Dental Hygienist- IL- Dental Institute

Dental Hygienist

The Dental Hygienist's primary goal is, in coordination with the dental clinical faculty, 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. This position will be working 32 hours per week.

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 planing, and periodontal maintenance.
• 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 by recording vital signs and medical and dental histories; charting in Axium educational dental software.
• Maintain patient confidentiality by adhering to HIPAA guidelines.
• Maintain a 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.
• Work with the Practice Assistants in maintaining the schedule.
• Participate in the educational instruction of dental students in periodontal techniques, patient management, and private practice model.
• Perform duties and schedule in a timely manner.
• Follow the directives and protocols of the CDMI Dental Institute.
• Perform other duties as needed.

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. Must be able to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner and have 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:

An associate's degree or equivalent from a two-year College/Technical school is required. A bachelor's degree is preferred. Minimum of 2 years of working experience as a Dental Hygienist is preferred. Must have a current IL Dental Hygiene License. Current Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide License preferred. 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 the 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.

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.