Job Summary:

This position is responsible for performing prophylactic and preventive dental procedures for Oyate Health Center (OHC) patients of all ages, and advanced procedures for patients diagnosed with periodontal disease.

Essential Functions:

• Plan, coordinates, conducts and evaluates preventive oral health program for various patient groups, such as pediatric, diabetic, cancer, psychiatric, geriatric, alcoholic and physically handicapped patients.
• Performs preliminary evaluations on dental patients.
• Reviews patient’s medical and dental history for evidence of past and present conditions which may complicate or alter dental hygiene treatment.
• Exposes, develops and processes radiographs.
• Performs prophylaxis and root planning and scaling (RPS).
• Applies fluorides, sealants, and other preventive agents.
• Maintains patient’s record of treatment, records oral conditions of the teeth and surrounding tissues, and records progress notes.
• Makes impressions for study casts.
• Removes sutures and dressings.
• Administers local anesthetics, if qualified, as directed by the supervising dentist.
• Provide instructions on basic dental care or post-operative care as instructed by dentist.
• Provides clinical services and health education in the school setting.
• Conducts dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.
• Develops patient and staff training program on dental hygiene.
• Complies with federal laws and regulations as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Performs related duties.

Professional Behavior

• Effectively plan, organize workload and schedule time to meet the demands of the position.
• Work in a cooperative and professional manner with OHC and GPTLHB staff.
• Treat Great Plains tribes and collaborators with dignity and respect.
• Utilize effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Advance personal educational development by attending training sessions and seminars as appropriate.
• Exemplify excellent customer service with tribal stakeholders, health board colleagues, program partners, service recipients, visitors and guests.
• Foster a work environment of wellness, courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and respect.
• Relate well and work collaboratively with coworkers and all levels of staff in a professional manner.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or personalities.
• Maintain and ensure organizational privacy and confidentiality.
• Handle crisis and tolerate stress professionally.
• Be self-directed and take proactive initiative to assist others.
• Resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision if needed.
• Exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Promote an alcohol, tobacco and drug-free lifestyle.
• Embrace modes of appearance and attire that reflect a professional presence.
• Adhere to GPTLHB policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Participates in Core Connections training and applies GPTLHB Core Connections concepts and practices in their work.
• Knowledge of disease prevention and dental techniques.
• Knowledge of various dental instruments, ultrasonic scaler, sterilizer, radiographic equipment, etc.
• Knowledge of customer service principles.
• Ability to manage multiple demands of the job.
• Skill in oral communication.
• Skill in the provision of customer service.
• Skill in use of job-related equipment and tools.
• Skill in use of personal computer and a variety of job-related software applications.

Supervisory Controls

The supervisor assigns work in terms of very general instructions. Work is reviewed through observation of patient outcomes.

Guidelines

Guidelines include state and federal laws, GPTLHB and OHC policies and procedures. These guidelines are clear and specific and require some judgment.

Complexity/Scope of Work

This position consists of clinical duties. The purpose of this position is to provide dental hygiene care to OHC patients. Successful performance helps ensure the overall effective and efficient operation of the dental program and OHC resulting in improved patient outcomes.

Contacts

Contacts are typically with clinical providers, patients, employees, and the general public. Contacts are typically to exchanging, provide patient care, and provide assistance.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

The work is typically performed standing or sitting. The work is typically performed in a clinic setting which requires normal safety precaution for infection control and environmental safety measures. The noise in the work environment is usually moderate.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and sit, talk, and hear. Requires working with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm. Constantly requires repetitive movement of the wrists, hands and/or fingers. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or climb. The employee must regularly lift and/or move light objects, and occasional lift heavier objects. Specific vision abilities required by this job include color vision.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility

This is a non-supervisory position that may provide functional direction, guidance and instruction to other employees.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate in Applied Science in Dental Hygiene and experience in the occupational field, sufficient to understand the major duties of the position, and to be able to answer questions and resolve problems.
• Completion of radiation safety course.
• Licensed as a Dental Hygienist by any US State or Territory.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is required or must be obtained within ninety (90) days of employment.
• Must successfully pass a criminal and background check and a pre-employment drug screen.

The GPTLHB is a tribal organization which follows tribal preference laws. It is our policy to give preference to qualified Indian/Tribal candidates over qualified non-native candidates in hiring decisions, if all other qualifications are equal.