Dental Hygienist

Description of Duties

Location: El Paso, Texas

Pay

• $40.01 + $5.09 Fringe = $45.10/hr

Required Education and Experience

• Graduate from a Dental Hygienist program located in a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation in the year of the applicant's graduation.
• Must have 1-year recent work experience in the United States as a licensed practicing Dental Hygienist.
• Licensure permitting administration of local anesthesia preferred.

Required Licensure/Certification

• Holds and maintains a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice dental hygiene in the state in which the duty station is located. The license must be maintained in a permanent, full, and unrestricted status during the term of employment.
• Maintains BLS for Healthcare Providers certification through the American Heart Association.

Attributes and Professional Qualities

• Demonstrates strong problem solving, judgment, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrates strong leadership skills.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates strong organizational and time management skills.
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and honesty.
• Verbal and written proficiency in Spanish (preferred, not required).
• Experience in a detention/correctional or residential healthcare setting (preferred, not required).

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of dental science such as oral anatomy, oral physiology and histology, the principles and technique of four handed dentistry, periodontics, and dental materials.
• Must adhere to requirements for safety, infection control, quality assurance, clinical documentation, and data management.
• Complete and passes all competency testing initially, annually, and as needed.
• Completes all initial, annual and ad hoc training as required/assigned.
• Ability to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in diagnostic and treatment procedures.
• Ability to communicate proficiently in English (verbal and written).
• Ability to respond to and assist with medical emergencies.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual environment.
• Ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and flexibility in work requirements.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Ability to navigate in an electronic work environment including electronic health records, web-based training and communications.
• Knowledge of, and moderate proficiency in, common Microsoft Office programs, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and SharePoint.
• Knowledge of regulations on the confidentiality of medical records and information (HIPAA/Privacy Act) and applicable accreditation standards.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides direct dental hygiene care as prescribed to patients in a detention and/or residential setting in accordance with prescribed policy and pertinent accreditation standards.
• Assesses dental sickness call patients under the general supervision of a licensed dentist in accordance with policy.
• Performs optimum sterilization and/or disinfection procedures including instrument processing and spore testing in accordance with prescribed policy and CDC guidelines.
• Take digital and/or film radiographs as ordered on patients including bitewing, periapical, and panoramic x-rays.
• Observes radiation safety protocols, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Radiation Protection Guidance and recommendations, National Council on Radiation Protection Guidance, and American Dental Association recommendations/guidance when exposing dental radiographs to assure optimal patient and provider safety.
• Participates in sharps and instrument accountability in the dental clinic through performance and logging of daily inventory of all sharps and instruments at the beginning and end of each workday.
• Performs electronic and paper record keeping functions in accordance with program policies and training.
• Assists the dentist with procedures including operatory set up and clean up.
• Collects and organizes dental data and submits to the Regional Dental Consultant in a timely manner.
• Attend monthly dental teleconferences, organizational and local duty station meetings.
• May periodically be asked to travel to support dental care at other sites.
• Perform duties in support of the local medical unit and/or Dental Program (e.g. equipment maintenance, supply/equipment acquisition, performance improvement initiatives, training program development, etc).
• Adheres to and maintains awareness of all policies, procedures, directives, operational memoranda and accreditation standards.

Physical Demands

• This work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking or jogging over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy patients or equipment.