KEY WORK OUTPUT AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Dental Chair Assistant Oversight

• Responsible for the preparation of the dental surgery area for each working day and between each patient visit
• Maintain a neat and tidy dental surgery area that is welcoming to our client base.
• Maintain all infection prevention control measures and health and safety standards in line with company policies
• Prepare dental surgery daily and between each patient to ensure sufficient quantity of dental consumable stock is ordered and available for Dental Practitioner to utilize during dental treatment.
• Deliver professional and friendly customer services at all times in alignment with the company values i.e. CARE, TRUTH, PARTICIPATION, COMPASSION and DIGNITY.
• Maintain compliance to the uniform policy including the wearing of your name badge.
• responsible and accountable for accurate document completion.
• Ensure accuracy (quality and integrity) of information whether existing or new, on the patient file and billing system.
• Manage patient arrival in a proficient and professional manner.
• Assist patient in completing the appropriate documentation to ensure compliance to admission process as per Standard Operating Procedure.
• Verify and confirm the file for accuracy and completeness and update if necessary.
• Ensure a smooth workflow between departments, at all times.
• Capture and record patient medical and personal information on the system timeously, focusing on patient and visitor’s needs.
• Inform the patient of any outstanding balances or levies.
• Validate the patient details on the applicable switch application and inform the patient if verification was not successful.
• Direct all patients to the appropriate location, services and professional.
• Monitor patient waiting times and keep patient informed.
• Ensure that the patient is correctly billed after the visit.
• Scheduling appointments for patients with specialists as requested by practitioners.
• Manage requests for repeat scripts accurately and timeously.
• Ensure accurate bookings are scheduled with the patient’s preference of practitioner, date and time.
• Sterilise all Instruments, according to protocol, ensuring infection control standards are maintained.
• Oil and clean hand pieces according to protocol.
• Oil and clean electric hand pieces after each patient.
• Fill empty and clean developer and mixer bottles.
• Ensure Chemistry is discarded as per Medical Waste Protocol.
• Clean and autoclave instruments.
• Ensure daily cleaning of the autoclave.
• Load and unload autoclave.
• Clean and reprocess equipment or instrumentation.
• Identify problems with equipment/instruments and advise applicable person to arrange for timeous repairs/acquisition thereof.

Central Assistance

• Assist the Dentist with passing correct instruments and materials/consumables used on patients on request timeously and accurately.
• Develop x-rays, if not using digital x-rays and load x-ray Digital Imaging plates for scanning where applicable.
• Mix materials with spatula as required.
• Conduct suctioning as required.
• Ensure materials and supplies are packed and accessible.
• Ensure and plan enough stock on hand in terms of materials/consumables to prevent shortages.
• Mix amalgam and/or mixable composites/cement etc. and place in the transfer tool/s to be handed to dentist.
• Prepare sterile trays; ensuring instruments have undergone sterilisation.
• Prepare non-sterile trays.

Dental Receptionist Oversight

• Attend to all customer complaints and if unable to resolve, refer it to the Reception Team Leader or Clinic Manager.
• Switchboard and Telephone Management
• Display professional telephone etiquette.
• Attend to telephonic calls and queries professionally and timeously.
• Accurately record messages in the appropriate message book and ensure that messages are delivered.
• Transfer applicable calls to the appropriate member of staff for further intervention as necessary.
• Patient Engagement and Administration
• Maintain and manage stationery stock levels.
• Perform any reasonable task as instructed by immediate supervisor.
• Specialist appointments Scheduling
• Receive request from practitioner and act on request timeously.
• Record details of appointment.
• Confirm appointment with patient and practitioner.
• Liaise with medical schemes and patients regarding available limits and patient liable amounts pertaining to treatment.
• Repeat script request
• Obtain the patient details and patient’s file.
• Hand note and file to practitioner.

BEST AND SAFEST PRACTICE

Handling of emergencies

• Refer patients to nursing station immediately.
• Assist in transporting the patient to the nursing station if required.
• Ensure that the patient is handed over to a nurse or practitioner.
• Follow up on patient details once patient has been stabilised as per the Standard Operating Procedures.
• Equipment care and Maintenance

GROWING WITH PASSIONATE PEOPLE
Self – Management and Development

• Assume responsibility for own personal and professional development.
• Identify self- development needs in terms of job requirements and career progression and bring these to the attention of the immediate manager.
• Formulate action steps to close the gap between the ideal and actual state of competence

Pursue self – development in one or both of the following areas:
Formal Studies,

• Informal / self – studies, & Share knowledge with relevant team members.
• Follow agreed upon (authorised) action steps until desired competence is achieved.
• Be punctual and behave appropriately to the business environment.
• Meet deadlines.
• Keep up to date with Netcare’s evolving policies and procedures.
• Customer satisfaction: Build and maintain stakeholder / customer relationships
• Ongoing Customers satisfaction according to set standards.
• Be a model of excellent customer service, ensuring that all customers always experience an excellent and satisfactory interaction.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with all key stakeholders, internal and external customers through on-going communication and feedback.
• The Dental assistant to participate in dental department meetings and other related forums as per request from Clinic manager or responsible person.
• Accurately capture and provide timeous information, including clinical information to customers and stakeholders as required in line with POPIA act.
• Report, record and assist with stakeholder/customer dental complaints according to task allocation or Clinic Manager request.
• Maintain patient safety, dignity, and confidentiality.
• Assist with patient flow in the dental department to minimise waiting periods

Education and training facilitation

• Actively participate in all training according to relevant training matrix to obtain sign off on compliance training, competencies aligned to daily tasks and Job description.
• Access, read, understand, and sign off on relevant quality review tools, clinical and other processes, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s).
• Access, read, understand, and obtain sign off on Human Resources (HR) and other relevant Company policies and procedures.
• Provide proof of registration with the relevant governing body.
• Adhere to minimum requirements of Continues Professional Development (CPD) according to relevant governing body and provides evidence accordingly.

Teamwork

• Participate in monthly team meetings to discuss operational requirements including performance and provide feedback.
• Be an active member of the dental team taking responsibility for the effective and smooth running of the dental area.
• Co- operate and collaborate with other clinics and departments to provide appropriate support services

SKILLS PROFILE

EDUCATION
Required

• Matric or equivalent NQF level 4 qualification.
• Dental Qualification.
• Registered at HPCSA as Dental Assistant.

WORK EXPERIENCE
Required

• 2 – 3 years Dental experience in a clinic environment.

KNOWLEDGE
Required

• Intermediate computer skills (MS Word, Outlook, Excel).
• Knowledge of Medical Schemes.
• SAP
• ME+
• Billing procedures.