Dental Hygienist

Title: Dental Hygienist

Department: Dental

Status: Exempt

Position Classification/Category: Dental

Level: N/A

Location: Sugar Creek

Hourly Pay Range:

Reports To: Chief Dental Officer

Direct Reports: N/A

Summary of Position

The Hygienist provides dental health education and quality services in a variety of patient care, laboratory duties and administrative support. The Hygienist maintains independent professional responsibility for patient care while working to meet agency goals within departmental guidelines as administered by the Dental Director. The Hygienist will prepare patients and patient information and take x-rays. These services may be provided in a fixed or mobile dental facility in a community-based setting.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to interact and render service impartially to diverse populations.
• Interacts with respect and in a professional manner with patients, staff and external customers.
• Must be able to commute independently between CRCHC sites.
• Thorough knowledge of dental specific CDC and OSHA guidelines.
• Considerable knowledge and practice of preventive dentistry.
• Work as an effective team member, exercise sound judgement, takes initiative
• Travel required- Rowan County and Cabarrus County
• Basic computer word processing
• Excellent customer service, verbal, written and organizational skills
• Prioritize workload, meet deadlines
• Spanish language skills desirable
• Sensitivity to low income and minority community

Education: Education/Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program with active license to practice dental hygiene in NC
• Minimum of two years clinical dental hygiene experience preferred
• Ability to meet qualifications of training for Public Health Hygienists per NC Dental Board within two years preferred

Certification(s)/Licensure: A valid license to practice as a dental hygienist in North Carolina. Current CPR certification

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Frequent walking, standing and moving about.
• Frequently bends, kneels and crouches.
• Repetitive movement of hands and fingers - typing and/or writing.
• Talk and hear.

Key Responsibilities

1. Screen and evaluate patients regarding caries risk, periodontal pathology, medical history, vital signs

2. Provide clinical services including selecting, exposing and processing of digital radiographs, prophylaxes, SRPs, topical fluoride application

3. Provide preventive clinical and educational services

4. Performance of expanded duties where qualified, as delegated by dentist and governed by NC law

5. Assist dentist, hygienists and/or dental assistant with chair side clinical procedures as needed

6. Clean, disinfect and sterilize surfaces, instruments and equipment in compliance with CDC, OSHA and agency guidelines

7. Enter appropriate diagnostic and procedural information for patients within the electronic dental record

• Calibrated annually by the NCOHS to perform community screenings

9. Performs other duties as assigned

CRCHC Core Requirements

• Patient Centered Customer Service- Whether directly or indirectly, we work to support the delivery of an excellent patient experience to everyone served by the organization.

• Caring and Compassion- We provide empathic comfort to those in distress and share kindness in all interpersonal interactions.

• Respectful Communication- We communicate openly, honestly and without judgment while honoring everyone's uniqueness and assuming the best of those with whom we interact.

• Teamwork- We are members of a diverse interdisciplinary team working together to meet a common goal.

• Accountability- We accept our individual and team responsibilities, and we meet our commitments. We take responsibility for our performance and actions.

• Customer Safety- We recognize and correct potential hazards to protect ourselves and our customers.

CRCHC provides comprehensive, high-quality primary health care to our patients regardless of ability to pay. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), we provide health care to all members of our community, including low income, indigent, and uninsured patients who may not otherwise be able to afford health care via traditional sources. We screen potential employees to ensure alignment with our core requirements followed by the requisite position skills set. In doing so we need staff committed to this mission who do their best to live and work on the characteristics of our core values as we strive to care for ever increasing members of the communities we serve.