Mission of Mercy:
Volunteer Job Description
Whether you are a caring dental professional or just a caring individual, there are numerous opportunities for you to volunteer at the MDA Mission of Mercy (MOM). Please note, all volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. Anyone involved with direct patient care or Sterilization must have their Hepatitis B vaccination. MOM is divided into several departments with each department needing various types of volunteers.
Volunteer Descriptions
Dentists: Those with a current, unrestricted Michigan license (or out-of-state temporary license) may work in the following clinic areas: Dental Triage (initial oral exam), Routing (determining which care will be provided), Anesthesia (administering local anesthesia for restorative, endodontic or oral surgery patients), Oral Surgery, Restorative, CEREC, Endodontics, Prosthodontics (taking impressions and fitting treatment partials), Pediatrics, Radiography, and Post-Op Check. All dental treatment is provided under local anesthesia, no nitrous oxide or sedation will be available. A Dentist Floater position will place dentists where needed, to fill empty positions or when dentists take breaks. Dentists may work in one of the areas listed above or may choose to volunteer in any non-dental position.
Dental Hygienists: Those with a current, unrestricted Michigan license (or out-of-state temporary license) may work in the following areas: Hygiene, Hygiene Support, Anesthesia, or Radiography. Hygienists may also choose to work in Dental Triage (scribing for the initial oral exam), Sterilization, Assisting, Record Verification or Patient Education.
Dental Assistants: Experienced dental assistants may work in the following areas: Dental Triage (scribing for the initial oral exam), Restorative, Clinic Support, Oral Surgery, Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Pediatrics, Radiography, Record Verification, Sterilization, Dental Supply or Patient Education.
X-Ray Technicians: Individuals with appropriate training and experience to provide or assist with digital panoramic and intraoral X-rays.
Laboratory Technicians: Individuals with appropriate training and experience to fabricate, or repair oral prosthetics, including treatment partials.
Dental Equipment Technicians: Individuals with appropriate training and experience to set-up, maintain, and tear down dental equipment.
Front Office Staff/Billing Clerks: May work in Data Entry using barcode scanning, Patient Exit Interview, Record Verification, Patient Registration or any other non-dental positions.
Dental Students: There are many wonderful opportunities for students, a limited number of dental students will be allowed to provide direct patient treatment under supervision of their dental school proctor. This event will be a great learning opportunity and we encourage students to volunteer in positions where they can interact with patients – Dental Triage, Patient Education, Assisting, Post-Op Check, Exit Interview or Patient Ambassador.
Hygiene / Assisting Students: Sign up for Sterilization, Patient Education, Hygiene Support, Clinic Support or any non-dental position.
Physician, Physician Assistant, Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Nursing Student: Sign up for Medical Triage.
Pharmacist / Pharmacy Tech / Pharmacy Student: Sign up for the onsite Pharmacy.
General Volunteer: Sign up for Registration, Patient Ambassador (escort patients in the clinic), Patient Exit Interview, Volunteer Registration, Crowd Control, Translator, Data Entry, Hospitality, Set-up, Tear-Down.
Department Positions
*Detailed Department Protocols will be available prior to the event.
ADCF / Guest: employees and board members of ADCF that will be in a supervisory or observation role. Out-of-state MOM leaders/staff observing. Future MDA MOM Local Leads observing. (No need to sign-up for a shift but please indicate which meals you will attend. We would love to have you join us for any/all of your choosing.)
Anesthetic: deliver anesthetic to patients prior to being seen in Restorative, Endodontic or Oral Surgery.
CEREC: restricted to dentists experienced in CEREC crowns.
Clinic Support: disinfect restorative or oral surgery treatment area after the patient leaves and bring used instruments to sterilization.
Crowd Control: assist in keeping the patient line, waiting areas and exit area under control. Supplemented by professional security.
Data Entry: use bar code scanners and computers to track completed procedures; assist as needed in filing patient records.
Dental Assistant: assist dentists in Dental Triage, Restorative, Oral Surgery, Endodontics, Prosthodontics or Pediatrics.
Dental Equipment Tech: help set-up equipment on Thursday, maintain equipment throughout the clinic on Friday and Saturday; assist in the tear-down late Saturday and Sunday.
Dental Hygiene Support: disinfect hygiene treatment area after the patient leaves and bring used instruments to sterilization.
Dental Hygienist: performs hygiene services.
Dental Supply: dispense dental materials and supplies to dental professionals as needed. Need a fairly good understanding of the various dental materials, and dental terminology related to supplies.
Dental Triage Assistant: scribes for dentist completing the oral exam.
Dental Triage Dentist: complete initial oral exam and determine top three treatment priorities.
Department Lead: volunteers serving on the MDA MOM Committee. They and the Second Lead will serve as the go-to person for assignments, questions and concerns in their department.
EMT: assist patients requiring medical attention.
Endodontics: restricted to endodontic specialists until 30 days prior to the event. Root canal therapy will only be performed on restorable anterior teeth and/or on restorable and critical abutment teeth for removable or fixed prosthesis.
Family Waiting: oversee the Family Waiting area for family and friends to meet after they have completed treatment. Assist in locating “lost” family members.
Handyman/Sanitary Engineer: monitor trash containers and empty as needed, provide assistance on an as-needed basis.
Hospitality: serve and clean-up food service area for volunteers and patients.
Lab: fabricate or repair oral prosthetics — mainly treatment partials.
Medical Triage: conducts a medical history screening, check blood pressure and as needed check blood glucose levels or INR’s.
Oral Surgery: restricted to oral surgeon specialists until 30 days prior to the event. Surgeons will do extractions under local anesthetic; no nitrous oxide or sedation will be available.
Parking Attendants: Assist patients and volunteers to appropriate parking areas.
Patient Ambassadors: escort patients between various departments ensuring that no patient wanders alone on the clinic floor; run other onsite errands as needed by department leads.
Patient Education: provide oral health education to patients while they wait to receive care. Materials will be provided.
Patient Exit: assist patients in completing the exit survey and distribute patient oral health care bags.
Patient Registration: greet patients and explain how the program works; provide name tags and patient wrist bands; direct patients where they need to go to make sure they are seen in first-come, first-served order; and distribute paperwork.
Pediatrics: restricted to pediatric specialists until 30 days prior to the event. Job involves diagnosis and treatment of children 12 and under using local anesthetic only.
Pharmacy: fill prescribed pre-medications, antibiotics, and non-narcotic pain medications on-site.
Photographer / Videographer: those identified as official event photographers.
Post-Op Check: Dentists / dental students working in this area will answer any questions patients may have concerning the treatment they received or about aftercare. Change gauze of patients who had extractions.
PR/Legislative Team: those identified by MDA staff as part of the onsite PR/Legislative tour guide team.
Prosthodontics: take impressions for and seat treatment partials; limited denture repair.
Radiology: take or assist in digital panoramic or intraoral X-rays.
Record Verifier: review Patient Registration form to verify completeness, including providers printed name and chair number.
Restorative: provide amalgam or composite restorations with the option to do limited oral surgery if the tooth is deemed non-restorable.
Routing: restricted to dentists; assign patients to treatment area based on priority assigned in Dental Triage.
Set-up: set up tables, chairs, dental units, supplies, sterilization, signs, volunteer registration, food service, etc. Thursday only.
Sterilization: sterilize all personal and MOM provided instruments, keeping personal and MOM instruments separate. Dispense sterile instruments to dental professionals as needed.
Tear-down: disassemble equipment, pack equipment and supplies, general clean-up, etc. Begins at the close of clinic on Saturday and completed on Sunday morning.
Translators: Spanish and others will be needed in all departments to assist in patient communication.
Volunteer Registration: greet and check in volunteers; assign duties as appropriate.
Waiting Area Coordinator: monitor department waiting area, check patients in and out, maintain first come first serve basis.