Registered Dental Assistant - High Level and La Crete Alberta (Recurring)

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits .

The salary will be pro-rated to reflect the active periods of 8.5 months $38,218.13 to $51,600.27.

Location - High Level & La Crete, AB. This role is in-person. 

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for the School of Dentistry Satellite Dental Clinics 

The School of Dentistry Satellite Dental Clinics provides oral health care services to the communities of High Level and La Crete, Alberta. Our Instructor lead students offer treatment to patients in these locations on a rotating schedule during the school term. 

This is an in-person position and the successful candidate will either live in one of the communities and be able rotate between clinics on a weekly basis or be willing to fly into High Level and stay in the communities during the active periods. The department has a university vehicle that this position would drive weekly to transport staff and students between locations. Shared housing is also available for out of town staff and students.

The work schedule is based on the department’s academic schedule and operational requirements. This entails a rotating schedule for 32 – 35 weeks per year, with recurring inactive periods from mid-December to January and mid-July to early September with a few inactive weeks typically in February, March & November. The schedule for the school year is provided well in advance, which offers the perfect flexibility for the right individual.

Position

The Registered Dental Assistant assists with the coordination of the satellite clinic operations and works closely with the Dental Outreach Program Supervisor and the Patient Services Clerk in the administration of the satellite clinic.

This position provides and models chairside intra-oral dental assisting to undergraduate dental and dental hygiene students and instructors within the scope of practice for a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA).   The RDA mentors dental and dental hygiene students on intra-oral skills during the delivery of dental treatment and is required to anticipate student needs for assistance. 

In addition this position:

• Provides orientation to the clinic and resident facilities for students and instructors
• Is responsible for providing vehicle transportation for students and instructors to and from the airport/resident facilities and two clinical sites using the provided University vehicle
• Prepares the clinic for daily operations – cleans, disinfects, sterilizes, and organizes all dental instruments, equipment and materials 

Duties 

Include but not limited to:

• Assist / mentor students, residents and instructors during patient’s treatment
• Assists with electronic health record charting entries
• Assists with treatment preparation and anticipates students’ need for assistance
• Prepares dental operatories for dental care delivery
• Perform intra-oral skills within their scope of practice
• Provides and demonstrates 4-handed chair-side intra-oral assistance to undergraduate DDS students, DH students and instructors
• Provides information and guidance on materials and equipment
• Perform suction, irrigation and retraction during patient treatment within the oral cavity
• Demonstrates and provides support to students in the application of pit and fissure sealants
• Provides information on materials and equipment and provides guidance on proper usage
• Disinfects and cleans dental operatory units, counters and other dental equipment
• Prepares diagnostic cast-pouring and trimming
• Demonstrates and provide guidance to students on taking and exposing x-rays, intraorally and extraorally (Pan, Ceph, CBCT)
• Prepares dental materials, supplies and sterilized instruments for clinical use
• Mentors students and instructors to minimize infection control violations and responds to infection control violations 
• Report any issues arising with patient’s treatment to the clinic instructors or the clinic supervisors
• Decontaminates, sorts, inspects and sterilizes all instruments, trays and equipment as per CSA, OSAP and AHS guidelines for infection control and sterilization
• Adheres to department protocols regarding wrapping, packaging, monitoring and distribution of all instruments and equipment
• Monitors and reports on a daily basis the sterilizer spore strip test results to ensure sterilizers are functioning at an optimal level
• Maintains hand-pieces by flushing lines, washing, lubricating and sterilizing
• Report any equipment issues or missing equipment to the equipment technician (Emaint)
• Responsible for ensuring that the biohazards processes and ‘sharps’ collection are maintained and disposed of correctly
• Updates clinic documentation such as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), Manufacturer’s Instructions for Use (MIFU) and Clinic SOPs
• Utilizes EHS protocols/procedures such as WHIMIS and chemical spill guidelines as required
• Responsible for transporting the University of Alberta vehicle from Edmonton to High Level and La Crete
• Completes vehicle maintenance during the satellite rotation, including oil changes, maintaining windshield wipers, etc to allow for safe transport of students
• Perform various duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Diploma/Certificate from an accredited Dental Assisting Program or NDAEB Certification
• Current registration with CADA, CDAA along with a local association license
• Current CPR: Health Care Provider Level C certification;
• Current class 5 driving license and the ability to qualify as a University driver 

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years of previous RDA experience
• Knowledge of dental materials management, dental instrumentation and dental equipment 
• Demonstrated skill in establishing and maintain cooperative working relationships
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and perform tasks accurately with attention to detail
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision; meet deadlines and work well under pressure

At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.