Dental Hygienist- AZ- Dental Institute

Summary

The Dental Hygienist’s primary goal is, in coordination with the dental clinical faculty, is to develop and implement a patient re-care program while ensuring that approved periodontal diagnosis and treatment is properly delivered to the patients in a timely manner.  This position reports to the Director of Clinical Faculty.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepare treatment room for patient by adhering to prescribed procedures and protocols.
• Prepare patient for dental hygiene treatment by welcoming, seating, and draping patient.
• Provide information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
• Maintains instrumentation for dental hygiene treatment by sharpening, sterilizing, and selecting instruments.
• Select materials and equipment for dental hygiene visit by evaluating patient's oral health.
• Proficiency in performing routine dental prophylaxis, scaling and root planning, perio maintenance and laser assisted periodontal therapy.
• Detect 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.
• Applying fluorides and other cavity- preventing agents.
• Cleaning and polishing removable appliances.
• Maintain CPR certification, and directory of emergency numbers.
• Educate patients by giving oral hygiene and plaque control instructions and postoperative instructions; providing reminders of time of next dental hygiene visit.
• Document dental hygiene services recording vital signs and medical and dental histories; charting in axiUm.
• Maintain patient confidentiality by adhering to HIPAA guidelines
• Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
• Ensure 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.
• Maintain dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies.
• Conserve dental resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
• Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed

Supervisory Responsibilities                                               

The position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  This individual must be able to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner with regular, predictable, in-person attendance. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Other Qualifications

This position requires a significant amount of interaction with the public and many internal customers and therefore, the individual must be able to develop positive rapport effectively. The ability to maintain a professional demeanor, be detail oriented and promote a welcoming atmosphere is essential.  The ability to interact professionally with other faculty, staff, and students is also required.  The individual must have the ability to become familiar with all modules of the axiUm electronic health records. 

Education and/or Experience              

Associates degree or equivalent from a two-year College/Technical school is required.  Bachelors degree preferred.  Minimum 2 years working as a Dental Hygienist is recommended.  Must have a current AZ Dental Hygiene License, X-Ray Certification, and Anesthesia License.  Experience working in a team and customer service oriented environment and excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.

Computer Skills                                           

Working knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook) and general Dental Software required.

Language Skills                                            

Intermediate skills:  Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.  Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Reasoning Ability                                                     

Intermediate skills:  Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form.  Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Mathematical Ability

Basic skills:  Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to interpret bar graphs. 

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 regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear.  The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, taste or smell.  The employee must occasionally lift and /or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The employee will regularly work near moving mechanical parts and fumes or airborne particles.   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Midwestern University is a private, not-for-profit organization that provides graduate and post-graduate education in the health sciences. The University has two campuses, one in Downers Grove, Illinois and the other in Glendale, Arizona. More than 6,000 full-time students are enrolled in graduate programs in osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, cardiovascular perfusion, podiatry, optometry, clinical psychology, speech language pathology, biomedical sciences and veterinary medicine. Over 500 full-time faculty members and 400 staff members are dedicated to the education and development of our students in an environment that encourages learning, respect for all members of the health care team, service, interdisciplinary scholarly activity, and personal growth.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance plans as well as life insurance, short/long term disability and pet insurance.  We offer flexible spending accounts including healthcare reimbursement and child/dependent care account.  We offer a work life balance with competitive time off package including paid holiday’s, sick/flex days, personal days and vacation days.  We offer a 403(b) retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, child care subsidy reimbursement program, identity theft protection and an employee assistance program.  Wellness is important to us and we offer a wellness facility on-site with a fully equipped fitness facility. 

Midwestern University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not discriminate against an employee or applicant based upon race; color; religion; creed; national origin or ancestry; ethnicity; sex (including pregnancy); gender (including gender expressions, gender identity; and sexual orientation); marital status; age; disability; citizenship; past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services; genetic information; or any other protected class, in accord with all federal, state and local laws, including 41 C.F.R. 60-1.4(a), 250.5(a), 300.5(a) and 741.5(a). Midwestern University complies with the Smoke-Free Arizona Act (A.R.S. 36-601.01) and the Smoke Free Illinois Act (410 ILCS 82/).  Midwestern University complies with the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 and Arizona Equal Pay Acts.

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