Dental Hygentist- Portable Dentistry Program

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides quality dental hygiene, intra oral images, and X-ray care in schools, farms, and other portable settings to be presented to the on call Dentist for evaluation and initial treatment planning.
• Assists with policy and procedure development for the Portable Dental Program, to include school-based visits, farm visits, and other oral health outreach activities that require use of portable dental equipment.
• Completes insurance coverage verification and patient dental history, as needed.
• Adheres to CHCFC policies, as well as those of funding sources and third party payers.
• Attends all regular dental team meetings, as well as meetings related to the Portable and Tele-Dentistry Program
• Implements the dental department’s Quality Improvement Plan, under the direction of the Dental Director and Dental Clinic Manager.
• Maintains cleanliness and infection control measures in both mobile and clinical settings.
• Maintains appropriate supply inventory for scheduled hygiene and portable and/or Tele-Dentistry treatments.
• Schedules hygiene patients in coordination with the Dental Director, school representatives, farm management teams, or other administrators to efficiently provide services while on-site at the school, farm, and other locations where portable and tele-dentistry services are provided.
• Completes dental charting in electronic health record. All records must include date, service rendered, instruction given, treatment planning, and medical history updates.

• Provides a written Visit Report to be sent home to parents/guardians, or provided directly to non-minor patients.
• Performs clinical procedures as appropriate within the Dental Hygienist scope of practice, to include:
  • Dental screenings
  • Thorough and gentle prophylaxis and selective polishing when medically necessary
  • Placement of dental sealants
  • Application of topical fluoride
• Provides patient instruction on oral hygiene, and demonstrates when necessary.
• Acts as a single point-of-contact for school and community partners to coordinate portable dentistry clinics. This includes the planning and scheduling of portable equipment setup and breakdown in approved spaces.
• Maintains current CPR /licensure.
• Other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED SKILLS, EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

Education: Two years of post-secondary education from an accredited dental hygiene program or dental degree from a dental school in a country other than the United States or Canada required.

Must be licensed to practice dental hygiene, or licensed as a limited dental intern in Massachusetts.

Experience: At least one year dentist/dental hygiene experience strongly preferred. Experience in Public Health, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and/or Mobile Dentistry preferred.

Skills:

• Ability to work collaboratively with ethnically, culturally, racially, and gender diverse staff and patients.
• Sensitivity to low-income populations.
• Ability to use oral camera and portable x-ray equipment.
• Highly organized.
• Motivated to advocate for the growth and development of the Portable and Tele-Dentistry program at CHCFC, including the School Dental Program and Connecticut River Valley Farmworker Health Program.
• Ability to efficiently operate basic office equipment (multi-line phone, fax, photocopier)
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and Outlook) and Internet.
• Ability to utilize Dental software to accurately complete patient charts and maintain patient care plans.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, sit, use the hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance, bend or push; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. Must be able to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

While performing the required duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent when traveling between Health Center locations where medical care is provided. This position performs tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues.

This job description is subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the employee works. Performs other duties as assigned.