Registered Dental Hygienist

• Promotes dental health by completing dental prophylaxis, providing oral cancer screening and radiographic studies, charting conditions of decay and disease, and performing procedures in compliance with the Dental Practice Act.
  
• Prepares treatment room for patient by adhering to prescribed procedures and protocols.
  
• Prepares patient for dental hygiene treatment by welcoming, soothing, seating, and draping patient.
  
• Provides information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
  
• Maintains instrumentation for dental hygiene treatment by sharpening, sterilizing, and selecting instruments.
  
• Selects materials and equipment for dental hygiene visit by evaluating patient’s oral health.
  
• Completes dental prophylaxis by cleaning deposits and stains from teeth and from beneath gum margins.
  
• Detects disease by completing oral cancer screening; feeling and visually examining gums, using probes to locate periodontal disease and to assess levels of recession and exposing and developing radiographic studies.
  
• Arrests dental decay by applying fluorides and other cavity- preventing agents.
  
• Maintains patient appearance and ability to masticate by fabricating temporary restorations, cleaning, and polishing removable appliances.
  
• Places, carves, and finishes amalgam restorations.
  
• Removes cement from crowns and bridges.
  
• Helps dentist manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drugs and oxygen supply, and directory of emergency numbers.
  
• Educates patients by giving oral hygiene and plaque control instructions and postoperative instructions and providing reminders of time of next dental hygiene visit.
  
• Documents dental hygiene services by recording vital signs and medical and dental histories and charting in patient records.
  
• Maintains patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
  
• Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
  
• Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
  
• Ensures operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, following manufacturer’s instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, and calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
  
• Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders for supplies, and verifying receipt of supplies.
  
• Conserves dental resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
  

Dental Hygienist Qualifications / Skills:

• Use of dental technology
  
• Dental health maintenance
  
• Infection control
  
• Health promotion and maintenance
  
• Bedside manner
  
• Creating a safe, effective environment
  
• Listening
  
• Teamwork
  
• Administering medication
  
• Thoroughness
  
• Self-development
  

• People Oriented
  
• Team Oriented
  
• Detail Oriented
  

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
  
• State-registered Dental Hygienist
  
• 1 years in a dental office
  

Benefits