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  Dental Hygienist Job Purpose: Promotes dental health by completing dental prophylaxis; providing oral cancer screening and radiographic studies; charting conditions of decay and disease; performing procedures in compliance with the dental practice act.
  
  Dental Hygienist Job Duties:

  • 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.

  • Actively engage in re-credentialing process and utilize feedback provided by Dental Director in practice area.

  • 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; 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; placing, carving, and finishing amalgam restorations; removing 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; providing reminders of time of next dental hygiene visit.

  • Documents dental hygiene services by recording vital signs and medical and dental histories; 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

Skills/Qualifications: 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