Dental Hygienist

Position Overview

The Dental Hygienist provides appropriate dental care and oral hygiene instruction to patients; performs preventive and therapeutic treatments according to a patient’s individual needs, including coronal polishing, supra‑ and sub‑gingival scaling, root planning, placing sealants, application of fluoride, exposing and developing radiographs, and soft‑tissue management regimens as described by law; and assists in obtaining and updating clerical and clinical information and documenting same.

Responsibilities

• Prepares clinical area for anticipated procedures.
• Explains procedures to be performed so patients have a clear understanding prior to treatment.
• Exposes PA’s, BW’s, FMX, and panoramic digital radiographs.
• Notes progress or decline in oral hygiene status since the last hygiene visit.
• Provides appropriate, comprehensive dental hygiene treatment as needed.
• Assists the dentist during the exam phase of the hygiene appointment.
• Provides health maintenance and health promotion for the patient and family, including teaching, counseling, advising, and anticipatory guidance.
• Provides health education, supportive counseling, and clinical outreach to the MIT community in collaboration with other staff.
• Safely and prudently administers appropriate dental treatment according to policy and procedure.
• Documents medical history changes and understands their effects on the delivery of dental care.
• Provides basic teaching/instruction to patients as identified in the diagnosis and treatment plan and documents the same.
• Maintains patient safety by adhering to established policies and procedures 100 % of the time.
• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide instruction appropriate to the physical ability of patients to comply with directives.
• Evaluates the appropriateness of a patient’s response to care and modifies care accordingly.
• Assists in evaluating the clinical and technical performance of ancillary personnel according to standards and scope of practice.
• Documents professionally and signs clinical notes according to department standards, including subjective and objective data, hygienist assessment, treatment plan, and any recommended follow‑up; documentation must support proper and accurate billing codes.
• Synthesizes information from patient history, physical exam, and laboratory data to formulate a differential diagnosis.
• Schedules recall appointments for patients using the EMR Oryx application.
• Collaborates with clinical and administrative staff to identify performance‑improvement and quality‑control initiatives based on clinical outcomes.
• Performs other duties as needed.

Requirements

• Registered Dental Hygienist with a license valid in Massachusetts.
• Current CPR certification required.
• Current active BLS certification.
• License in local anesthesia is a plus.
• Solid communication and problem‑solving skills; takes initiative and works cooperatively with other Dental Service staff members.
• Proficient in writing progress notes that accurately reflect clinical findings and support proper and accurate billing codes; accurate documentation matching billing is essential.
• Very good eyesight with good hand/eye coordination and manual dexterity.
• Ability to sit or stand for long periods; concentration on a single task for prolonged periods and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously as needed.
• Strict adherence to routine and repetitive tasks.
• Potential exposure to hazardous materials, including blood/body fluids, hazardous waste, radiation, chemicals, toxins/poisonous substances, ultraviolet light, and sharp instruments.
• Expertise in use of dental handpieces and instruments, including ultrasonic types.
• Familiarity with x‑ray exposure and developing equipment, as well as sterilization equipment.
• Skill in sharpening a variety of dental instruments.

Pay

Pay Range: $100,000 – $110,000 (final salary determined by MIT’s compensation team based on the skills and experience of the person hired).

Job number: 25791 | Grade level: 8