Dental Assistant

Job Announcement: HR2025:91
Position Title: Dental Assistant
Advertising: Publicly
Department: Health
Division: Health & Human Services
Immediate Supervisor: Chief Dentist
Department Director: Director-Clinical Operations
Employment Status: Non-Exempt
Position Type: Regular Full–Time (2 positions)
Mandatory Reporter: Yes
Background Check Required: Yes (child-sensitive)**
Opening Date: Thursday, August 21, 2025
Closing Date: Open Until Filled

Preference shall be given in accordance with the Title 33 (Tribal Employment Rights) of the Tribal Code/DFWP.

The Poarch Creek Indians place a high value on individuals who share our commitment to community, tradition, and progress. As Alabama's only Federally Recognized Native American Tribe, we take pride in a history that spans generations and is deeply rooted in resilience and cultural heritage. Our mission is to uplift the lives of our Tribal Members, preserve our traditions, and drive innovation for a thriving future. If you are passionate about serving with purpose and authenticity while fostering trust, unity, and growth, we welcome you to join us on this meaningful journey.

Overview
In our hourly positions, we look for dedicated individuals who value respect, take pride in accountability, and embrace a culture of collaboration and excellence. As an integral part of our team, you will contribute to a positive and supportive environment where every effort is appreciated, and every role is essential. Your commitment to upholding our values and maintaining a strong work ethic will help us achieve shared success.

Primary Objectives
The Dental Assistant is a key line-level position responsible for providing the necessary clinical and administrative support to the Dentist. This job description is not an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of this position. PCI Employees are expected to perform all duties and responsibilities necessary to meet the goals and objectives of applicable programs and departmental objectives, as assigned.
This role plays a strong commitment to understanding and embracing the Poarch Creek Indians Values of Perseverance, Opportunity, Accountability, Respect, Culture, and Honesty.

Essential Functions

• Performs routine chairside dental assisting, fully anticipating the dentist’s need for various instruments, materials, and services.
• Accurately records treatment rendered, and examination information in patient records.
• Organizes and maintains dental laboratory correspondence file systems.
• Keeps dental area properly stocked at all times and ensures supplies are ordered in a timely manner.
• Maintains clinic areas in a clean and operative condition.
• Takes primary impression for study models, pours and trims models.
• Provides receptionist duties, scheduling and seating of dental patients, sets up proper instruments for dental procedures.
• Instructs patients in prevention of dental disease and personal oral hygiene.
• Develops and maintains follow-up system to monitor patient needs and instruct patients in post-operative care.
• Prepares routine dental reports as necessary.
• Fabricates temporary crowns from preliminary impression.
• Fabricates occlusal guards and other inhouse laboratory work for patients
• Takes clinically acceptable/diagnosable digital X-rays.
• Performs supportive laboratory procedures, properly completes laboratory requisition.
• Participates in community health education projects as necessary.
• Observes and abides by the bylaws of the PCI Health Center, Clinical Staff Policies and Procedures, Tribal policies and procedures and other applicable protocols.
• Promptly and appropriately completes patient clinical records and other required forms in the proper format utilizing the appropriate clinical informatics system.
• Develops and participates in performance improvement activities to advance the quality of patient care.
• Ability to prepare reports, and present facts and information in a clear and concise manner.
• Provides routine maintenance and clean-up procedures on all dental equipment and instruments. Maintains logbooks for sterilization of instruments, water lines and cleaning equipment.
• Sets up and breaks down rooms according to CDC/OSHA standards.
• Cleans, packages, and sterilizes all dental equipment and ensures proper storage when not in use.
• Assists Hygiene and Front Desk as needed
• Completes confirmation and follow up calls to patients as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the appropriate person.

Job Requirements

• Certificate in Dental Assisting from a Dental Assisting Program required. Must maintain annual continuing education hours as required for certification as Dental Assistant.
• Two (2) year experience as a Dental Assistant required.
• Must maintain current professional licensure in Basic Life Support (BLS) or obtain licensure within ninety (90) days of date of hire.
• Must possess certification of “Mandatory Reporter Training” or obtain certification during the first week of employment. 
• Familiarity with the cultural factors relative to the care of Native Americans preferred.
• Ability to work odd and irregular hours, as needed.
• Must successfully pass the required criminal and character background check.
• Ability to travel and participate in required training, leadership development, and other events.
• Ability to perform all duties and responsibilities of this position adequately and successfully.

Core Competencies Required

• Absolute confidentiality, adhering to HIPAA guidelines and the Privacy Act.
• Experience with dental software is preferred. (Dentrix and Dexis)
• Must have a working knowledge of computers and electronic health records, with the ability to work in a Windows environment with various software programs such as Microsoft Office software etc.
• Ability to work in a high-performance, fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Adept at multi-tasking, have unquestionable integrity, with an uncompromising commitment to quality.
• Organized with unfailing attention to detail.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Tribal Officials, Tribal Staff, managers, coworkers, applicants, patients and the public.
• Ability to exhibit confidence in judgement and decision-making.
• Ability to work independently, with a minimum of supervision.
• Ability to develop improvements in or design new work methods and procedures.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Adequate hearing is required to hear/talk with all individuals, and to use telephones on a consistent basis.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Work is performed in a clinical setting with some exposure to environmental stress.
• Work involves direct patient contact requiring standard/universal precautions.
• Must be in good physical condition with the ability to sit, stand walk, kneel, crouch, stoop, squat, and twist for an extended period of time as well as climb, lift, hold, and move objects weighing a minimum of forty (40) pounds.
• Ability to remain engaged until assignments are completed and overcome obstacles.
• Takes accountability for performance and results.
• Open and honest communicator and follows policies and procedures.

Compensation and Benefits

• The starting pay will depend on factors such as experience level and skillset.
• Voluntary full-time benefit offerings include the following - medical, dental, vision, and life insurance and other voluntarily insurance options. We also offer an Employee Assistant Program (EAP), paid time off, paid holidays, 401K with matching, bonuses, and COLA increase.

Every applicant must complete an application provided by Human Resources. A resume will not be accepted in the place of an application.

**Please note ALL individuals selected for employment are required to complete a background investigation. Individuals being placed in positions designed as child-sensitive or data-sensitive must successfully complete a background check prior to employment.

INDIAN PREFERENCE, SPOUSAL PREFERENCE, OR FIRST GENERATION:

In the event more than one applicant meets the requirements, as stated in a job description, preference shall be given in the following order: (1) Tribal Member (2) First Generation Descendant of a Tribal Member (3) Spouse of Tribal Member (4) Indian (5) Non-Indian

In the event that a position of employment is funded in whole or in part my any federal grant and/or contract or other public funding, preference shall be given in the following order: (1) Indian (2) Non-Indian

In order to receive preference, the appropriate documentation must be submitted.