Certified dental assistant

• Work Term: Permanent
• Work Language: English
• Hours: 40 hours per week
• Education: Other trades certificate or diploma
• Experience: 5 years or more

Work setting

• Commercial dental laboratory
• Dental practice
• Independently owned business

Tasks

• Prepare patients for dental examinations
• Prepare plaster models and moulds
• Supervise dental assistants in their health care functions
• Train other dental laboratory assistants
• Order dental and office supplies
• Perform administrative functions for the dental laboratory
• Prepare dental instruments and filling materials
• Maintain and order supplies
• Perform reception and clerical duties
• Sterilize and maintain instruments and equipment
• Educate patients concerning oral hygiene
• Supervise students in training
• Polish teeth and clinical crowns and apply fluoride and sealant
• Schedule and confirm appointments
• Perform intra-oral duties
• Take and develop X-rays
• Record dental procedures performed on patients
• Invoice patients for dental services
• Polish and buff dentures
• Fabricate and place temporary crowns and restorations
• Take preliminary impressions for diagnostic casts
• Prepare a treatment plan for each patient
• Provide pre-operative and post-operative personal and comfort care
• Record vital signs
• Administer first aid in emergency situations
• Computer-aided design (CAD)
• Operate digital cameras

Certificates, licences, memberships, and courses 

• Membership in the Canadian Dental Assistants Association
• Registration with provincial or territorial authorities
• Certification by the National Dental Assisting Examining Board

Technical expertise (dental)

• Waxing-up
• Polishing
• Assembly

Computer and technology knowledge

• 3D graphic software
• Scanning system

Technical terminology

• Dental

Equipment, eystems and controls experience

• Medical and biomedical equipment and systems

Area of specialization

• Full dentures
• Partial dentures
• Orthodontic appliances
• Crowns and bridges

Security and safety

• Criminal record check

Work conditions and physical capabilities

• Fast-paced environment
• Work under pressure
• Tight deadlines
• Repetitive tasks
• Physically demanding
• Manual dexterity
• Attention to detail
• Ability to distinguish between colours
• Sitting
• Combination of sitting, standing, walking
• Standing for extended periods
• Bending, crouching, kneeling
• Hand-eye co-ordination
• Large workload

Personal suitability

• Efficient interpersonal skills
• Team player
• Accurate
• Dependability
• Excellent oral communication
• Initiative
• Interpersonal awareness
• Reliability

Screening questions

• Are you available to start on the date listed in the job posting?
• Do you have experience working in this field?
• Do you have the required certifications listed in the job posting?
• Do you meet the language requirements listed in the job posting for the position (English or French)?

Employment terms options

• Flexible hours

Employment terms options

• Day

Health benefits

• Dental plan
• Disability benefits
• Health care plan
• Paramedical services coverage

Financial benefits

• Life insurance

Other benefits

• Learning/training paid by employer
• Travel insurance
• Variable or compressed work week

Support for persons with disabilities

• Provides physical accessibility accommodations (for example: ramps, elevators, etc.)
• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports persons with disabilities
• Offers mentorship, coaching and/or networking opportunities for persons with disabilities
• Provides awareness training to employees to create a welcoming work environment for persons with disabilities
• Applies accessible and inclusive recruitment policies that accommodate persons with disabilities

Support for newcomers and refugees

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports newcomers and/or refugees
• Assists with immediate settlement needs of newcomers and/or refugees (for example: housing, transportation, storage, childcare, winter clothing, etc.)
• Supports social and labour market integration of newcomers and/or refugees (for example: facilitating access to community resources, language training, skills training, etc.)
• Recruits newcomers and/or refugees who were displaced by a conflict or a natural disaster (for example: Ukraine, Afghanistan, etc.)
• Supports newcomers and/or refugees with foreign credential recognition
• Offers mentorship programs that pair newcomers and/or refugees with experienced employees
• Provides diversity and cross-cultural trainings to create a welcoming work environment for newcomers and/or refugees

Support for youths

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports youth employment
• Offers on-the-job training tailored to youth
• Offers mentorship, coaching and/or networking opportunities for youth
• Provides awareness training to employees to create a welcoming work environment for youth

Support for Veterans

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports Veterans
• Offers mentorship, coaching and/or networking opportunities for Veterans
• Provides awareness training to employees to create a welcoming work environment for Veterans
• Recruits Veterans and other candidates with military experience through targeted hiring initiatives (for example: job fairs, outreach programs etc.)
• Assists with immediate transition needs of Veterans (for example: relocation, housing, etc.)
• Offers workshops, counselling services or other resources to help Veterans navigate their transition into the civilian workforce (for example: adapting to different organizational structures)
• Supports Veterans in translating their military skills and experience into the language of the civilian job market
• Offers flexible onboarding options to allow Veterans to gradually adapt to the civilian workplace (for example: gradually increasing hours and responsibilities, etc.)

Support for Indigenous people

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports Indigenous people
• Offers mentorship, coaching and/or networking opportunities for Indigenous workers
• Develops and maintains relationships with indigenous communities, indigenous-owned businesses and organizations
• Provides cultural competency training and/or awareness training to all employees to create a welcoming work environment for Indigenous workers
• Facilitates access to Elders who can offer support and guidance to Indigenous workers

Support for mature workers

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports mature workers
• Applies hiring policies that discourage age discrimination
• Provides staff with awareness training to create a welcoming work environment for mature workers
• Offers mentorship, coaching and/or networking opportunities for mature workers
• Offers phased retirement options that allow mature workers to gradually reduce their workload (for example: flexible or reduced work hours, part time employment, project-based or seasonal work, etc.)
• Offers phased re-entry options for mature workers who are returning to work after retiring (for example: gradually increasing hours and responsibilities)
• Provides workspace accommodations, such as age-appropriate ergonomic considerations, to meet the physical needs of mature workers (for example: adjustable desks and chairs, accessible parking, etc.)
• Offers resources to help mature workers plan their retirement (for example: financial planning, access to pension and benefits, lifestyle adjustments, etc.)

Supports for visible minorities

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports members of visible minorities
• Applies hiring policies that discourage discrimination against members of visible minorities (for example: anonymizing the hiring process, etc.)
• Offers mentorship programs that pair members of visible minorities with experienced employees
• Provides diversity and cross-cultural training to create a welcoming work environment for members of visible minorities