Description

Perform prophylaxis and/or periodontal scaling and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. May educate patients on oral hygiene, take and develop x rays, or apply fluoride or sealants. May provide local anesthesia as needed for hygiene procedures or restorative treatment as directed by the Dentist.

Essential Functions 

To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

•  Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums using dental instruments and/or ultrasonic technology. 
•  Utilize laser therapy in conjunction with Gingivitis and/or periodontal treatment. 
•  Record and review patient medical histories. 
•  Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal pockets and signs of gum disease. 
•  Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease. 
•  Expose periapical, bitewing, and panoramic x rays. 
•  Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by the dentist. 
•  Maintain dental equipment and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments. 
•  Feel lymph nodes under the patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate the presence of oral cancer. 
•  Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public. 
•  Apply fluorides or other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay. 
•  Maintain patient recall system. 
•  Administer local anesthetic agents. 
•  Remove excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth. 
•  Conduct dental health clinics for community groups to augment the services of dentists. 
•  Remove sutures and dressings. 
•  Place and remove rubber dams, matrices, and temporary restorations. 
•  Make impressions for whitening trays. 
•  May be designated as the “numbing hygienist” and would be required to provide local anesthesia to all patients receiving restorative treatment, ensuring a smooth flow of the restorative schedule by aiding in the break-down, sterilization, and set up of the operatories throughout the day, assisting in the upkeep of the sterilization lab by helping with cleaning and bagging of instruments, and providing preventive and periodontal treatment as needed while the patient is in the Doctor's chair. 
•  Complies with: Dental Depot policies and procedures; OSHA policies, procedures, rules, and regulations; and HIPAA policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. 
•  Position may be required to relocate to other Dental Depot clinics either permanently or on a short-term basis due to office needs, on an as-needed basis at the discretion of Management. 
•  This position may complete other Administrative and Maintenance tasks as assigned by Management. 
•  Maintain regular and reliable attendance

Position Qualifications

• Friendly - Ability to exhibit a cheerful demeanor toward others. 
• Ethical - Ability to demonstrate conduct conforming to a set of values and accepted standards. 
• Customer Oriented - Ability to take care of the customers’ needs while following company procedures. 
• Interpersonal - Ability to get along well with a variety of personalities and individuals. 
• Honesty / Integrity - Ability to be truthful and be seen as credible in the workplace. 
• Responsible - Ability to be held accountable or answerable for one’s conduct. 
• Relationship Building - Ability to effectively build relationships with customers and co-workers. 
• Loyal - The trait of feeling a duty to the employer. 
• Accuracy - Ability to perform work accurately and thoroughly. 
• Reliability - The trait of being dependable and trustworthy. 
• Organized - Possessing the trait of being organized or following a systematic method of performing a task. 
• Detail Oriented - Ability to pay attention to the minute details of a project or task. 
• Empathetic - Ability to appreciate and be sensitive to the feelings of others. 
• Safety Awareness - Ability to identify and correct conditions that affect employee safety. 
• Working Under Pressure - Ability to complete assigned tasks under stressful situations. 
• Accountability - Ability to accept responsibility and account for his/her actions. 
• Self-Motivated - Ability to be internally inspired to perform a task to the best of one’s ability using his or her own drive or initiative. 
• Motivation - Ability to inspire oneself and others to reach a goal and/or perform to the best of their ability. 
• Enthusiastic - Ability to bring energy to the performance of a task.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals, body fluids, bloodborne pathogens, and the risk of radiation. The noise level is usually moderate. As the dental practice is heavily dependent on schedule, the general environment can become hectic at times. Therefore, the employee must be able to handle effectively the normal anxieties associated with the job.

Requirements

Education:

• High School Graduate or General Education Degree (GED): Required 
• Associate's In Applied Science Degree Required, Field of Study: Dental Hygiene OR 
• Bachelor of Science Degree Required, Field of Study: Dental Hygiene 

Certifications & Licenses:

• Current CPR Certified Current Dental Hygiene License Dental Hygienists must be able to administer nitrous oxide and/or local anesthesia if authorized by the Board of Dentistry to perform these advanced procedures. 

Computer Skills:

• Dental Software knowledge (Eaglesoft knowledge preferred, but not required.) Knowledge of all Microsoft Office products. 

Other Requirements:

• Must have a valid driver's license, proof of valid vehicle insurance, and must have annual Motor Vehicle Record Check, as a condition of employment if employee operates any Company-owned vehicles or drives their own personal vehicle for Company business purposes. Must have signed the Hepatitis B Vaccination Form declining or accepting the vaccination within 30 days of Employment.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Such as safety glasses, surgical masks, and protective gloves