Dentist

JOB PURPOSE

The Dentist provides comprehensive and appropriate dental care and treatment to patients. Provide supervision to Dental Assistant(s) and Dental Hygienist(s) as assigned.

About the role

Satisfies Core Competencies
Accepts responsibility for meeting the standards of the professional, ethical, and relevant legislated requirements.

Dentist Duties

• Directly affect improvements in patient well-being through accurate and timely diagnosis and delivery of high-quality dental treatment.
• Ensure the delivery of competent, accurate, dental care and treatment to all patients as assigned
• Provide routine and emergency dental services, including diagnosis and treatment plans, general restorative procedures, crown and bridge construction, removable prosthetics, uncomplicated endodontics and minor oral surgery
• Initiate and interpret x-ray and lab studies
• Administer and prescribe anesthetics and medications
• Refer patients for specialty care to other clinic programs or outside agencies as appropriate
• Congduct follow-up patient care
• Provide dental and oral health education to patients and families
• Teach and train patients and staff on illness prevention
• Participate in community dental programs
• Exercise professional judgement in the performance of services provided consistent with the organization’s policies and the standards of the dental profession
• Demonstrate high degree of knowledge and competency in the practice of dentistry and associated charting requirements
• Document provision of dental care in the patient record in accordance with organizational procedures

Quality

• Participate and work collaboratively with dental staff to affect overall clinic results to meet or exceed all measurable standards of care, including overall clinical, quality, and productivity goals

Safety/Infection Control

• Adheres to organizational infection control policies, including proper hand hygiene, use of PPE when required, and safe interactions in clinical areas.
• Follows protocols related to exposure control plans (e.g., bloodborne pathogens, airborne pathogens).
• Reports any potential exposure, safety hazard, or incident immediately per agency procedure.
• Complies with all safety policies, emergency preparedness plans, and procedures for fire safety, active shooter, natural disasters, etc.
• Maintains a safe and therapeutic environment for patients and staff.
• Participates in mandatory safety, compliance, and emergency response trainings.
• Adheres to HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 (for substance use data), and all privacy/security regulations.
• Follows all FQHC compliance programs including incident reporting, quality assurance, and risk management protocols.
• Follows all practice standards and documentation requirements necessary for FTCA risk management compliance.

Workforce Development

• Responsible for maintaining up-to-date knowledge, skills, and abilities
• Attends and participates in in-service, monthly staff meetings, continuing education offerings, community training events, conferences, and webinars as appropriate

Essential Job Functions

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• Moderate noise (i.e. business office with computers, phone, and printers, light traffic).
• Ability to work in a confined area.
• Ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period of time.
• Driving during the workday, as well as local or out-of-state travel, may be required to perform job duties.

Required Education

• DDS or DMD degree from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited dental school

Skills, Licensure, and Knowledge Requirements

• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification required
• Current DEA registration
• Louisiana Board of Pharmacy license

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard reach.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work.
• Light to moderate lifting is required.

Travel or Special Requirements

• Driving during the workday, as well as local or out-of-state travel, may be required to perform job duties.