Licensed Dental Assistant Job Description 2026

Let’s Smile provides dental care and oral health education to children and teens in our Owatonna clinic and at schools throughout southern Minnesota. This position combines clinical care, chairside assisting, school outreach, safety and compliance responsibilities, supply management, and clerical support.

This is a unique opportunity for an LDA who enjoys variety, working independently, and bringing dental care directly to children who may otherwise have difficulty accessing it.

1. Position

The employee must be willing and eligible to enter into and maintain the collaborative practice agreement required for this position with a Minnesota-licensed dentist. Once all required agreements, training, and protocols are in place, the LDA may provide authorized preventive services in school-based and community-based dental clinic settings without a dentist physically present, consistent with Minnesota law and Let’s Smile protocols.

2. Compensation and Travel Time

Hourly Wage: $33 per hour, paid biweekly for hours worked.

Travel Time: Work-related travel time to and from school-based dental clinic assignments is compensated under Let’s Smile’s policy. Routine commuting to and from the Owatonna clinic is not compensated travel time. All hours worked, including required documentation and other assigned duties, must be recorded.

3. Schedule and Hours of Work

The position is expected to average approximately 25 hours per week, typically across three days. Days and hours vary with spring and fall school clinic schedules and patient care needs. School clinic days may include early arrival, setup, patient care, teardown, and completion of clinical documentation. Our goal is to hold volunteer dentist clinics one or two Fridays per month; the employee must be available to assist on scheduled Fridays. Additional hours may be available for volunteer dentist clinics, community events, seasonal outreach, and clerical work.

4. Benefits

• Vacation: 50 hours of paid vacation annually, equivalent to two weeks at a 25-hour weekly schedule.
• Earned Sick and Safe Time: Let’s Smile provides 48 hours of paid sick and safe time.
• Paid Holidays
• Continuing Education and License Renewal: Let’s Smile covers required continuing education for license renewal and dental assisting license renewal fees

5. Clinical and Outreach Duties

Patient Care and Chairside Assisting

• Provide compassionate, supportive care to children and teens, including those who may have limited previous dental care, dental anxiety, or barriers to accessing care.
• Prepare treatment areas and assist dentists and dental therapists with examinations, restorative care, and other authorized procedures, including Friday clinics with volunteer dentists.
• Obtain informed consent, take vital signs, take intra-oral pictures and radiographs, complete preliminary charting, and provide patient instructions when authorized and within the LDA scope of practice.
• Document procedures and patient information accurately and promptly; maintain confidentiality and help coordinate follow-up care and referrals.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to basic medical and dental emergencies; maintain current CPR and required medical emergency training.

Preventive Services Under Collaborative Practice

• When authorized by the collaborative practice agreement and Minnesota law, provide oral health education, mechanical polishing of clinical crowns without instrumentation, fluoride varnish, and pit and fissure sealants.
• Perform other specifically authorized services only within the employee’s training, licensure, required supervision, and applicable protocols.

School Clinics and Community Outreach

• Travel to school clinic sites; prepare, load, transport, set up, disinfect, and pack portable equipment and supplies.
• Work with the clinical team, school staff, students, and families to support orderly clinic days without rushing patient care.
• Participate in oral health education and community events as scheduled.

6. Compliance, Supplies, and Administrative Duties

Infection Control and OSHA Compliance

• Serve as Let’s Smile’s OSHA Officer and Infection Control Compliance Lead, with appropriate training and support. Maintain infection control and sterilization procedures for the clinic and outreach settings.
• Maintain required safety documentation, training records, logs, and reports; track deadlines, help prepare for inspections, and promptly report compliance concerns to the Executive Director.
• Monitor emergency kits, personal protective equipment, and sterilization and infection prevention supplies.

Radiation Safety Officer

• Serve as Let’s Smile’s designated Radiation Safety Officer after appropriate appointment and training. Coordinate radiation safety procedures, equipment maintenance and inspection records, staff training records, required reports, and follow-up on identified concerns.

Supplies and Clerical Support

• Monitor inventory and proactively maintain appropriate stock levels for dental supplies, PPE, sterilization materials, cleaning products, and school-based clinic supplies. Place approved orders, track outstanding and backordered items, maintain vendor information, and communicate significant supply needs or purchasing concerns to the Executive Director.
• Help with scheduling, forms, patient records, supply orders, event preparation, and other clerical work as assigned.
• Keep the Executive Director and clinical team informed of patient care needs, equipment issues, supply needs, and compliance deadlines.
• Maintain organized records of recurring responsibilities, vendor information, compliance deadlines, equipment and service needs, and other operational information so essential duties can be readily covered by other Let’s Smile team members when needed.

7. Qualifications

• Current Minnesota Licensed Dental Assistant license in good standing; willingness to enter into and maintain the collaborative practice agreement required for this role.
• Current CPR certification and completion of required medical emergency training.
• Strong dental assisting skills, accurate documentation, sound infection prevention practices, and a patient, child-friendly approach.
• Ability to work independently within authorized duties and collaborate with dental providers, school partners, volunteers, and families.
• Availability for scheduled Friday volunteer dentist clinics and ability to travel to school clinic sites.
• Flexible, dependable, organized, and comfortable adapting to changing schedules and nontraditional clinical environments.
• Able to prioritize responsibilities and work independently while keeping the Executive Director and clinical team informed of concerns, deadlines, and needs.

8. Working Conditions

• Work in the Owatonna clinic and in nontraditional school-based dental clinic settings; travel to school sites is required.
• Flexible hours may be needed to accommodate school schedules, setup, patient care, and teardown.
• Ability to lift and load mobile dental equipment weighing up to 40 pounds into a cargo van.
• Exposure to patients with a range of dental and medical conditions may occur. Adherence to infection control procedures and use of required personal protective equipment are essential.

9. How to Apply

Email a résumé and a brief note about dental assisting experience to Holly Jorgensen at letssmile@outlook.com. Email is the best way to reach us during school clinic season. Applicants may also leave a message at 507-455-4063.

This description summarizes the position and may be updated as organizational needs change. It is not an employment contract.