Dentist Hygienist
I. Position Summary:
Responsible for providing high quality hygiene treatment and care to patients.
II. Essential Functions/Responsibilities:
- Check on daily schedule with the receptionist for hygiene patients
- Carefully review patient health and dental history forms and update as necessary
- Accurately chart each patient's periodontal health
- Perform thorough and gentle prophylaxis to patients
- Perform scaling, root planing, and selective polishing for selective patients
- Administer local anesthetics, if permitted by state regulations
- Place medicaments subgingivally (under the gum line) for periodontal disease treatment, if permitted by state regulations
- Provide X-rays for patients as prescribed by dentist
- Apply cavity-preventative agents such as fluorides and sealants
- Perform head and neck examinations
- Communicate with patients in an understandable and professional way
- Check on patient comfort during treatment; help allay patient anxiety
- Take accurate notes on the provided treatment
- Teach proper oral hygiene techniques to patients
- Counsel patients on proper nutrition, oral health, and the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco
- Perform other tasks assigned
- Check and maintain hygiene area for cleanliness
- Check and turn on hygiene room equipment
- Monitor hygiene supply inventory and submit supply orders to Clinical Coordinator
- Assemble soiled instruments, place in sterilization area, and sort / package instruments by tray for proper sterilization
- Clean Hygiene bay surfaces with disinfectant solution according to OSHA regulations
- Load, activate, and vent the sterilization unit according to manufacturer's directions and OSHA regulations
- Store sterilized instruments and trays in appropriate places
- See that records are stored securely and handled in compliance with legal requirements, including the HIPAA privacy and security regulations if applicable
- Accurately combine chart and notes with larger patient information
- Complete X-Ray Log as appropriate
- Provide referral to and from other doctors to guardian as instructed by Dentist
III. Skills/Certifications:
- Dental hygienists must be licensed and in good standing with the State of South Carolina.
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certificate.
IV. Education Required:
- Associates or Bachelor's degree in dental hygiene.