DENTAL ASSISTANT

Company: University of New Mexico - Hospitals
Location: Albuquerque
Posted on: February 11, 2026

Job Description:

DENTAL ASSISTANT at University of New Mexico - Hospitals summary: The Dental Assistant provides clinical and administrative support in dental services, assisting dentists during procedures and preparing equipment and materials. Responsibilities include patient scheduling, sterilization, radiograph development, records maintenance, and ensuring compliance with safety and infection control standards. The role requires a Dental Assistant License, basic CPR certification, and involves working with diverse patient age groups in a healthcare setting. Additional $6.00/hr. Safety Incentive Pay Cell phone and/or smart devices are not allowed on persons for this position at MDC, unless there is a documented medical condition. Receive 17% Weekday Nights, 26% Weekend Nights and 15% Weekend Day shift differentials Minimum Offer $20.82/hr. Maximum Offer $28.55/hr. Compensation Disclaimer Compensation for this role is based on a number of factors, including but not limited to experience, education, and other business and organizational considerations. Department: MDC - Medical FTE: 0.05 PRN Shift: Days Position Summary: Provide a range of clinical, administrative, and staff support to a full-range dental services operation. Assist in the performance of dental and radiography procedures; prepare and maintain dental equipment and supplies in accordance with established protocol, procedures, policies, and standards, and assist in the coordination of day-to-day patient administration, records management, and office support activities. Ensure adherence to Hospitals and departmental policies and procedures. Patient care assignment may include neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric age groups. Detailed responsibilities: * Prepares operatory with appropriate instruments and material for the patients scheduled to be seen * Assist dentist during treatment by providing instruments, material retraction or suction; sterilizes instruments and disinfects operatory between patients * Schedules patients for dental appointments * Performs laboratory procedures such as mixing impression material for dentures and assists in the clinical procedures of prosthetic dentistry * Develops and mounts routine radiographs; assists in maintaining dental charts and records dental findings * Follows security regulations for keys, sharps and controlled medications; adheres to safety and security policies and participates in disaster drills * Maintain compliance with Universal Precautions and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, infection control techniques and regulations by: reviewing dental material safety data sheets, and statistics, labeling hazardous material, disposing of sharp and infectious wastes, and maintaining autoclave sterilization log, etc * Follow and maintain inventories of dental clinic supplies to maintain proper levels * PATIENT SAFETY 1 - Follow patient safety-related policies, procedures and protocols * PATIENT SAFETY 2 - Demonstrate proactive approach to patient safety by seeking opportunities to improve patient safety through questioning of current policies and processes * PATIENT SAFETY 3 - Identify and report/correct environmental conditions and/or situations that may put a patient at undue risk * PATIENT SAFETY 4 - Report potential or actual patient safety concerns, medical errors and/or near misses in a timely manner * PATIENT SAFETY 5 - Encourage patients to actively participate in their own care by asking questions and reporting treatment or situations that they don't understand or may "not seem right" Qualifications Education: Essential: * High School or GED Equivalent Experience: Essential: 1 year directly realated experience Nonessential: Dental assistant experience Bilingual English/Keres, Tewa, Tiwa, Towa, Zuni, or Navajo Bilingual English/Spanish Credentials: Essential: * New Mexico Dental Assisant License * CPR for Healthcare/BLS Prov or Prof Rescuers w/in 30 days Physical Conditions: Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly (Constantly: activity or condition exists 2/3 or more of the time) to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. May require walking or standing to a significant degree or requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls; and/or may require working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of materials is negligible. Working conditions: Essential: * Med Haz: Mod exposure to chemicals/dangerous equip/materials * Must obtain and maintain MDC security clearance as required condition of employment * Tuberculosis testing is completed upon hire and additionally as required * Sig Hazard: Chemicals, Bio Hazardous Materials req PPE * Sub to work in close proximity to incarcerated individuals * Sig Haz: Physical risk/injuries due to combative patients Department: Clinical Nursing Support Keywords: dental assistant, dental procedures, patient scheduling, infection control, radiograph development, sterilization, dental equipment, patient safety, CPR certification, dental records

Keywords: University of New Mexico - Hospitals, Albuquerque , DENTAL ASSISTANT, Healthcare , Albuquerque, New Mexico