ABOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. DHS operates as an integrated health system, operating 25 health centers and four acute care hospitals, in addition to providing health care to youth in the juvenile justice system and inmates in the LA County jails. Across the network of DHS' directly operated clinical sites and through partnerships with community-based clinics, DHS cares for about 800,000 unique patients each year, employs over 22,000 staff, and has an annual operating budget of $6.9 billion.
MISSION
To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care.
DEFINITION:
Assists a dentist by serving as chair assistant and office clerk. Reviews patient record if available and, using standard practices and procedural instructions as a guide, determines what instruments and materials will probably be needed and lays them out. Passes equipment to the dentist upon request. Prepares patient for dentist by seating patient, adjusting chair for convenient angle, and draping patient and in the case of children, calms and reassures the patient so work can proceed expeditiously. Schedules all patients, determining time intervals according to type of work to be done and the probability of the dentist being able to treat more than one patient at a time. Operates a conventional dental radiographic machine to make intra-oral, periapical, bite wing and occlusal images, a cephalometric radiographic machine to make various extra-oral images of the head such as lateral, anterior-posterior, and poster-anterior images, and a panographic radiographic machine to make extra-oral panographic images of the teeth and jaws, as directed by dentist. Places and positions suction tubes in patient's mouth using standard practice and following dentist's instructions. Mixes filling compounds such as composite and amalgam using standard practice or dentist preference as a guide to consistency. Maintains patient records by indicating type of work done. Takes pre-impressions for dentures of all types as directed for use by technician to duplicate original configuration using standard practice and dentist's instructions as a guide. Participates in orientation meetings for families conducted by dentist which include such subjects as available dental services, proper nutrition, proper personal dental care including plaque control instruction. Records stage of work and instruments used when dentist is interrupted in an endodontic process.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
OPTION I - Completion of a Dental Assistant vocational curriculum in an approved school*. OPTION II - One (1) year's experience as a dental assistant.
LICENSE:
A Radiation Safety License issued by the Dental Board of California -OR- A Certificate of compliance from an approved Board course in Radiation Safety. All required licenses and certifications must be active and unrestricted or your application will not be accepted
PHYSICAL CLASS II - Light: Light physical effort which may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit, and some bending, stooping or squatting. Considerable walking may be involved.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience as a Dental Assistant assisting the Dentist and Dental Residents in a various setting such as Emergency Room setting, Operating Room setting, Inpatient setting (bedside).
- Current certification issued by the American Heart Association's Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers (CPR & AED) Program
SPECIALTY REQUIREMENTS INFORMATION: A Dental Assistant vocational curriculum in an approved school is defined as a program acceptable by the American Dental Association's (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In order to receive credit for any certificate you must include a legible copy of the official certificate, with your application or within 15 calendar days of filing.
EXAMINATION CONTENT: This exam will consist of an evaluation of education, experience and desirable qualification based upon application information weighted 100%.
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: Applications will be processed on an
