Sterilization Technician Job Description
The Sterilization Technician helps the dental team by improving patient services, efficiency, and productivity by successfully managing sterilization protocols.
Sterilization Technician Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty as listed below.
Education and Experience
High school diploma or equivalent
Minimum of __________ year(s) relevant experience in the dental profession
Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations
Valid X-ray Certificate (if the state requires), CPR, & First Aid Certificate
*Check your State Dental Board and Department of Health for additional registration requirements.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
(Edit list as necessary)
- Adhere to enhanced infection control protocols and PPE requirements to reduce transmission of COVID-19
- Process dental instruments and patient care items through the sterilization process safely and efficiently
- Maintain sterilization equipment, following manufacture maintenance guidelines and intervals
- Turn over operatories, transporting dirty instruments to the sterilization area for processing
- Set up treatment rooms for the next patient procedure
- Assist with ordering of clinical supplies, following a tag system designed by your Burkhart Account Manager
- Provide customer service support to patients by escorting them to and from the treatment room as needed
- Expose digital images (as allowed by state guidelines and certificates).
- Assist doctor during the clinical examination
- Record exam notes and treatment plans as needed
- Transition exam information to the front office staff for scheduling purposes, as needed
- Educate patients on plaque control; explain prevention to patients and parents of small children
- Take the patient’s blood pressure when necessary
- Apply fluoride treatment to the patient’s teeth
- Prepare hygiene rooms including, but not limited to, set-up, decontamination, sterilization of all instruments, cleaning handpieces, and restocking supplies
- Assist the hygienist with new patient charting and routine periodontal charting
- Assist in maintaining the hygiene recare system
- Help dental assistants, doctors, and front desk staff, when necessary
General Duties
- Adhere to enhanced infection control protocols and PPE requirements to reduce transmission of COVID-19
- Turn on equipment in the morning and off at night
- Set up treatment rooms for each patient
- Manage supplies, instruments, and the state of treatment rooms
- Disinfect as required by OSHA and state regulations
- Restock operatories as needed
- Offer assistance to the front office during downtime to include calling on overdue recare patients
- Help clinical assistant as needed
- Assistant and support the doctor in the clinical treatment of patients
(If additional skills are needed, enter them here on a copy of this job description.)
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here represent those employees encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is:
- Occasionally exposed to toxic and caustic chemicals and risk of radiation
- Noise level is usually moderate
- The general work environment can become somewhat hectic since everyone works on a time schedule governed by patient appointments
- Ability to both physically and emotionally effectively handle the anxieties associated with the job
Competencies
(Edit list as necessary)
- Ability to maintain composure and professionalism when exposed to stressful situations
- Knowledge of OSHA and state regulations
- Knowledge of the English language – composition, grammar, spelling, and punctuation
- Skilled in the use of standard office equipment including telephones, calculators, copiers, fax, computers, and computer software (MS Excel, Word, Practice Management software)
- Ability to instill trust from the doctors, co-workers, and patients
- Ability to work cooperatively with management, staff, and patients
- Ability to prioritize, organize, and complete tasks in a timely and independent manner
- Ability to understand and follow written and verbal instructions and accept constructive criticism
- Ability to collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and maintain confidentiality
- Ability to communicate and express thoughts and ideas competently
- Ability to quickly grasp relevant concepts regarding duties and responsibilities
Physical Requirements
(Americans with Disability Act)
The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, additional employee requirements are:
- May be required to lift up to ________ lbs. or roll a 90-pound anesthesia machine and a full 35-gallon drum of expended chemicals on wheels from one area to another
- Hand-eye coordination and hand, arm, and finger mobility for detailed work with objects
- May be required to physically assist drowsy patients after anesthesia
- Active movement throughout the day: sitting, walking, standing, squatting, bending, stooping, reaching, etc. (not a sedentary position)
- Vision: close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
- Hearing: able to satisfactorily communicate with patients, the doctor, and other staff members to ensure verbal communication is clearly understood, particularly during emergency situations
- Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or operate equipment
- May be required to administer CPR
- Occasional exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and radiation
- Exposure to moderate noise levels and hectic, fast-paced, high-anxiety environments
(When required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)
Employers may assign additional or different duties at their discretion.