Dental Hygienist

Dentist Hygienist

I. Position Summary:

Responsible for providing high quality hygiene treatment and care to patients.

II. Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

• Check on daily schedule with the receptionist for hygiene patients

• Carefully review patient health and dental history forms and update as necessary
• Accurately chart each patient’s periodontal health
• Perform thorough and gentle prophylaxis to patients
• Perform scaling, root planing, and selective polishing for selective patients
• Administer local anesthetics, if permitted by state regulations
• Place medicaments subgingivally (under the gum line) for periodontal disease treatment, if permitted by state regulations
• Provide X-rays for patients as prescribed by dentist
• Apply cavity-preventative agents such as fluorides and sealants
• Perform head and neck examinations
• Communicate with patients in an understandable and professional way
• Check on patient comfort during treatment; help allay patient anxiety
• Take accurate notes on the provided treatment
• Teach proper oral hygiene techniques to patients
• Counsel patients on proper nutrition, oral health, and the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco
• Perform other tasks assigned
• Check and maintain hygiene area for cleanliness
• Check and turn on hygiene room equipment
• Monitor hygiene supply inventory and submit supply orders to Clinical Coordinator
• Assemble soiled instruments, place in sterilization area, and sort / package instruments by tray for proper sterilization
• Clean Hygiene bay surfaces with disinfectant solution according to OSHA regulations
• Load, activate, and vent the sterilization unit according to manufacturer’s directions and OSHA regulations
• Store sterilized instruments and trays in appropriate places
• See that records are stored securely and handled in compliance with legal requirements, including the HIPAA privacy and security regulations if applicable
• Accurately combine chart and notes with larger patient information
• Complete X-Ray Log as appropriate
• Provide referral to and from other doctors to guardian as instructed by Dentist

III. Skills/Certifications:

• Dental hygienists must be licensed and in good standing with the State of South Carolina.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certificate.

IV. Education Required:

• Associates or Bachelor's degree in dental hygiene.