Dental Hygienist

SWLA CENTER FOR HEALTH SERVICES

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE:                          Dental Hygienist 

DEPARTMENT:                  Dental

SUPERVISED BY:              Chief Dental Officer 

SUMMARY:

Promotes dental health by completing dental prophylaxis; providing oral cancer screening and radiographic studies; charting conditions of decay and disease; performing procedures in compliance with the dental practice act. This position responsible for assisting the Dentist(s) in the direct provision of primary care dental services to patients of the center. 

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

1. Associate degree from an accredited Hygiene program.
2. State hygiene license.
3. Current CPR certificate.
4. Current on Hepatitis B vaccination.
5. Ability to administer local anesthetic agents.
6. Able to use an x-ray machine.
7. Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
8. Comfortable using computers for a variety of tasks.
9. Knowledgeable about oral hygiene and dental health.

1. Ability to attend to multiple tasks at the same time and to prioritize assignments and responsibilities to ensure compliance with established deadlines and protocols.
2. Effective oral and written communication skills in English are required. Effective oral communication skills Spanish preferred.
3. Current CPR (BLA) required.
4. Requires a comprehensive knowledge of dent techniques and procedures for all phases of general dentistry.
5. Knowledge of modern dental materials. Their storage, handling and applications are required.
6. The Dental Hygienist must be cognizant of the expectations and concerns of the center’s dental patients and be able to respond in an empathetic and professional manner. The ability to work with persons from a wide diversity of social, ethnic and economic backgrounds is necessary.  The Dental Hygienist must be able to creatively work with other health care professionals from a variety of disciplines to achieve maximal results for the center’s patient forma, a system of integrated primary health care.
7. The ability to distinguish letters and symbols as well the ability to utilize telephones, computer terminals and copiers is required.
8. Assume additional duties when necessary to ensure quality health services are being rendered by the center and all other duties assigned to you.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Prepares treatment room for patient by adhering to prescribed procedures and protocols.
2. Prepares patient for dental hygiene treatment by welcoming, soothing, seating, and draping patient.
3. Provides information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
4. Maintains instrumentation for dental hygiene treatment by sharpening, sterilizing, and selecting instruments.
5. Selects materials and equipment for dental hygiene visit by evaluating patient's oral health.
6. Completes dental prophylaxis by cleaning deposits and stains from teeth and from beneath gum margins.
7. Detects disease by completing oral cancer screening; feeling and visually examining gums; using probes to locate periodontal disease and to assess levels of recession; exposing and developing radiographic studies.
8. Arrests dental decay by applying fluorides and other cavity- preventing agents.
9. Maintains patient appearance and ability to masticate by fabricating temporary restorations; cleaning and polishing removable appliances; placing, carving, and finishing amalgam restorations; removing cement from crowns and bridges.
10. Helps dentist manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drugs and oxygen supply, and directory of emergency numbers.
11. Educates patients by giving oral hygiene and plaque control instructions and postoperative instructions, providing reminders of time of next dental hygiene visit.
12. Documents dental hygiene services by recording vital signs and medical and dental histories; charting in patient records.
13. Maintains patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
14. Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
15. Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
16. Ensures operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; following manufacturer's instructions; troubleshooting malfunctions; calling for repairs; maintaining equipment inventories; evaluating new equipment and techniques.
17. Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies.
18. Conserves dental resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
19. Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
20. Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
21. Prepare operatory for patient treatment as per Dental Department protocols and dentist’s specific instructions, including greeting patients and escorting to the operatory.
22. Expose and develop radiographs, knowledge of radiograph software.
23. Compliance with Dental Department directives and protocols relative to Infection Control, Exposure Control and Safety Issues.
24. Maintenance of dental equipment, supplies, clinical area, and thorough knowledge of dental charting software.
25. Place and receive necessary telephone calls consistent with professional maters, clinic business, and patient care.
26. Assist with various clinical and administrative functions of the center, including appropriate utilization of teamwork.
27. Ensure sterility of all re-usable dental instruments in accordance with protocols, including necessary documentation.
28. Ensure proper disposal of all contaminated or potentially contaminated materials.
29. Use of Personal Protective Equipment and universal precautions and maintain a sterile and neat working environment.
30. Attendance to work, processing patients in a timely manner, and can perform job duties with minimal supervision.
31. Supply ordering an inventory record keeping.
32. Reports to work on time and is ready to work in designated work area.
33. Review daily schedule to set up appropriate trays and instruments.
34. Works effectively with all disciplines and corrective criticism from supervisors.
35. Desire to want to lean more or further one’s dental knowledge by application of herself.