Description

Overview of Job

The Dental Hygienist is the chief preventive provider of the Practice. This team member motivates, educates, and 

provides excellent treatment. Under indirect supervision, the Dental Hygienist will remove hard and soft deposits 

from teeth and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. He or she will educate patients on oral 

hygiene, provide preventative dental care, make, and process radiographs, or apply fluoride or sealants. By 

discovering and documenting areas of failure, both periodontally and restoratively, he or she facilitates the 

dentist’s diagnosis and treatment recommendations.

Primary Responsibilities and Tasks

Review and update patient’s health history; chart progress, treatments, and home care compliance. 

Clean calculus deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments, 

including scaling and root planning for patients with periodontal disease. Apply fluorides and other cavity 

preventing agents to arrest dental decay. Assess and evaluate patient through exam, patient records, and patient’s 

medical history to assist in diagnosis of dental hygiene problems, disease, and efficacy of administered treatment 

plans. Complete scheduled treatments. 

Recognize early signs of periodontal disease; chart restorations and notate areas of concern. Develop and present 

treatment plans. Capture x-rays, process, download and organize for doctor to view, capable of interpreting x-rays 

independently. Perform head and neck/oral cancer exam. Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal 

recessed gums and signs of gum disease; communicate findings to patient and doctor. Selecting, mixing, and 

placing materials on instruments and in the patient’s mouth, as needed. Educate and motivate patient on proper 

oral hygiene and corrective/preventative measures. Work chair side with Dentist as needed, assist doctor in 

hygiene examination.

Key Competencies and Characteristics

•  Deliver direct dental hygiene patient care to patients as assigned through prophylaxis and periodontal therapy.
•  Make impressions of patients' teeth for study casts, mouth guards or whitening.
•  Detects disease by completing probing, x-rays, and oral cancer screening.
•  Applies fluorides and other cavity- preventing agents.
•  Fabricates restorations, cleans, and polishes removable appliances.
•  Educates patients by giving oral hygiene and plaque control instructions and postoperative instructions, providing reminders of next dental hygiene visit.
•  Documents dental hygiene services

Requirements

Education and Training

•  Associate's or bachelor's degree in dental hygiene.
•  Registered Dental Hygiene License from the practicing state.
•  Current CPR.
•  Knowledge of Open Dental and XDR a plus.
•  Possess outstanding time management and communication skills.
•  Ability to work within a team for the good of the patient and practice.

FLSA Status: Hourly, Non-Exempt

Reports to: Operations Manager