Operational Assistant -Dental Hygiene Clinic

OPERATIONS ASSISTANT- DENTAL HYGIENE
MALCOLM X COLLEGE

Malcolm X College (MXC), Health
Sciences Department operates a Dental Hygiene Clinic providing eligible patients with oral healthcare services including x-rays, exams, and
cleanings. Services are provided by students who are supervised by MXC Faculty (licensed dental hygienists and dentists).

Services
are open to the public; new patients receive a screening appointment during which time dental needs are assessed, necessary referrals are
made, and eligibility for services is determined. Clinic is in operation during the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Reporting to the Senior Director-Health Sciences (Dental Hygiene), the
Operations Assistant-Dental Hygiene Clinic provides administrative and clinical support for the Dental Hygiene Program.
This position supports compliance with the Illinois State Board of Dentistry, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), OSHA, IEMA
(Illinois Emergency Management Agency), and other applicable regulatory agencies.

The Operations Assistant
contributes to the coordination of daily clinic operations, maintains dental equipment and accurate records, supports quality assurance
processes, and provides front-line administrative and patient support services in alignment with the mission and goals of the Dental Hygiene
Program and Malcolm X College.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Clinical Operations and Quality
Assurance

• Maintains working knowledge of OSHA, CODA, HIPAA, and IEMA guidelines, including infection control
  protocols, radiation safety standards, and medical emergency procedures.
• Maintains, monitors, and documents equipment performance,
  sterilization processes, water testing, and operational maintenance logs.
• Processes and reconciles patient payments, ledgers, and
  chart audits while ensuring accuracy and compliance with CODA and college policies.
• Responds to patient inquiries, concerns, and
  scheduling with professionalism and confidentiality.
• Supports supply and inventory management for all clinic materials, instruments,
  and hazardous waste.
• Communicates regularly and works collaboratively with clinic coordinators and the Senior Director of Dental
  Hygiene to support daily clinic activities and to contribute to efficient operations.
• Assists in the sterilization area to maintain
  proper instrument processing procedures.

Front Desk and Patient Coordination

• Interacts
  directly and professionally with patients and students in a customer-focused manner.
• Answers incoming calls, maintains phone and
  voicemail systems, and schedules new and returning patient appointments.
• Serves as a liaison between students and patients regarding
  appointments and follow-up care.
• Takes accurate and detailed notes from patient voicemails and communicates relevant information to
  the appropriate student or clinic coordinator.
• Maintains HIPAA compliance in all patient interactions and
  recordkeeping.
• Communicates student schedule openings and coordinates patient assignments to support successful completion of
  curriculum and accreditation requirements.
• Collaborates with clinic coordinators to ensure consistent communication and patient
  management.
• Monitors student compliance with health and safety requirements, including immunizations, background checks, and drug
  screenings for work-based learning sites.

Administrative and Record Management

• Maintains
  and updates electronic patient records using Dentrix, Dexis, TalEval, or similar systems to support accuracy, accessibility, and compliance
  with college and accreditation standards; provides routine user assistance to other staff members and reports technical issues to
  appropriate support personnel or vendors
• Generates routine reports related to patient care, student clinical performance, and
  program data for CODA and institutional assessment.
• Facilitates communication and transfer of patient records and referrals with
  outside dental and medical providers in accordance with established procedures.
• Maintains relevant knowledge of the MXC Dental
  Hygiene Student Handbook and applies policies consistently in the performance of assigned duties.

Community and
Institutional Alignment

• Promotes the mission, vision, and values of Malcolm X College within the Dental Hygiene
  Clinic.
• Serves as a point of contact for communications involving community members, institutional departments, and clinical
  partners, referring complex matters to program leadership.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports To Senior Director-Health Sciences (Dental Hygiene)

Direct Supervision
None

QUALIFICATIONS

• High School diploma or equivalent required. Associates degree in
  business, healthcare, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in the dental field.
• Prior
  experience in dental hygiene education or clinical coordination preferred.
• Experience with TalEval or similar clinical evaluation
  systems preferred.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in dental practice management software
  (Dentrix or equivalent) preferred.
• Working knowledge of OSHA standards, HIPAA, and IEMA regulations.
• Familiarity with CODA
  standards preferred.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal
  communication skills
• Ability to work independently, prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced
  environment.
• Ability to learn and apply new software systems and procedural updates as required.
• Demonstrated ability to
  work effectively in a culturally diverse environment while maintaining confidentiality.
• Some proficiency in the use of Microsoft
  Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams)

Salary range: $49,900.53 -$52,395.55

Funded by Perkins Grant

Approved by Compensation Design & Strategy Date:
February 10, 2026

The intent of this job description is to provide a general description of the
duties and responsibilities of this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive set of the duties and
responsibilities, nor all of the necessary qualifications to perform the work.

TBD

Additional Information

• Salary Range: Salary range: $49,900.53 -$52,395.55