Dental Hygienist

Purpose: Promotes dental health by completing dental prophylaxis; oral cancer screening and radiographic studies; charting conditions of decay and disease; performing procedures in compliance with the dental practice act.

Job Duties:

• Prepares treatment room for patient by adhering to prescribed procedures and protocols.
• Prepares patient for dental hygiene treatment by welcoming, soothing, seating, and draping patient.
• Provides information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
• Maintains instrumentation for dental hygiene treatment by sharpening, sterilizing, and selecting instruments.
• Selects materials and equipment for dental hygiene visit by evaluating patient's oral health.
• Completes dental prophylaxis by cleaning deposits and stains from teeth and from beneath gum margins.
• Detects 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.
• Arrests dental decay by applying fluorides and other cavity- preventing agents.
• Helps dentist manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drugs and oxygen supply, and directory of emergency numbers.
• Educates patients by giving oral hygiene and plaque control instructions and postoperative instructions; providing reminders of time of next dental hygiene visit.
• Documents dental hygiene services by recording vital signs and medical and dental histories; charting in patient records.
• Maintains patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
• Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
• Ensures operation of dental equipment.
• Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies.
• Conserves dental resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
• Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.

Education/Skills/Qualifications:

• Licensed to work in the state of New York as a Dental Hygienist
• Graduate of an accredited college of Dental Hygiene
• CPR certified
• Knowledge of current principles, methods and procedures for the delivery of medical evaluation, diagnosis and treatment in area of expertise
• Minimum 1 year experience in a dental care clinic
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills required
• Leadership and organizational skills essential
• Bilingual especially in Spanish is preferred
• Computer literate preferred
• Self-motivated and flexible to daily patient schedule and/or clinic needs

Reports to: Dental Supervisor

The Chautauqua Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity employ