State of Maryland

A Dental Assistant I is the intermediate level of work assisting dentists in the dental care of clients in community health programs, inpatient or residential facilities. Services are provided to patients that have behavioral health diagnoses or are chronically ill or clients attending clinics for preventive or treatment services. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive moderate supervision from a Dentist or other dental healthcare professional. Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and spread of disease. Employees may be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent or aggressive behavior. The work may require long periods of standing, walking, bending and reaching. The work may require lifting and positioning non-ambulatory patients/clients and lifting wheelchairs and other heavy equipment.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Dental Assistant Trainee, Dental Assistant I and Dental Assistant II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees. The Dental Assistant Trainee learns to perform duties under close supervision. The Dental Assistant I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed. The Dental Assistant II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Rinses and aspirates the oral cavity, places and removes materials for isolation of the teeth and retracts the lips, cheek, tongue and flaps;

Sterilizes instruments, oils dental equipment and cleans equipment and areas;

Takes vital signs and provides basic oral hygiene instructions;

Maintains and orders supplies;

Observes infection control procedures;

Records and maintains patient medical histories and dental procedures;

Interviews clinic patients to determine eligibility for income based services;

Prepares treatment trays including instruments, medications, materials and the patients' record;

Schedules and confirms patient appointments, answers incoming inquiries and greets patients;

Responds to emergency situations;

May take oral photographs or x-rays;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of dental assisting practices, techniques and preventive procedures;

Knowledge of dental anatomy, facial bone structures, dental terminology and patient charting systems;

Knowledge of the care and maintenance of dental equipment and instruments;

Ability to place and expose diagnostic x-rays;

Ability to clean and sterilize instruments and dental equipment according to regulatory guidelines;

Ability to respond to emergency situations;

Ability to work with infectious patients;

Ability to understand and carry out instructions;

Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with supervisors, patients and staff;

Ability to communicate effectively with employees, supervisors, patients and the general public.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: One year of experience assisting a Dentist in the performance of dental care.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute additional experience as a Dental Assistant on a year for year basis for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute listing as a Dental Assistant qualified in general duties on the roster of the Maryland Board of Dental Examiners for the required experience.

3. Applicants may substitute successful completion of Dental Assistant training program for the required experience.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Dental Assistant classifications or Dental Assistant or Specialist specialty codes in the Dental field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

1. Candidates for positions in this classification may be required to provide a registration card upon application that they are qualified to place and expose x-rays or radiographs and are listed as a Dental Assistant on the roster of the Maryland Board of Dental Examiners.

2. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete training in and maintain a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit D, Health and Human Service Nonprofessionals classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.   An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.