Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner is responsible for performing dental measures designed to preserve teeth and prevent the spread of oral disease, providing education services, and maintaining records of dental treatment without direct supervision of a dentist. The position may include community-outreach and require travel.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES-

Performs dental measures designed to preserve teeth and prevent the spread of oral disease by performing the following duties without authorization, assignment, or examination by a dentist:

• Performs topical fluoride treatments*
• Screens and evaluates patients for dental caries, periodontal disease, and medical history*
• Performs supra and sub-gingival scaling and curettage; performs root planning*
• Performs gross debridement in treatment of acute periodontal conditions*
• Conditioning of teeth for and application of dental sealants*
• Initiates dental prevention/dental education*
• Performs oral cancer screenings*
• Analyzes dental records and formulates effective therapeutic treatment plans*
• Performs oral radiography*
• Provides timely responses to patient and NSCHC employee inquiries*
• Assists in training of dental assistants and new dental hygienists*
• Completes thorough and timely clinical documentation in EMR*
• Refers each patient to a licensed dentist on an annual basis and maintains documentation of the referral in patient's dental record*
• Consistently practices universal precautions*
• Participates in health promotion, education, prevention programs*
• Administers local anesthesia by regional injection in accordance with Pa. Code 33.115
• Maintains instrumentation for dental hygiene treatment by sharpening, sterilizing, and selecting instruments*
• Assists in ordering dental supplies and materials*
• Provides reminders of next hygiene visit to patients and manages clinic's recall system*
• Travels to Health Center's satellite office to provide dental services and transports necessary equipment and instruments for these services*
• Responsible for all care and cleaning of dental equipment and service facility area at satellite clinic and off-site*
• Collaborates with medical and behavioral health staff to provide interdisciplinary care to patients*
• Assists with emergency measures for sudden adverse developments during treatment of patients*
• Performs all other related duties as assigned and reacts positively to change*

Meets professional behavior expectations as evidenced by compliance with the following standards:

• Serves as role model for all employees, displaying professional courtesy and compassionate care of patients*
• Meets professional behavioral expectations of attendance, appearance, professionalism, communication*
• Demonstrates an ability to resolve interpersonal and professional conflicts appropriately*
• Participates in staff meetings, trainings, and committees*
• Keeps all matters related to the organization confidential in compliance with confidentiality policy*
• Assumes responsibility for work performance and is able to be self-directed*
• Takes pride in job performance as evident in compliance with job responsibilities
• Works evenings and weekends as scheduled*
• Available for meetings during scheduled administrative time*

[*denotes essential job functions]

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE-

• Must be a licensed Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner eligible to practice in the State of Pennsylvania
• Must have current knowledge of and practice experience in dental hygiene
• Public health orientation through training, experience, or professional interest
• Current BCLS certification
• Current Radiology certification
• Current OSHA/HIPAA certification
• Current individual liability insurance in the minimum $3 million per annual aggregate
• Act 34 Child Clearance with Renewal, Act 34 Criminal Clearance with Renewal, Act 73 FBI Clearance with Renewal.
• Must have own reliable transportation, good driving record, and car insurance

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/DEMANDS-

• Prolonged sitting and/or standing and moving about throughout the workday
• Potential exposure to biohazardous materials, including ionizing radiation
• Requires vision and hearing in normal range
• Requires dexterity to type 40 wpm and use of telephone and computer