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Dental Assistant

NorthLakes Community Clinic · Eau Claire, WI · Full time

Posted Jun 23, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you anticipated what a dentist needed before they asked.

What they are checking: The four-handed teamwork that makes a dental assistant valuable chairside.

Many of our patients face barriers to care. How do you help a patient feel welcome and respected?

What they are checking: Warmth and respect toward patients who may have had poor experiences with dental care.

How do you keep supplies stocked so a procedure never stops for a missing item?

What they are checking: Organization and foresight, since a missing supply can stop a procedure and back up the whole schedule.

What would you do

A child is crying and won't open their mouth for x-rays. What do you do?

What they are checking: Patience and techniques for anxious patients without forcing care.

The schedule falls behind because of an emergency patient. How do you help get things back on track?

What they are checking: Flexibility and teamwork when the day doesn't go as planned.

About the work

Walk me through how you set up an operatory and instrument tray for a filling.

What they are checking: Practical chairside readiness that keeps the dentist and schedule moving.

How do you sterilize and disinfect instruments, and what steps can never be skipped?

What they are checking: Strict infection control habits that protect patients and staff.

Tell me about your experience taking digital x-rays. What makes an image unusable?

What they are checking: Radiograph skill that helps the dentist make a proper diagnosis, as the posting describes.

How do you chart decay and other conditions accurately while the dentist is calling them out quickly?

What they are checking: Speed and accuracy in charting, since mistakes lead to wrong treatment plans.

Have you taken preliminary impressions or poured and trimmed models? Walk me through it.

What they are checking: Lab and impression skills listed in the posting, including study casts and custom trays.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by NorthLakes Community Clinic.

Caring for our community starts with you. Join a team that believes everyone deserves care. Candidates must reside within NorthLakes' service area at the time of hire and maintain residency throughout employment. The Dental Assistants main purpose is to provide appropriate patient care while working hand in hand with the Dentist. The Dental Assistant will do this by helping to address the needs of the patient in order to be successful with overall health and wellness. Salary begins at $20.45 + per hour depending on experience. Essential Job Functions • Receive and prepare patient for treatment. • Take digital dental x-rays to help aid the dentist in proper diagnosis of oral health condition. • Charts conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist. • Place fluoride varnish to help in the prevention of oral health disease. • Sterilizes and disinfects instruments, sets up instrument trays, prepares materials, and assists dentist during dental procedures. • Makes preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts. • Pours, trims, and polishes models, fabricates custom impression trays from preliminary impressions, cleans and polishes removable appliances, and fabricates temporary crowns. • Knowledge of Scope of Practice per Wisconsin Dental Assistant statues. • Demonstrate Knowledge of ethics, jurisprudence and patient confidentiality. • Demonstrate understanding of the OSHA Hazard Communication standard. • Demonstrate understanding of the OSHA Blood borne Pathogens standard. • Demonstrate understanding of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines • Perform sterilization and disinfection procedures in compliance with policy and procedures. • Understand insurance guidelines for allowable services and treatment frequency. • Apply effective communication techniques with a variety of patients. Qualifications and Education Requirements: One year certificate from college or technical school; or three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Non-Certified Role : Three or more months related experience and/or clinical training preferred. Certified Role : Current dental assisting certification with DANB required; three or more months related experience or training preferred. Credentials, Certification, Licensure : Current CPR certification required for all roles. Certification from an accredited agency within 12 months of hire is strongly preferred. OR Dental Assistant candidates must be eligible for full credentialing with partnering hospital system. Preferred Skills : Strong communication skills, organizational skills and time management skills. Benefit Statement For full time and part time employees who work 24 or more hours per week we offer a generous benefits package that includes: •     Medical and dental insurance •     Employer paid group term life and disability •     Employer contribution toward Health Savings Account •     Flexible Spending Accounts •     Paid Time Off (PTO), Paid Holidays and Paid Leave Bank •     403(b) with a 4% employer match Various voluntary benefits: •     Vision Insurance •     Supplemental Life, AD&D and Disability •     Tuition reimbursement •     Health and Wellness reimbursement program •     Employee Assistance Program, and other specialized behavioral health services and resources for employees and family members •     Partner of HRSA/NHSC loan repayment program Our Mission is to respond to the healthcare needs of our communities with an integrated array of quality services and actively remove barriers to wellness. NorthLakes Community Clinic is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and references. At NorthLakes Community Clinic , our organizational competencies highlight the behaviors and values that guide how we work and provide a shared foundation for performance, development, and growth throughout an employee’s career with us. NorthLakes Community Clinic Organizational Competencies Mission Driven - Advances the organizational mission, vision and values in executing  job duties. Customer Service - Committed to increasing customer satisfaction, sets proper customer expectations, assumes responsibility for solving customer problems, ensures commitments to customers are met. Quality - Is attentive to detail and accuracy, is committed to excellence, looks for improvements continuously, monitors quality levels, finds root cause of quality problems, owns/acts on quality problems. Creativity - Generates new ideas, supports change, provides innovative solutions, solves problems creatively. Integrity - Earns the trust and confidence of coworkers and customers through honest communication, ethical behavior and professionalism in all interactions. Teamwork - Contributes to meeting team deadlines and responsibilities, listens to others and values opinions, helps team to meet goals, welcomes newcomers and promotes a cooperative team atmosphere. Self-Development - Seeks out and accepts feedback, is a proactive learner, takes on tough assignments to improve skills, keeps knowledge and skills up-to-date, turns mistakes into learning opportunities. Job Knowledge - Understands duties and responsibilities, possesses necessary job knowledge and technical skills, maintains job knowledge current. Communication - Understand and communicate effectively with others using a variety of contexts and formats, which include writing, speaking, reading, listening and interpersonal skills. Dependability - Meets commitments, works independently, accepts accountability, handles change, sets personal standards, stays focused under pressure, meets attendance/punctuality requirements. Trauma/Resilience Informed - Understands that trauma is prevalent and ​resilience can be cultivated and improved; and operates in a manner consistent with these principles.

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