Dental Hygienist

Dental Hygienist Duties

The Dental Hygienist provides direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. It is expected that they provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients. Duties include but not limited to:

A. Customer Service/Veteran-Centered Care

• Assists customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery.
• Delivers care that reflects the Veteran's and the family's personal goals, personal preferences, and freedom of choice.
• Demonstrates knowledge and application of patient and family-centered care in written care plans, instructions to patients, and in observation of the actual care provided.

B. Patient Care

• Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover.
• Complies with patient identification, time-out, and reusable medical equipment processes.
• Takes and records vital signs, reviews medical history and charts oral conditions.
• Assesses patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications, and comorbidities.
• Cleans dental prostheses, fixed and removable.

C. Patient Education

• Provides patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs and oral condition.
• Explains hygiene procedures, indications, complications and expected outcomes to individual patient and caregiver.
• Prepares and provides education on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, and effect of illness, addictions, medications, and tobacco on the oral cavity.

D. Dental Imaging

• Takes diagnostic quality images that are accurately oriented and exposed.
• Utilizes dental-imaging safety techniques with minimal retakes.

E. Infection control and Equipment Sterilization

• Demonstrates proper infection-control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory and in exposing images.
• Properly prepares instruments for sterilization by SPS standards.
• Prepares instruments in a manner that does not delay clinical care.

F. Clerical Functions

• Assists patients in scheduling appointments.
• Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments.

G. Information Management

• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information.
• Follows computer security regulations.

H. Patient Safety

• Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position).
• Modifies care based on patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications, and comorbidities.
• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients.

I. Employee Education

• Complies with Employee Education requirements.
• Completes mandatory annual training sessions.
• Maintains all continuing education requirements for professional licensure, certifications, etc.

Work Schedule : 7:30am-4:00pm (Intermittent, 2-3 Saturdays per month)

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 59265F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized