Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required for a dental assistant to assist the operator by managing appointments to suit the patient and the organisation, recording and reconciling payments, and maintaining patient records.
This unit applies to dental assistants who assist with administration in dental practice.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Communicate effectively with patients and other persons | 1.1 Greet patients and other visitors appropriately. 1.2 Make available an appropriate environment for the patient to complete medical, dental and financial details 1.3 Listen carefully and be sensitive to patient or carer’s point of view 1.4 Provide information to patient or carer appropriately and completely, using language that can be easily understood 1.5 Ensure patient or carer understands information provided to them 1.6 Show empathy and respect for patient or carer by being polite and avoiding negative comments |
2. Respond appropriately to enquiries from patients and visitors | 2.1 Maintain personal dress and presentation 2.2 Operate communication equipment effectively 2.3 Respond to enquiries promptly, politely and ethically 2.4 Determine the purpose of an enquiry and the identity of the person and retrieve relevant records 2.5 Prioritise messages and record them legibly and accurately 2.6 Refer enquiries outside area of responsibility or knowledge to appropriate supervisor 2.7 Comply with organisation protocols for electronic communication with patients or carers 2.8 Maintain confidentiality of information relating to patients, staff and the dental practice or organisation |
3. Allocate appointments appropriate to patient and organisation requirements | 3.1 Identify the patient’s appointment requirements 3.2 Seek agreement on an appointment time that meets the patient’s preferences and the organisation’s requirements 3.3 Apply knowledge of the patient management system to record details accurately and legibly using standard dental notation in the organisation’s appointment system 3.4 Provide a copy of appointment details to the patient 3.5 Monitor appointment schedules and notify patients and the oral health care team of any necessary changes within a suitable timeframe |
4. Calculate and record basic financial transactions | 4.1 Complete petty cash vouchers accurately and account for all monies 4.2 Calculate correct fees 4.3 Apply Goods and Services Tax (GST) where appropriate in line with identified requirements 4.4 Validate cheques and process credit or debit card payments 4.5 Check and record legibly and accurately payments received 4.6 Provide the patient with a receipt |
5. Handle cash and record financial transactions | 5.1 Balance accurately monies received against records of payment in accordance with organisation policies 5.2 Ensure cash is secured in an approved location 5.3 Respond to suspected breaches of security and take the appropriate action with minimum delay in accordance with organisation policies and procedures 5.4 Identify a record of bad debts and take appropriate action in accordance with organisation procedures 5.5 Follow organisation banking procedures correctly |
6. Maintain patient records | 6.1 Access and prepare the correct patient files and make notation of the appropriate fees and diagnostic records 6.2 Enter information legibly and accurately in accordance with organisation procedures 6.3 Store patient dental records correctly, securely and confidentially 6.4 Maintain up-to-date, accurate, legible and complete records of laboratory work |
7. Assist with patient recalls | 7.1 Apply knowledge of a patient recall system 7.2 Mark patient records with the relevant recall date as appropriate and as directed by the operator 7.3 Identify patients who are due for recall and notify them that an appointment is due 7.4 Follow-up with courtesy those patients who do not respond to a recall appointment request |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:
• assisted with management of an appointment and recall system on 3 occasions including:
- recording, labelling and filing forms
- recording patient details and records
- recording appointments
- assessing the urgency of calls and prioritising appointments
- responding to a range of requests for information
• recorded financial transactions in accordance with dental practice or organisation requirements including:
- calculating fees
- recording payments
• interacted effectively with at least 3 different patients from a range of different social and cultural backgrounds including:
- showing empathy
- dealing with conflict situations
- asking for clarification from patient
- using negotiation skills.
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
• national and State/Territory legal and ethical requirements and considerations, for dental assisting work including:
 codes of practice
 discrimination
 duty of care
- informed consent and statutory requirements of consent
- practice standards – Dental Board of Australia guidelines on infection control
- privacy, confidentiality and disclosure for the recording and storage of patient records
 records management and health privacy principles and their application to the collection of information by the dental practice or organisation
 work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
 work health and safety
• Dental Board of Australia guidelines on dental records
• procedures for taking and recording appointments, including:
- confirming appointments
- action that must be taken for broken or cancelled appointments
- dentist’s preferred work routine
- particular needs that patients may have for the timing of appointments
- relevant details that must be entered into the appointment system, and the written confirmation that must be provided to the patient
- time constraints imposed by the dental laboratory
- time requirements of different treatment procedures, and the effect this has on appointment scheduling
- ways in which scheduling of appointments may cause problems for the practice, and possible methods for remedying this
• methods used by the dental practice or organisation to identify those patients who require either recall examination or follow-up treatment
• methods used for follow-up of patients who do not respond to recall
• fundamental dental terminology including:
- abbreviations and symbols used when recording dental treatment
- community periodontal index
- notation systems in accordance with codes and guidelines such as the Federation Dentaire Internationale (FDI) and charting symbols for tooth surfaces, cavities and other dental problems
• processes for handling and recording financial transactions, including:
- Health Industry Claims and Payments Service (HICAPS) electronic claims
- issuing invoices
- itemising patient accounts, using the coding system described in the Australian Schedule of Dental Services and Glossary wherever possible
- operating a petty cash system
- organisation policy on banking and secure handling of cash
- recording payments and issuing of receipts
- Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) health care program
- the different methods of payment, and the details that need to be recorded and checked for credit card, debit card and cheque payments.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the dental clinic or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. Where simulation is used, it must reflect real working conditions by modelling industry operating conditions and contingencies as well as using suitable facilities, equipment and resources.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
In addition, assessors must hold a minimum of 5 years clinical experience in dental assisting work.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance. |
Numeracy – in order to correctly calculate basic financial calculations, including addition, multiplication and calculation of percentages.
Other foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.