Dental Hygienist

Job Title

Advanced dental care professional duties

Duties

Advanced patient assessments & clinical evaluations

Prophylaxis in complex restorative cases

Individual & group oral hygiene instructions for special-needs populations

Management of medically &/or behaviorally compromised patients, & collaboration with other

Demonstrates non-judgmental understanding of the Veteran's & family's knowledge, values, beliefs, & cultural backgrounds- Delivers care that reflects the Veteran's & the family's personal goals, personal preferences

Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery

Shows courtesy, respect, & a positive attitude for patients, co-workers, & the public

Demonstrates collaborative orientation to working with patients & families

Routine oral prophylaxis, gross debridement, soft tissue curettage, deep scaling & root planning procedures to patients with complex periodontal/restorative conditions & complex medical/psychiatric issues

Safely utilizes advanced adjunctive diagnostic & therapeutic equipment (e.g. sonic, magnetostrictive ultrasonic & piezo ultrasonic scalers)

Recognize age-related changes in individuals, adapt patient environment, & maximize patient's physical comfort

Administers intrasulcular anti-infective agents & sulcular lavage per direction of dentist/periodontist

Assess clinical findings, including normal & critical lab results, & adapt care based on findings

Interview & assess a patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications, & comorbidities

Manages dental recall system, referring patients to the doctor for additional care when needed

Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure & cleans dental unit for timely turnover

Assesses the impact of patient's medical & dental condition on maintaining oral health

Evaluate patient's caries risk & select & apply appropriate fluoride solutions

Accomplishes all procedures within standard infection control protocols

Applies & removes periodontal dressings per direction of dentist

Handles instruments safely, accurately, & efficiently

Cleans dental prostheses, fixed & removable

Administers local anesthetic (per State license)

Makes impressions for fluoride carrier trays

Applies desensitizing & sealant materials

Administers topical anesthetic agents

Applies adult education techniques/methods, organizes curriculum, judges cognitive ability, & provides healthcare education regarding relationships between medical & dental pathologies to groups &/or interdisciplinary staff

Prepares & provides education on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices effect of illness, addictions, medications, & tobacco on the oral cavity

Explains hygiene procedures, indications, complications & expected outcomes to patients & care givers

Provide patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs & oral condition

Recognizes common pathologies & utilizes advanced radiographic technique (CBCT) & equipment to detect abnormalities

Ensure radiographic images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented & exposed

Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, & retakes are minimized

Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up & cleaning up operatory - Instruments are prepared in a manner that does not delay clinical care

Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images

Instruments are properly prepared for sterilization per SPS standards

Assists patients in scheduling appointments, places appropriate RTC orders, & open/closes imaging consults

Assists dentists to complete patient exams by filling out all necessary information in DRM & CPRS

Supports the dental service in the preparation & management of Community Care consults

Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations & failed appointments

Records findings, treatment plans, & treatment provided in patient records

Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written & verbal information

Follows computer security regulations

Modifies care based on patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications, & comorbidities

Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age & abilities (patient transfer & position) - Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress

Participates in patient identification & time out per TJC requirements.

Provides accurate & understandable instructions to patients

Prepares & presents hygiene/safety updates at the Dental Staff Meeting

Complies with TMS & Employee Education requirements

Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions

Work Schedule : Mon-Thurs 7:30am-5pm, Friday 7:30am-4pm (compressed schedule) 4/5/9 with every other Friday off.

Compressed/Flexible : Available

Telework : Ad-Hoc, Maybe Authorized

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 60615-0

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized