Dental Hygienist

Job Title

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public are consistently courteous, respectful, and cooperative in nature.
• Employee will display a cooperative attitude and will effectively work together to implement the organization's mission and goals and support performance measures.
• Employee will ensure productivity is maintained at the established level utilizing recommended Central Office Relative Value Unit (RVU) requirements.
• Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans the dental unit for timely turnover.
• Completes preliminary dental examinations on dental service patients.
• Performs a complete oral prophylaxis on ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients. Performs deep subgingival scaling, root planing, and curettage under local anesthesia. Polishes the teeth and applies stannous fluoride for hypersensitivity and caries prevention. Gives home care instructions to patients after curettage. Provides bedside prophylactic treatment using specialized procedures for comatose patients, neurosurgical patients, and other types of non-ambulatory patients.
• In postoperative care of oral surgery and periodontal surgery patients, performs suture removal, changes dressings, applies topical anesthetics, and provides home care instructions. In oral cancer patients, takes impressions for construction of mouth guards, applies fluoride, and maintains recall system for careful follow-up of each patient. Educates patient on need for daily oral health and fluoride treatment.
• Assists the dentist by making repairs and adjustments to the teeth by smoothing rough edges of restorations, removing overhanging margins of fillings, reducing sharp edges of fractured teeth, polishing and finishing amalgam restorations, and inserting temporary fillings in teeth.
• Handles instruments safely.
• Cleans dental prosthesis, fixed and removable.
• Manages dental recall system, referring patients to the dentist for additional care when needed.
• Provides patient education appropriate to the veteran's needs and oral condition.
• Accomplishes all procedures within standard infection control protocols.
• Instructs patients at chairside in oral hygiene, brushing and flossing techniques, and periodontal aids which increase the amount of stimulation to the teeth. Plans and adapts instructions in home care techniques, tailoring them to the oral hygiene needs and oral problems of individual patients. Explains to patients the causes of periodontal disease and tooth decay, and the importance of diet as it relates to oral and systemic health. Presents demonstrations in oral health care to various patient groups such as diabetics, hemodialysis patients, and drug or alcohol dependent patients using dental education materials and aides.
• Regularly instructs nurses and nursing assistants in the proper techniques of oral hygiene to be applied to the bedridden, handicapped, disabled and chronically ill patient.
• Provides adequate stock of oral hygiene supplies and instruction pamphlets for clinic patients.
• Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed.
• Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized.
• Exposes radiographs on patients including bite wing, periapical and panoramic x[1]rays. Adjusts voltage, amperage, and timing of x-ray equipment. Positions film and machine to insure coverage of area to be x-rayed.
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning dental operatories
• Ensures Instruments are properly pre-treated for pick-up by SPS personnel
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images
• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information
• Follows computer security regulations
• Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)
• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients
• Participates in patient identification and time out per JCAHO requirements
• Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress
• Assists patients in scheduling appointments
• Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
• Charts findings, treatment plans, and treatment provided in patient records in a concise and understandable manner.
• Complies with Employee Education requirements
• Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

US Department of Veterans Affairs