Hygienist

Primary Function

The purpose of this position is to serve as Dental Hygienist to provide dental hygiene services to the designated population. The purpose of the work is to perform the necessary dental hygiene treatment in an efficient and professional manner, meeting the diverse health and social needs of the patient population.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Administers oral prophylactic and dental hygiene treatments to patients presenting with a variety of periodontal conditions including localized or generalized gingivitis and/or localized or generalized mild/moderate/severe periodontal disease.
• Performs additional procedures such as: records medical and dental histories, reviews patient's dietary habits, administers caries prevention agents, desensitizes root surfaces, root planning, takes and pours impressions for study casts, removes sutures, and instructs the patients in home care therapy and proper diet as it relates to oral health.
• Congnates hygiene recalls based on low, moderate and high caries-risk patients in accordance with IHS and public health guidelines as well as the patient’s oral hygiene status.
• Plans, coordinates, conducts and evaluates preventive oral health programs for various patient groups such as diabetic, prenatal, cancer, psychiatric, geriatric, alcoholic, and physically handicapped patients.
• Develops and revises oral health instructional materials and education techniques for various levels of the mental and physical capabilities of each patient group.
• Provides in-service training, as needed to dental and non-dental personnel within the clinic and for other hospital clinics.
• Provides dental hygiene services in community based programs.
• Develops, documents and implements dental hygiene policies and procedures.
• Evaluates dental hygiene policies and procedures on a yearly regular basis and proposes revisions as needed.
• Interprets dental hygiene program policies and procedures and applicable Medicaid and NC state dental hygiene laws and regulations for staff.
• Ensures that all pertinent policies are being followed, including those relating to safety and infection control.
• Supports the mission, vision, strategic plan and goals of the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority.