Dental Hygienist (Advanced Clinical)

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include - but not limited to:

• Customer Service
• Shows courtesy - respect - and a positive attitude for patients - co-workers and the public
• Affords assistance to customers with questions or concerns
• Delivers care that reflects the Veteran's and the family's personal goals - personal preferences - and freedom of choice
• Demonstrates knowledge and application of patient and family centered care in written care plans - instructions to patients - and in observation of the actual care provided
• Demonstrates a collaborative orientation to working with patients and families
• Patient Care
• Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
• Handles instruments safely - accurately - and efficiently
• Performs patient assessments (e.g. risk and oral health assessments)
• Performs Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR)
• Manages stable medically compromised patients
• Affords assessments of patient's medical - dental - anxiety/phobias - medications and comorbidities
• Affords assessments of the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health
• Provides routine oral prophylactic care to include application of fluoride solutions
• Performs gross debridement - scaling and root planning procedures
• Cleans dental prostheses - fixed and removable
• Manages dental recall system - consulting with the doctor for additional care
• Possesses knowledge of medical treatment adjuncts and indications and ability to safely administer medicaments (e.g. intrasulcular medicaments - local anesthesia - sulcular lavage - applying/removing periodontal surgical dressings)
• Utilizes advanced medical assessment techniques (interviewing patients and evaluating clinical findings such as normal and critical lab values) and adapts treatment based on medical and psychological issues
• Administers topical anesthetic agents
• Administers local anesthesia
• Accomplishes all procedures within standard infection control protocols
• Patient/ Healthcare Provider Education
• Provides patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs and oral condition
• Explains hygiene procedures - indications - complications and expected outcomes to individual patient and caregiver
• Prepares and provides education on periodontal disease - wellness - health maintenance - oral hygiene practices - parafunctional habits - and effect of illness - addictions - medications and tobacco on the oral cavity
• Applies adult education techniques/methods to educate patients and judges patients' cognitive abilities
• Provides individual and group oral health care instruction to patients and caregivers using knowledge of medical diseases - conditions - and chronic degenerative diseases as they relate to oral health
• Presents individual and group oral health instructions to inpatients - outpatients - Community Living Center patients - etc.
• Uses appropriate communication techniques to encourage and inform
• Dental Imaging
• Takes radiographic images characterized by high diagnostic quality - accurate orientation and proper exposure
• Possesses ability to understand functioning and interrelationship of anatomical structures on radiographic images
• Retakes are infrequent and at the direction of the dentist
• Utilizes dental-imaging safety techniques
• Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory
• Prepares instruments for sterilization by SPS standards
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images
• Clerical Functions
• Affords assistance to patients in scheduling appointments
• Affords assistance in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
• Charts findings - treatment plans - and treatment provided in patient records
• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information
• Follows computer security regulations
• Patient Safety
• Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)
• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients
• Participates in patient identification and time out per TJC requirements
• Maintains alertness for signs of physical distress
• Employee Education
• Complies with Employee Education requirements
• Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions
• Maintains all continuing education requirements for professional licensure and certifications

Duties

• Customer Service
• Assists customers with questions or concerns
• Delivers care that reflects the Veteran's and the family's personal goals - personal preferences - and freedom of choice
• Demonstrates knowledge and application of patient and family centered care in written care plans - instructions to patients - and in observation of the actual care provided
• Demonstrates a collaborative orientation to working with patients and families
• Patient Care
• Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
• Handles instruments safely - accurately - and efficiently
• Performs patient assessments (e.g. risk and oral health assessments)
• Performs Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR)
• Manages stable medically compromised patients
• Affords assessments of patient's medical - dental - anxiety/phobias - medications and comorbidities
• Affords assessments of the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health
• Provides routine oral prophylactic care to include application of fluoride solutions
• Performs gross debridement - scaling and root planning procedures
• Cleans dental prostheses - fixed and removable
• Manages dental recall system - consulting with the doctor for additional care
• Possesses knowledge of medical treatment adjuncts and indications and ability to safely administer medicaments (e.g. intrasulcular medicaments - local anesthesia - sulcular lavage - applying/removing periodontal surgical dressings)
• Utilizes advanced medical assessment techniques (interviewing patients and evaluating clinical findings such as normal and critical lab values) and adapts treatment based on medical and psychological issues
• Administers topical anesthetic agents
• Administers local anesthesia
• Accomplishes all procedures within standard infection control protocols
• Patient/ Healthcare Provider Education
• Provides patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs and oral condition
• Explains hygiene procedures - indications - complications and expected outcomes to individual patient and caregiver
• Prepares and provides education on periodontal disease - wellness - health maintenance - oral hygiene practices - parafunctional habits - and effect of illness - addictions - medications and tobacco on the oral cavity
• Applies adult education techniques/methods to educate patients and judges patients' cognitive abilities
• Provides individual and group oral health care instruction to patients and caregivers using knowledge of medical diseases - conditions - and chronic degenerative diseases as they relate to oral health
• Presents individual and group oral health instructions to inpatients - outpatients - Community Living Center patients - etc.
• Uses appropriate communication techniques to encourage and inform
• Dental Imaging
• Takes radiographic images characterized by high diagnostic quality - accurate orientation and proper exposure
• Possesses ability to understand functioning and interrelationship of anatomical structures on radiographic images
• Retakes are infrequent and at the direction of the dentist
• Utilizes dental-imaging safety techniques
• Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory
• Prepares instruments for sterilization by SPS standards
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images
• Clerical Functions
• Affords assistance to patients in scheduling appointments
• Affords assistance in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
• Charts findings - treatment plans - and treatment provided in patient records
• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information
• Follows computer security regulations
• Patient Safety
• Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)
• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients
• Participates in patient identification and time out per TJC requirements
• Maintains alertness for signs of physical distress
• Employee Education
• Complies with Employee Education requirements
• Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions
• Maintains all continuing education requirements for professional licensure and certifications