Responsible for the direct provision of oral hygiene and appropriate preventive and therapeutic services to dental patients of Bowen Health. The Registered Dental Hygienist will also be responsible for providing appropriate oral health information to individuals and groups.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Below are the primary duties and essential functions of an employee in this position. While not all tasks may be performed by every employee in this role, all employees are expected to perform related tasks as needed. These essential functions must be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Responsible for assessing and obtaining clinical evidence of patient's level of periodontal health.

• Assists in the oral management of all clinic patients.

• Obtains baseline oral hygiene assessment data based upon accepted principles of oral hygiene and periodontal care.

• Records patient-hygiene interactions as they occur in the patient’s dental record so that the dental record accurately and completely reflects the nature of the contact, the condition of the patient and the care or treatment provided.

• Provides oral health educational and appropriate individual counseling for all dental clinic patients.

• Provides clinical oral hygiene services including dental prophylaxis, scaling and root planing, sealant application and fluoride application consistent professional practices and standards and in compliance with applicable state law and the clinic’s clinical protocols.

• Integration of appropriate patient dental hygiene care with other health care professionals involved in the patient’s health care management.

• Performs independent procedures as delegated and directed by a dentist in accordance with state regulations and law as well as Dental Department protocol and directive.

• Assists with various clinical and administrative functions of the clinic.

• Ensures the proper disposal of all contaminated or potentially contaminated materials in accordance with Dental Department directive and clinic policy as well as state and federal regulation(s).

• Facilitates the patient flow and anticipates the needs of the dentists in the delivery of dental care.

• Takes and monitors patient’s vital signs.

• Obtains patient medical and medication history

• Prepares patients for examination or treatment.

• Take dental x-rays under the direction and supervision of a licensed dentist.

• Assists with examinations, treatments, procedures and emergencies.

• Maintains dental hygiene treatment rooms in clean and orderly condition, stocked with appropriate treatment instruments and materials.

• Sterilize instruments and perform routine cleaning and maintenance of dental equipment and work areas.

• Other duties as assigned.

 

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrates commitment to and practices in line with Bowen Health’s core values of respect, integrity, mission and stewardship.

• Skilled in preventive procedures, including adult and pediatric prophylaxis, oral hygiene instruction, and nutritional counseling for disease prevention.

• Excellent interpersonal and written communications skills required.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective professional relationships with fellow healthcare providers

• Essential to have ability to understand information/instruction, be able to exchange verbal information with others and possess ability to present information/instruction verbally.

• Excellent customer service skills.

• Demonstrates professionalism, teamwork, and sensitivity to the needs of low-income and ethnically diverse patient populations.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective, courteous working relationships with patients and others.

• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment and to prioritize and perform multiple tasks.

 

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Graduate from an accredited school of dental hygiene.

• Experience: One or more years of experience as a dental hygienist preferred, especially in a FQHC setting.

• Certificate or Professional License: Unrestricted license to practice Oral Hygiene in the State of Indiana

• Satisfactory results from criminal and driving record background checks.

 

Physical Requirements:

• Occupational Exposure Risk Classification: The normal work routine involves frequent exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues.

• The normal work routine has a moderate ergonomic risk for repetitive motion impairment.

• The position may require a moderate amount of physical exertion (bending, lifting, twisting) in the work area.