Job Description

Job Description and Duties

The Dental Assistant in the Medical Services Department functions as the assistant to the assigned dentist in all dental treatment procedures for the forensic patients at DSH-Patton and assists in all dental clinical operations and dental office maintenance.  The dental assistant prepares and arranges dental instruments, provides dental rinse to patient’s pre-procedure, maintains patient dental records, maintains dental instruments, makes initial and follow-up appointments for patients, and inventories dental supplies.

The successful candidate must have knowledge of principles and methods of sterilization, uses of various dental instruments, and uses of various dental equipment and dental material.  The candidate must have an understanding of dental hygiene, infection prophylaxis, dental office procedures, dental record keeping, dental software, dental instruments, dental x-rays, and nomenclature of teeth and surfaces.

The successful candidate must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. Must be able to work reliably, collaboratively, professionally, positively, and effectively as part of a team.  Must be self-motivated and adaptable, with good customer service skills and the ability to work with patients who have mental health challenges.

The employee will be required to work any shift and schedule, from Monday through Friday, based on the operational needs of DSH-Patton’s two dental clinics.  Employees may be required to work overtime and float to either dental office within the hospital, including but not limited to locations as needed

The position(s) require(s) a Drug Screening be passed prior to being hired.

In order to gain list eligibility and be appointed to the Dental Assistant (Safety) classification, please follow the link below to the exam bulletin. Failure to take the exam will result in your application not moving forward in our process. Please follow the directions carefully:  .

All interested and qualified applicants should submit an application to Human Resources – Employment Unit no later than Friday, May 1, 2026.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

Patton is a forensic psychiatric hospital and was established in 1890 and opened in 1893. DSH-Patton provides treatment to forensically and civilly committed patients within a secure treatment area. The hospital does not accept voluntary admissions.  

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a Drug Screening be passed prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) a Background Investigation be cleared prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) Medical Clearance prior to being hired.

All applicants may be pre-screened for breadth and depth of experience. Only the most qualified applicants may be interviewed based on screening criteria. For this reason, it is especially important that applicants take special care in thoroughly and accurately completing the application.

Unless there is a specific request to be notified via USPS mail, our main contact will be via email. Email correspondence regarding this job posting will primarily come from  PattonHREmploymentUnit@dsh.ca.gov .  It is the applicant’s responsibility to check their email inbox, including junk/spam emails for any correspondence regarding their application status. In addition, applicants are encouraged to keep their CalCareers profile updated with a current telephone number, mailing address, and email.

For experience/education to qualify during the application screening process, and to ensure that minimum qualifications can be determined, applicants should include all employment history on the Examination/ Employment Application (STD. 678) including detailed job descriptions,  hours worked per week , and  start/end dates (MM/DD/YYY).  Application packages without this information will experience delayed processing times and your eligibility for this position may be impacted.

A completed STD. 678 and any other relevant documents (e.g., unofficial transcript, copy of degree, resume, etc.) should be submitted electronically via your CalCareers account. Please reference  Job Control # 515025  and indicate the basis of your eligibility in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) section. SROA and surplus candidates should submit a copy of their letter with their application.  Please remove any confidential information (i.e., social security number, date of birth) from your documents prior to submission.

Complete Application Packages (including your STD. 678 and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareers account at  . Submitting an electronic application through your CalCareers account is strongly recommended since electronic applications will be received/processed faster than other methods of filing. Please submit only one application.  Applicants will be disqualified from the interview process if the STD Form 678 is incomplete. That includes job titles, job duties, work address, time worked at that position, supervisor name, and supervisor phone number.

***Click on the link to complete the Department of State Hospitals Recruitment Survey: 

Benefits

Please review the Benefits Summary that may also be found on the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website. You will find information on the benefits afforded by membership in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), benefits and protections provided to public employees by the State Civil Service Act, and salary ranges and a summary of the Dental Assistant (Safety) classification. 

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Work at office, Monday to Friday, Shift work

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