Do you want to join an energetic, compassionate, dynamic team? We are looking for a motivated hygienist to join our Northwoods Dentistry family!
This is a part time position – The days of the week can possibly be flexible! Let us know what works in your schedule!
JOB DESCRIPTION
Position Summary
The Dental Hygienist cleans teeth and examines oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. Educates patients on oral hygiene, takes x-rays, applies fluoride or sealants.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:
- Cleaning calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments
- Feeling and visually examining gums for sores and signs of disease
- Charting conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist
- Oral Cancer Screening
- Review patient’s medical history, record vital signs, and discuss progress from the previous recare visit
- Updates continuing care recommendations as directed by doctor
- Recommends the need for quality restorative dentistry when applicable
- Counsels patients on diet, tobacco cessation, and diabetic control for less disease and better general health
- Educates patients on plaque control, gum disease, and explains prevention to patients and parents of minors using appropriate terminology in an organized and professional manner utilizing models, diagrams, intra-oral photos, and supporting literature as necessary
- Instructs and recommends adjunctive aids such as electric toothbrush, dental floss, Waterpik, proxy brush, etc.
- Records and communicates the treatment rendered during each appointment and the treatment planned for the next visit including appointment length
- Applying fluorides and other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay
- Examining gums, using probes, to locating periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease
- Obtains quality diagnostic x-rays
- Providing clinical services and health education to improve and maintain oral health
- Removing excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth
- Making impressions for study casts
- Administering local anesthetic agents
- Observes schedule and calls tardy patients
- Prepares for next day’s schedule
- Scheduling patients recall appointment
- Following up with missed recall appointments
- Following up with unscheduled SRP patients
- Making care calls post treatment
- Cleaning and sterilizing operatory as well as sterilizing instruments
- Prepares patients take home kits
- Maintains equipment, instruments, and supplies and report any new inventory requests (i.e. patient take home kit, operatory supplies, electric toothbrushes, etc.)
- Performing other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
- Bachelor’s degree in health or related field; training and/or degree from an accredited school of Dental Hygiene
- Current Dental Hygienist license required; current CPR certification required; Local anesthesia certification
- Ability to examine, assess and document oral conditions through the use of clinical measurements, radiographs, and other assessment methods
- Ability to educate clients regarding oral health; ability to evaluate the dental hygiene plan of care, as well as the patient’s satisfaction with the plan
- Ability to implement non-surgical periodontal therapy
- Excellent interactive communication skills; excellent working knowledge of the English language
- Ability to maintain client confidentiality
- Ability to apply safety knowledge relevant to equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies
- Knowledge of healthcare regulations and preventative measures (HIPAA confidentiality, infection spread, etc.)
- Must be respectful of co-workers and be a team player
- Excellent customer service skills
- Excellent oral and written communication
- Ability to time management effectively
- Ability to coordinate well with manual dexterity and hand steadiness
- Ability to receive constructive criticism
