Staff Dental Hygienist

• Job Summary:** Job incumbent is responsible for performing dental hygiene and prophylaxis services under the general supervision of the TCC staff dentist. Incumbent conducts educational presentations for the prevention and control of dental diseases among children and adults. Incumbent is responsible for supervision and operation of expanded functions prophylaxis program and performing necessary qualitative assessment to operate the program.
  
  

Adhere to the TCC Cheghwtsen model of service and guiding principle which requires providing timely and effective service along with the ability to interact with others in a way that inspires trust and demonstrates respect, compassion and empathy.

Essential Functions

Essential Functions: This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbent(s).

Representative Duties

Under the direct supervision of the Dental Director, job incumbent:

• Provides clinical dental hygiene-conducts periodontal assessments, prophylaxis, scaling and root planning and curettage of teeth as determined by need and treatment plan. Communicates specific oral hygiene and periodontal therapy instructions.
• Administers local anesthesia and nitrous oxide and takes radiographs as allowed under state licensing permit.
• Professionally applies fluoride treatments and applies dental etch and sealants.
• Identifies patient need for referral to advanced periodontal treatment and works with primary care dentists to accomplish this.
• Provides smoking cessation, diet counseling, and oral hygiene instructions for patients. Teaches classes as required.
• Maintains, cleans, and sterilizes equipment, instruments, materials, and supplies.
• Adheres to all TCC infection control procedures and incident reporting. Maintains infection control procedures as outlined by Occupational Health and Safety Administration and CDC guidelines for infection control in dental health-care settings.
• Records dental and soft tissue exam findings.
• Travels to remote villages as a sole provider to conduct dental hygiene. Serves as a team leader to dental assistants in conjunction with Dental Assistant Supervisor while on field trips. Arranges and coordinates village field trips, and writes and submits field trip reports. Maintains and repairs dental operatory equipment during field trips.
• Performs administrative duties such as grant proposal research, writing and submission. Writes and submits articles for publication to The Council, Health Services and other publications. Writes and submits Tanana Chiefs Conference Dental Prevention annual report.
• Researches, designs, and presents Power Point Presentations for staff continuing education. Brainstorms and implements new program ideas.
• May act as a liaison between Tanana Chiefs Conference Dental and Headstart program and facilitates treatment coordination.
• Attends meetings, conferences, and completes continuing dental education as required by licensing board bi-annually.
• Keeps records of Childrens Dental Clinic, Village Chart Audits, and Village treatment lists.
• Participates in peer review activities as directed.
  
  

Other Responsibilities

• Performs other job related duties allowed by the Alaska Dental Practice Act, such as dental assisting, as directed by the dentist in charge.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate from an accredited University Dental Hygiene Program with a degree in Dental Hygiene.
• Dental Hygiene licensure within at least one state of the United States.
• Training in or experience in dental public health preferred.
• Current BLS certification and Health Care Worker immunizations required.
• Dental continuing education units required per licensure statutes.
• Must pass background check pursuant to federal Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act requirements and State of A aska background check.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Strong verbal, interpersonal, written, organizational, and analytical skills needed.
• Proficiency using MS Office, Word, Excel and Power Point.
• Supervision**: Leads Dental Assistants in conjunction with Dental Assistant Supervisor while on field trips.
  
  

Supervision

Physical demands: Work involves regular and recurring exposure to potential hazards of radiation and communicable diseases, adverse weather, occasionally hostile patients, various dental materials (including mercury), and dental power equipment. Field/village travel is required in order to provide dental care to TCC beneficiaries in the outlying areas. Travel is via small Alaskan bush aircraft or 4WD dirt roads in all types of Alaskan weather conditions. Field trips are usually for one week at a time. Dental field trips sometimes require lodging in school classrooms on a bedroll and sleeping bag. Food is not provided and must be transported and prepared by dental assistant traveler.

Incumbent will be required to regularly work overtime hours during field/village visits and occasionally at CAIHC as patient scheduling requires. Position requires long periods of sitting, standing, walking, recurring bending, stooping, crouching, stretching, and reaching. Job incumbent must be able to lift and carry up to fifty pounds in support of equipment/other. Patients may be required to be lifted from time to time. Frequent travel to remote village via small aircraft and/or 4WD suburban/van required. Must be able to work in a busy and sometimes stressful environment.

Summation

• Summation:** Job incumbent must be realistic, sympathetic, and empathetic towards patients and the contributing factors to their oral health status. Job incumbent must be able to communicate about complicated oral health and general health issues to the patient and other health professionals. Incumbent is a part of the oral health care team that helps manage patients dental overall health.
  
  

This company is a federal contractor and an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.