The Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA) is a member of the Dental Specialties team and works in collaboration with consultants, residents, fellows, and allied health personnel within the specialties of Prosthodontics, Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Dental Oncology, Periodontics, Orthodontics, Dental Sleep Medicine, and Orofacial Pain. The Licensed Dental Assistant is an integral team member who utilizes expanded function duties within their licensure and integrates this into the medical practice to provide direct patient care, indirect patient support, and education support for multiple clinical residency and fellowship programs. In addition, the Licensed Dental Assistant is a liaison for multiple integrated practices within the organization, including Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, and Cardiovascular Surgery.
The Licensed Dental Assistant provision of direct patient care includes pre-procedure patient evaluation and counseling, patient education, patient management, dental radiography and photography, assistance during procedures, and maintaining a safe operating field. The provision of indirect patient support includes interaction with the electronic environment for ordering, treatment planning, estimate creation and review, coordination of multidisciplinary care, and dental database entry. In addition, this provision includes instrument care in compliance with OSHA, maintenance of dental equipment, representation of specialty within committees or projects, and quality improvement initiatives. The provision of education support includes assisting residents and fellows with direct patient care, aiding in research initiatives, and conveying progress to the respective program director. The provision of liaison for integrated practices includes being a resource for dental screenings prior to cardiovascular surgery, pediatric dental triage, oral reconstruction interdisciplinary clinic assistant, and Oropharyngeal cancer interdisciplinary clinic assistant.
The Licensed Dental Assistant will have a primary dental specialty focus, with the willingness to work in all dental specialties. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, strong critical thinking skills, and excellent time management are essential of all candidates. The dental assistant must be dedicated to optimal patient care, be a team player, and be self-motivated.

Graduate of an accredited Dental Assistant program as recognized by the American Dental Associations Commission on Accreditation. Must hold a current Dental Assistant License with Nitrous Oxide certification as recognized by the Minnesota Board of Dentistry as well as hold a Basic Life Support Certification. Expected to maintain continuing education requirements in accordance with guidelines established by the Minnesota Board of Dentistry.Preferred experience with dental specialty care in any of the following specialty practices: Prosthodontics, implant procedures (surgical and/ or restorative), Orthodontics, Periodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, computer skills and knowledge necessary to provide patient database information, digital radiology, patient dental charting and institutional programs. Experience and basic operational computer knowledge are preferred. Must hold a current Dental Assistant License with Nitrous Oxide certification as recognized by the Minnesota Board of Dentistry as well as hold a Basic Life Support Certification.