TO Dental Hygienist PT

Under the supervision of Dental Office Manager, performs all aspects of a dental hygienist, including preventive dental hygiene, periodontal scaling and root planning, charting, equipment sterilization and maintenance, and exposing radiographs. Educate patients, health care providers and the community on how to maintain good oral health. All Nimkee staff must adhere to mandated reporting laws.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide registered dental hygienist duties to eligible patients in accordance with Indian Health Service and Saginaw Chippewa Tribal policies and credentialed privileges granted by the Nimkee medical Executive Committee.
• Provide oral prophylaxis (utilizing ultrasonic and/or hand instruments), scaling and root planning, periodontal maintenance, intraoral soft tissue and oral cancer screening exams, and yearly periodontal charting, including periodontal pocketing and recession.
• Administer local anesthetic if needed (only to patients 18 or older, per Michigan licensure rules).
• Provide individualized oral home care instruction including demonstration of proper brushing and flossing techniques; counsel patients in dental disease prevention, systemic risks, care of dental appliances, dental health and dietary information and answer patient questions. Encourages patients to demonstrate increased knowledge and skill in oral hygiene procedures. Clean dental appliances in ultrasonic.
• Apply fluoride varnish and dental sealants.
• Expose and label digital radiographs, including bitewing, periapical, occlusal and panoramic views, and utilize as appropriate to perform hygiene duties.
• Prepare the dental operatory prior to each patient and clean operatory afterwards.
• Record patient information in Dentrix (Electronic Dental Record), including medical changes, coding procedures, clinical notes periodontal charting, assist with recording information during hygiene exam with dentists, and sign clinical note within 24 hours. Enter blood pressure and pulse into EHR.
• Clean, disinfect and stock dental operatories including changing traps, cleaning suction lines, etc.
• Clean, sterilize and sharpen instruments, utilizing ultrasonic and autoclave; stock clean instruments.
• Utilize public health principles to assist with community prevention activities and provide community education (schools, health fairs, etc.) when requested.
• Serve as a dental representative on various committees as requested, which could include Medical Executive Committee, Infection Control Committee, Safety Committee, Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement Committee and/or HIPAA Committee.
• Provide nutritional counseling, tobacco screening and cessation counseling, as needed.
• Replace and remove sharps containers when full.
• Schedule hygiene recall appointments.
• Adhere to patient confidentiality and comply with clinic policies and federal regulations under the Privacy rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Provide excellent customer service for all internal and external customers of the operations at all times. Provide solutions for customer concerns and continually focus on customer service as our top priority.
• Must maintain strict confidentiality and present a positive, professional demeanor and image at all times.
• The above duties and responsibilities are not an all-inclusive list but rather a general representation of the duties and responsibilities associated with this position. The duties and responsibilities will be subject to change based on organizational needs and/or deemed necessary by the supervisor.

Contacts/Purpose of Contacts:

• Contact with patients for the purpose of providing direct care dental services.
• Contact with Nimkee Clinic staff and Tribal Operations staff.
• Contacts may also include dental supply vendors, staff from outside dental labs, and specialists to which patients may be referred.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Registered Dental Hygienist.
• Must be able to pass background check to meet the employment eligibility requirements as they pertain to the position.

Desired Qualifications:

• Two years working experience in dental hygiene.

License, Certification, or Special Requirements:

• Michigan Registered Dental Hygienist license.
• Certification to expose dental radiographs.
• Ability to obtain HIPAA Certification, Blood Borne Pathogens Certification, BLS Certification and Safety Training within thirty days of hire.
• Native American preference shall apply to all positions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of current dental technology, terminology, dental anatomy, medicines, oral hygiene and preventive dentistry.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, county and local laws, regulations, and requirements.
• Knowledge of dental software.
• Skill in operating ultrasonic and autoclave devices.
• Skill in operating radiographic equipment and Kodak imaging computer program.
• Skill with dental chair unit.
• Skill in treating patients with tact, courtesy, and respect.
• Ability to receive, route, schedule and educate patients.
• Ability to efficiently perform chair side techniques in all phase of dentistry.
• Ability to explain to patient, post-operative instructions, preventive techniques and care instructions.

Physical Demands:

• Frequent use of hands, wrists, fingers associated with providing dental care and with computer equipment.
• Required to stand, sit and walk for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
• Normal visual acuity, ability to talk and hear.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.
• Dental office.
• Exposure to bodily fluids such as blood and saliva and/or the potential for needle sticks and/or dental instrument skin puncture.
• Latex may be used in the dental office which can produce allergic reactions.
• Potential contact with chemicals and/or cleaning reagents utilized within the clinic.
• Exposure to unpleasant odors, radiation, blood-borne pathogens, hazardous material and infectious disease.
• Situations occur where surgical masks, safety goggles, gloves and protective face shields are needed.
• Extended hours and irregular shifts may be required.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.