Dental Assistant II

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Location: Suite A (Health)

Address: Morehead City, NC

Company: Carteret County Government

Requisition ID: 2025-188

Job Type: Full-Time

Posting Date: 08/12/2025

Closing Date: 08/21/2025

Dental Assistant II

The Job

The Carteret County Health Department's Mobile Dental Unit is seeking a Dental Assistant II to join the team.  Our Mobile Dental Unit serves children and pregnant patients in the community Monday through Thursday.  If you want to make a difference in your community, the Dental Assistant II position may be the role for you! 

The Location

Office location is in Morehead City, NC.

The Details

Posting expires 8/21/2025.

Pay rate - $20.40/hour or more depending on experience. 

Full-time (32 hours per week) with benefits including paid medical, dental, vision and life insurance; retirement and 401(k) plans; and, paid sick, vacation and holiday leave.   

Apply online at https://carteretcountync.gov and click on the Employment link.

The Job Description

General Statement of Duties

This position assists the dentist in providing clinical care to school-based and pregnant patients and performs patient care functions under the supervision of the dentist including application of sealants, placement of cavity bases and liners, placement and/or removal of rubber dams, and other direct clinical care. Other responsibilities include participation in educational and program promotions.

Distinguishing Features of the Class

An employee of this class performs skilled work in rendering technical assistance to the dentist in the care of dental patients. Patient care duties are usually performed in the physical presence of a licensed dentist and other procedures are performed using established protocols and office routine. Chair side and non-chair side duties include most or all of the following: inventories, receives, and stocks supplies and equipment; cleans and sterilizes instruments; keeps instruments and equipment in operable condition: prepares and arranges instrument trays for clinic use; explains procedures and provides support to patients; passes instruments to the dentist during dental procedures; mixes filling material; operates oral evacuation equipment, retractors, and water and air sprays; monitors the patient's behavior; clears and cleans the operatory and instruments; takes routine x-rays and photographs; instructs patient, family in basic oral hygiene; may maintain records, answer phone, type some records or correspondence, basic mathematical skills. Work is performed under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist.

 Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Tasks

• Assists dentist in performing treatment to patient in restorative dentistry.
• Prepares materials and equipment for treatment and have them ready for dentist’s use. Maintains dental equipment and sterilizes dental instruments.
• Takes and develops x-rays and assist the dentist with laboratory work.
• Assists with making appointments, answering the phone, and ordering supplies.
• Reviews patient health history and medications, prepares patient for treatment, and informs the dentist of patient complaints.
• Applies sealants after dentist has examined patient and prescribed procedures; inserts matrix bands and wedges; places cavity bases and liners; places and/or removes rubber dams; cements temporary restorations using temporary cement; applies acid etch materials/rinses; applies bonding agents; removes sutures; places gingival retraction cords; removes excess cement; places and removes temporary restorations; inserts interdental spacers.
• Applies Dentin desensitizing solution, topical anesthetics, and fluoride, as needed.
• Monitors patients under nitrous oxide and records nitrous oxide levels; monitors and records appropriate levels of local anesthesia.
• Provides oral hygiene instruction.
• Polishes coronal portion of teeth, directed by the dentist, after the dentist has completed examination.
• Takes pulse, blood pressure, and temperature of patients.
• Maintains cleanliness within the mobile clinic of items such as chairs, sink, counters, and floors.
• Flushes and cleans dental cart and changes filters according to schedule.
• Lubricates and cleans hand pieces according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Maintains ultrasonic unit and autoclave; maintains and changes suction unit.
• Secures dental equipment and supplies in anticipation of the dental clinic move.
• Maintains electronic health records.

Additional Job Duties

• Any other duty as necessary, including assisting with any public health emergency including but not limited to natural disasters, man-made disasters, influenza pandemics (e.g. H1N1) or other outbreaks of communicable diseases, disaster surveillance and response, to ensure the efficiency of the Health Department.
• Performs related duties as required.

Recruitment and Selection Guidelines

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of and skill in the application of the techniques and practices of dental assisting.
• Ability to secure the cooperation of the patient and to elicit required information.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions, and to interpret and maintain records and reports.
• Ability to deal tactfully with the public and to exercise good judgment in appraising situations and making decisions.
• Ability to work with other professionals and support personnel in the performance of duties typical of the dental assistant and assisting with other duties which may be of a lesser complexity.
• General knowledge of educational theory and techniques in the field of dental health.
• Knowledge of the methods and techniques in developing and disseminating dental health educational information to the public.
• Use of digital x-ray equipment.

Physical Requirements

• This work requires the regular exertion of up to 10 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 25 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds of force. May be required to lift children into or out of dental chair or assist patient up steps to the dental unit.
• Work regularly requires standing and using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires walking, speaking or hearing, reaching with hands and arms and repetitive motions and occasionally requires climbing or balancing and stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling.
• Work requires close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color perception, and peripheral vision.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Exposure to blood borne pathogens and diseases may occur in this position and employee may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment.
• Exposure to outdoor weather conditions. Exposure to extreme temperatures (may have to escort children from school to unit and back into school).
• Work is generally in a noisy location (e.g. dental equipment, children).

Desirable Education and Experience

       Graduation from high school and candidates must meet one of the three criteria designated by the North Carolina State Dental Practice Act for Dental Assistant II certification.

Special Requirements

To be classified as a Dental Assistant II, an assistant must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Successful completion of:
   1. An ADA-accredited dental assisting program and current certification in CPR, or;
   2. One academic year or longer in an ADA-accredited dental hygiene program, and current certification in CPR.
2. Successful completion of:
   1. Full-time employment and experience as a chairside assistant for two years (3,000 hours) of the preceding five, during which period the assistant may be trained in any dental delivery setting and allowed to perform the functions of a Dental Assistant II under the direct control and supervision of a licensed dentist;
   2. A 3-hour course in sterilization and infection control;
   3. A 3-hour course in dental office emergencies;
   4. Radiology training consistent with G.S. 90-29(s)(12); and,
   5. Current certification in CPR; or,
3. Successful completion of the certification examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), and current certification in CPR.