At Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, we welcome diversity; we encourage, uplift, and are honored to serve people who have been historically underrepresented and underserved. Our mission is to provide high-quality, culturally appropriate healthcare to low-income residents of Washington and Yamhill Counties, with a special emphasis on seasonal and migrant farm workers and others with barriers to receiving healthcare. We strive to provide an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the diversity of the people we employ and serve.

If you are unsure whether you meet all of the required qualifications for this role but are interested and passionate about this potential position, we encourage you to apply.

Job Summary: The Dental Hygienist I (DHI) provides preventative and therapeutic oral prophylaxis and educates patients in the control and prevention of oral disease such as caries, and periodontal disease through proper oral hygiene and regular professional care in a variety of settings.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide appropriate periodontal services as treatment planned by the dental provider.

• Provide routine prophylaxis to adult and pediatric patients (including full mouth scaling, polish, and use of topical fluoride as needed).

• Differentiate types of periodontal disease, prioritize and sequence treatment properly including scaling, root planing, local anesthesia, and delivery of chemotherapeutic agents as indicated by the periodontal involvement of the patient.

• Report status of periodontal health and recommend proper interval for reevaluation/recall.

• Remove overhangs of filling materials and polish amalgams when endorsed.

• Place soft relines, when endorsed.

• Perform full mouth periodontal charting that includes probing depths, mobility, furcations, recession, and mucogingival involvement.

• Perform and document a complete head and neck exam, including soft tissue pathology.

• Expose diagnostic digital radiographs using existing dental radiography software.

• Provide restorative treatment, with dentist supervision, if a restorative endorsement is obtained.

• Utilize nitrous oxide in treatment of patients, if permit is obtained.

• Provide chair-side oral hygiene instruction in plaque control, appropriate use of home fluoride and desensitizing agents, and/or dietary and tobacco counseling.

• Engage in preventive teledentistry visits as needed.

• Participate in grant specific activities related to goals, deliverables and outcomes as needed.

• Educate caregivers as to oral healthcare needs of accompanied patient.

• Assist with other clinic responsibilities as needed including office maintenance.

• Participate in the education of dental and dental hygiene students.

• Provide training to co-workers, in the form of lunch and learns of other structured activities emphasizing OHI and patient education.

• Maintain, clean, sterilize, and sharpen instruments.

• Place dental sealants.

• Deliver anesthetic as requested by treating dentist.

• Comply with “Universal Precautions” for infection control.

• Review patient’s medical history and dispense or confirm PAC.

• Produce documentation necessary and consistent with generally accepted professional dental standards.

• Maintain 90% compliance in 90% of areas reviewed in annual chart audit.

• Help in the organization, implementation, and facilitation of current grants (state, local, private) related to dental health services.

• Perform inventory supplies related to work.

• Develop and modify prevention programs.

• Perform dental assistant duties as needed.

• Work effectively with dental team and patients.

• Record and maintain accurate and legible records.

• Attend office trainings and meetings along with CDE as required.

• Work with interpreters and non-English speaking patients.

• Complete all required VG training as assigned.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Handle protected health information (PHI) in a manner consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

SBHC-Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• Comply with all Oregon Health Authority Sealant Certification requirements.

• Document patient visit information following care.

• Comply with all requirements of Virginia Garcia contracted partners.

• Maintain a 90% sealant retention rate if working in the school sealant program.

• Educate patients on the health benefits of Virginia Garcia Services in an effort to increase patient participation.

• Follow up with patients identified at risk of health problems in an effort to get them into treatment.

HIPAA Requirements:

The Dental Hygienist I will have access to (PHI) during the course of their work activities. The DHI will use this information to prepare both patients and medical records for visits with the provider and to keep the flow of work going smoothly in the clinic. Applying the minimum necessary standard of HIPAA, the designated records sets to which this employee will have access include:  the full medical records, and the scheduling and demographics functions of the practice management system in the view only mode.  

 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Restorative functions endorsement preferred.

• Good oral and written communication skills.

• Proficiency in English, both spoken and written language. Bilingual English and Spanish preferred

• Knowledge of medications used in conjunction with dental hygiene.

• Medical record keeping and dental charting.

• Knowledge of OSHA Bloodbourne Pathogens Standards and adherence to safety rules and standards.

• Skill in cleaning teeth and examining the mouth and teeth for anomalies.

• Operation of x-ray equipment.

• Ability to anesthetizing patients.

• Proficiency with Microsoft office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook).

• Be culturally sensitive and to relate to people of varied racial, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds.

• Ability to work with patients who have limited knowledge of proper oral hygiene.

• Travel as needed within Washington and Yamhill counties.

Education and Experience Required:

• Associates degree from an accredited dental hygiene program.

• Active license to practice dental hygiene issued by the Oregon Board of Dentistry.  

• Basic Life Support (BLS)/Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification required, or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire.

•  Nitrous Oxide Permit preferred.

• One or more years of dental hygiene experience preferred.

 

Behavioral Competencies:

Accountability

Role model VGMHC’s mission, vision, and shared values

Customer-Focus

Listen to the voice of the customer and strive to delight them by exceeding their expectations

Teamwork

If someone needs help, help them

Initiative

Be innovative, apply fresh ideas, and continuously improve how you do your work

Confidentiality

Maintain strict confidentiality and respect the privacy of others

Ethical

Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and stewardship in all encounters at work

Respect

Demonstrate consideration and appreciation for co-workers and patients

Communication

Demonstrate the ability to convey thoughts and ideas as well as understand perspective of others

 

Physical Requirements:

Percentage of time spent

·       Sitting: up to 75%

·       Standing: 25%

·       Walking: 25%

·       Computer usage: 25%

·       Must be able to lift/carry up to 30 lbs.

 Work Environment:

·       Work in a well-lighted, ventilated environment

·       Potential exposure to blood borne pathogens and hazardous chemicals          

Immunization:

Staff member must meet immunization requirements as stated in VGMHC’s immunization policy and state and federal guidelines.

Job description represent a general outline of the essential and major job duties, functions and qualifications required.  They cannot be all-inclusive and comprehensive due to the dynamic nature of work performed to accomplish VGMHC’s Mission.

 VGMHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  No person is unlawfully excluded from consideration for employment because of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, veteran status, marital status or physical challenges.  The policy applies not only to recruitment and hiring practices, but also includes affirmative action in the area of placement, promotion, transfer, rate of pay and termination.