Dental Hygienist Jobs

SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Administers prophylactic treatment by the scaling and polishing of teeth.
• Complete a preliminary exam on each new dental service patient
• Non-surgical periodontal therapy.
• Examine each patient's oral health and communicate findings to dentists.
• Involvement in The Bridge Programming and Support Groups for CARTI patients.
• Administers fluorides and sealants for tooth protection, as needed.
• Instructs and educates patients on oral hygiene techniques, including answering patient questions and providing educational materials, as needed.
• Maintain and clean and sterile work environment. Wear PPE always, during patient care.
• Documentation of areas of existing restorations and notable areas of possible decay and disease for dentist review.
• Performs x-rays to determine extent of any decay or disease, as needed.
• Perform related duties, as required.
• Document treatment plans and care performed on patients.
• Administer local anesthetics to patients.
• Update medical history for every patient, highlighting significant information for dentist review.

This position is a Safety Sensitive Position. The essential functions, physical demands, and mental competencies of this job require the employee maintain the ability to work in a constant state of alertness in a safe manner.

CORPORATE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
• Demonstrate flexibility to perform duties wherever deemed necessary.
• Seek out opportunities to help rather than waiting to be asked.
• Demonstrate sound judgment by taking appropriate actions regarding questionable findings or concerns.
  • Investigate and follow through on unusual orders or requests for service or information.
  • Follow proper reporting procedures for actual or potential accidents and/or incidents so follow up and/or prevention can occur.
  • Record/report the need for service maintenance or repair of equipment and remove any faulty equipment from service.
• Take responsibility for helping the caller.
• Demonstrate adherence to the company Dress Code Policy
• Take directions and initiate actions (cross/additional training) that will allow the assumption of cross-functional duties to ensure seamless workflow.
• Demonstrate adherence and support of company-wide service standards as evidenced by observation andfeedback from patients, family members, and other clients.
• Demonstrate correct and safe technique in the use of equipment according to specific product information.
• Investigate and follow through on unusual orders or requests for service or information.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of all policies and procedures and ability to reference them from appropriate sources.
• Do not incur excessive overtime.
• Consistently demonstrate ability to take the initiative to make decisions/choices without direct supervision.
• Demonstrate regular attendance and timeliness.
• Follow proper reporting procedures for actual or potential accidents and/or incidents so follow up and/or prevention can occur.
• Maintain a clean, neat, and safe environment for patients and staff.
  • Ensure that supplies and equipment are stored in an organized and efficient manner.
  • Demonstrate correct and safe technique in the use of equipment according to specific product information.
  • Follow appropriate procedure for obtaining and returning or cleaning/disposing of equipment and supplies.
  • Participate in economical utilization of supplies and ensure equipment is maintained in a clean and safe manner.
• Take initiative to do to redo inadequate or incomplete work, even if it is not yours.
• Minimize non-productive time and fill slow periods with activities that will enable you to prepare to meet the future needs of the company (education, organizing, housekeeping, assisting others).
• Assist patients, family members or other clients with concern and empathy; respect their confidentiality and privacy and communicate with them in a courteous and respectful manner.
• Record/report the need for service maintenance or repair of equipment and remove any faulty equipment from service.
• Remain conscientious in regard to personal hygiene.
• Follow appropriate procedure for obtaining and returning or cleaning/disposing of equipment and supplies.
• Participate in economical utilization of supplies and ensure equipment is maintained in a clean and safe manner.
• Consistently demonstrate ability to respond to changing situations in a flexible manner in order to meet current needs, such as reprioritizing work as necessary.
• Participate in continuing education/training activities including monthly online training.
• Assist other team members in the performance of their assignments.
  • Seek out opportunities to help rather than waiting to be asked.
  • Consider the impact of your actions on team members throughout CARTI.
• Organize job functions and work area to be able to effectively complete varied assignments within established time frames.
• Consistently evaluate work and determine if further steps are needed to meet client expectations.
  • Take initiative to do to redo inadequate or incomplete work, even if it is not yours.
• Consider the impact of your actions on team members throughout CARTI.
• Assist in the orientation/training for new team members.
• Ensure that supplies and equipment are stored in an organized and efficient manner.
• Identify yourself in a pleasant and positive manner.
• Demonstrate ability to handle emergency situations in a prompt, precise and professional manner.
• Comply with the company’s infection control policies and procedures including Body Substance Isolation (BSI) and the Exposure Control Plan which reflects OSHA Blood borne Pathogens Standard to ensure a safe working environment for self and others.
• Answer and refer telephone calls or other inquiries to ensure accurate and timely communications are facilitated.
  • Identify yourself in a pleasant and positive manner.
  • Take responsibility for helping the caller.
• Ensure that the company is operated in an efficient and cost effective manner by adhering to CARTI attendance policies as documented in the division’s Attendance Policy.
• Adhere to Administrative and departmental policies.
• Comply with policies and procedures concerning safety.

OTHER JOB REQUIREMENTS: A Team Player

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, LICENSURE, REGISTRATION:

• Graduation from an accredited dental hygiene school with either an associate degree (most common), a certificate, a bachelor's degree, or a master's degree is required.
• License from the Arkansas State Dental board.

EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist
• Certified in the utilization of the 970NM Diode Laser
• Maintain collaborative communication between CARTI Dental Clinic and other treating physicians and care teams
• Provide interprofessional education as needed to CARTI staff to promote oral health of CARTI patients
• Collaborative Care Permit II
• Implement and maintain OSHA, CDC, and BSI (Body Substance Isolation) standards within dental clinic
• CAMBRA Education
• Maintain licensure and fulfil continued education required by State Board of Dental Examiners
• Utilize American Academy of Periodontology classification for diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease
• Minimum two years’ experience required.

Compassion: Those who work in this occupation, as well as others in the healthcare field, need a desire to help people.

Manual Dexterity: Excellent fine motor skills are needed to grasp instruments and work inside patients' mouths.

Interpersonal Skills: When dealing with patients, you must be able to relate to them, recognize when they are uncomfortable or anxious, and reassure them.

Attention to Detail: Without the ability to pay attention to detail, it will be impossible to perform several aspects of your job including noticing stains and other treatable issues during cleanings and, while examining patients' teeth, detecting potential health problems requiring the dentist's attention.

Physical Stamina: Excellent stamina is essential since dental hygienists spend a lot of time on their feet.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or schedule form.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

• Must interact and communicate both verbally and in written form.
• Must interact and exchange information regarding patients with physicians and other departmental personnel, and outside agencies on a frequent basis while respecting the confidentiality of patient information.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• The employee regularly is required to stand, walk, sit, use hand to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

This position involves potential exposure to infectious diseases. Team members are offered appropriate vaccinations and safety training.

JOB SUMMARY: Dental Hygienist is the chief preventative provider of oral care. The hygienist motivates, educates, and provides excellent patient care. The team member will clean patients’ teeth and examine their mouths for signs of damage, gingivitis, and other diseases. Hygienists will teach patients how to maintain good oral health. Their scope of practice-what services they are legally allowed to deliver-differs according to the rules of The Arkansas state Dental Board.