DENTAL HYGIENIST

Dental Hygienist

Salary Range $42.21 - $63.32

Overview

At Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center (ANHC), we believe everyone deserves high-quality, respectful, and compassionate care, regardless of their ability to pay. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, we serve a diverse patient population with a commitment to health equity and community well-being.

Our culture is grounded in our core values: Respect, Compassion, Personal Integrity, Excellence, and Collaborative Spirit. These values guide how we care for our patients and how we treat one another. We foster a supportive, team-orientated environment where every voice is heard, diversity is celebrated, and staff are empowered to grow and make meaningful contributions. At ANHC, you'll be part of a mission-driven team that shows up every day with purpose, heart, and a deep commitment to the community we serve.

Position Summary

The Dental Hygienist is responsible for treating and educating patients in the control and prevention of oral disease such as caries (cavities) and periodontal (gum) disease through proper oral hygiene and regular professional care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Reviews patient medical and dental history for currency and accuracy.
• Gives direct patient care by providing thorough and gentle prophylaxis, fluoride treatment, sealants, patient education, periodontal examinations, periodontal scaling and root planning, selective polishing, overhang removal, application of desensitizing agents, oral cancer examination.
• Takes blood sugar (when appropriate), and blood pressure on all adult patients and records in the chart.
• Takes and processes several types of dental x-rays.
• Practices within the scope of education, training, and personal capabilities.
• Uses local anesthetic as needed for patient comfort.
• Checks on patient comfort during treatment; helps allay patient anxiety.
• Communicates with patients in an understandable and professional way.
• Responsible for clinical dental health education activities.
• Recognizes and responds to emergencies.
• Charts dental examinations in Dentrix.
• Updates patient health history in Dentrix.
• Makes accurate chart notes in Dentrix including the next visit and time needed.
• Charts and dates each patient's periodontal health.
• Records accurate notes and initial entries on the provided treatment.
• Collaborates with dentist when the case is appropriate for referral.
• Communicates with the assistants in keeping inventory stocked and ordered.
• Uses appropriate procedural coding.
• Complies with "Universal Precautions" for infection control.
• Maintains and fully understands the importance of patient confidentiality and HIPAA compliance.
• Follows job related Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Center for Disease Control and Prevention requirements.
• Functions at all times in a safe and professional manner.
• Keeps accurate patient records, contacts patients for periodic cleaning, and answers patients' questions on dental hygiene.

Supporting Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists in maintenance of equipment.
• Assists with inventory control.
• May perform dental assistant duties as needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

ANHC's Mission, Vision and Values: Actively supports ANHC's mission, vision and values. Includes using individual skills to add value to the mission: To be a trusted partner in every person's wellness by providing integrated, compassionate, and high-quality health care, regardless of ability to pay; and vision: Accessible care for a healthy Anchorage. Aligns actions around organizational values of RESPECT, COMPASSION, PERSONAL INTEGRITY, EXCELLENCE and COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT and gives priority to organizational mission, vision and values when making decisions.

Accountability: Takes ownership for delivering on commitments; owns mistakes and uses them as opportunities for learning and development; openly discusses his/her actions and their consequences both good and bad; has an ability to identify strengths and developmental opportunities and leverages insight to make adjustments to improve their effectiveness; courage to have difficult conversations.

Adapting to Change: Accepts and adapts to change in a professionally appropriate and thoughtful manner. Is willing to offer a different perspective or approach and yet knows when and how to stand down graciously and accept a well-thought-out decision. Embraces change.

Confidentiality: Maintains the highest level of confidentiality regarding ANHC records and information relating to ANHC, its customers and employees. Appropriately uses internal confidential information for business purposes only. Responsible for knowledge and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

Communicating Effectively: Shares information. Listens and involves others. Clearly conveys ideas in a manner that engages others and helps them understand and retain the message.

Decision Making/Judgment: Approaches problems and decisions methodically and objectively; involves others as needed; uses sound judgment in making decisions and understanding the impact to themselves, customers, their team, and the organization; conducts the appropriate analysis to identify the symptoms and root cause of issues; makes timely decisions.

Delivering High Quality Work: Makes sure responsibilities central to the role meet all requirements and expectations. Finishes tasks promptly and critically reviews work to ensure quality and accuracy. Considers impact of work to others and takes steps to mitigate. Seeks additional work after finishing tasks.

Demonstrating Initiative: Takes action on his/her own without being prompted; handles problems independently; able to resolve issues without relying on extensive help from others; does more than is expected or asked.

Results Orientation: Is focused on outcomes and accomplishments; follows through on commitments; can be counted upon to successfully execute on goals; motivated by achievement and a need for closure; has an attention to detail and is both efficient and effective in achieving a high level of measurable outcomes; persists in achieving goals despite obstacles.

Service Excellence: Has a desire to consistently provide a genuinely exceptional experience to every person, every time. Provides timely and professional service to both internal and external customers; is responsive to customer needs and requests; is always courteous to the customer and considers the needs of the customer when making decisions.

Teamwork: Meets all team deadlines and responsibilities, listens to others and values opinions, helps team and leader to meet goals, welcomes newcomers and promotes a team atmosphere.

Physical, Sensory, Environmental Qualifications:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit for long periods of time and crouch in a forward position; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and see, talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision acuity, hand-eye coordination, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The employee must be able to work under stressful conditions and in a confined area with accuracy.

Work is performed in a healthcare clinic and office setting. ANHC is a tobacco-free campus.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive Salary and Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) with employer match, and more)
• 7 Paid Holidays + 1 floating holiday per fiscal year
• Generous PTO accrual
• Continuing education and professional development reimbursement
• Mission-driven work that supports your growth and well-being.
• Collaborative team that values respect, compassion, and integrity.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Work Experience: Must have two full years' experience as a dental hygienist.

Education, Certification and Licensure: BS degree from an accredited college or university with a major in dental hygiene or a bachelor's degree supplemented by completion of training in an accredited school of dental hygiene; or possession of an associate degree from an accredited school of dental hygiene. Must have a State of Alaska dental hygiene license and a State of Alaska Anesthesia license. Must have and maintain a current Basic Life Support certification.

Additional Skills & Knowledge: Bilingual preferred