DAILY DUTIES

1. Wash hands before and after each patient care for at least 30 seconds.
2. Be sure to remove gloves and wash hands when leaving treatment area for any reason. Wash hands and re-glove when returning to the treatment area.
3. Set up room before and after each patient.
4. Seat own patients.
5. Examine patients and review health history. Note any changes on the chart.
6. Secure and develop bitewing, periapical, and panorex x-rays, if ordered.
7. Provide patient education.
8. Perform prophy and administer fluoride.
9. Ask Dentist to examine patient.
10. Fill out patient record.
11. Dismiss patient.
12. After a patient is dismissed, run hand pieces for 30 seconds. Remove them and place them on the procedure tray. Take tray to the sterilization room for cleaning.
13. Use utility gloves and scrub instruments with soap and water and rinse well. Place instruments in ultrasonic. After instruments have run, remove them and rinse, dry, and package instruments for autoclaving.
14. Wipe hand pieces with alcohol 2x2. Hand pieces are not to be placed in the ultrasonic. Add hand pieces with the other packaged instruments and sterilize in the autoclave at 270 degrees for 30 minutes as per autoclave instructions.
15. Anything that cannot be autoclaved may be placed in cold sterile for 24 hours.

*Remember to rinse items before and after placing in the cold sterile.

1. Spray Asepticare on the counters and chair in your operatory, then follow with SaniCloth wipes to wipe everything in the treatment area. Allow to air dry. Include light handles, suction handles, chair switches, x-ray head, or anything that may have been touched during the procedure.
2. Use Vacusol solution to run the suction at the end of the day.
3. Empty wastebasket, at the end of day or before, if needed.
4. Assist other staff with general housekeeping duties, including disinfecting waiting room, mopping, bathroom, light switches, doorknobs, and vacuuming.

1. Switch off x-ray machines prior to leaving each day.
2. Any additional duties added as DHEC regulations update.

WEEKLY DUTIES

1. The suction trap in the hygiene operatory must be removed and cleaned weekly. Assist dental assistant to ensure that the master suction trap in the outside equipment closet is removed and replaced with a new filter every week.
2. Assist dental assistant in cleaning the rollers on the automatic developer weekly.

MONTHLY DUTIES

1. Assist dental assistant in draining, cleaning, and refilling autoclaves with distilled water.
2. Cold sterile must be cleaned, drained, and refilled with Banacide every 28 days as per manufacturer.
3. Assist dental assistant in cleaning the entire x-ray developer and emptying and refilling the fixer and developer.

1. Must like working with children and youth and be passionate about improving the dental /oral health care of disadvantaged children and youth.

2. Good communication skills required.

3. Willing to work with Smiles staff to promote team spirit.

4. Must be a licensed hygienist in the State of South Carolina.

5. Prefers three years hygiene experience.

6. Must be willing to take constructive direction from the dentist.