verify system.  E-Verify is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to verify employment eligibility.   

Incumbents may be required to perform emergency duty before, during, and/or beyond normal work hours or days.

All Florida Department of Health positions require the incumbent to be able to learn and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will not be considered.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace. 

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-877-562-7287). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation. 

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act. 

Florida has the third largest population of veterans in the nation with more than 1.5 million service men and women.  The Florida Department of Health (department) is committed to serving members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans and their families by encouraging them to apply for vacancies that fit their area of knowledge and/or expertise.  Through the Department's VALOR program, which expedites licensing for military veterans, the Department also waives initial licensing and application fees for military veterans who apply for a health care professional license within 60 months of an honorable discharge. These initiatives help ensure that the transition from military service into the workforce is as smooth as possible and reflects our appreciation for the dedication devoted to protecting our country.  

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.