Dental Hygienist

Company: Lifetime Dentistry
Location: Davenport
Posted on: October 11, 2020

Job Description:

Position Summary: The Dental Hygienist is the chief preventive provider of the Practice. This team member motivates, educates, and provides excellent treatment. Under indirect supervision, the Dental Hygienist will remove hard and soft deposits from teeth and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. He or she will educate patients on oral hygiene, provide preventative dental care, make and process radiographs, or apply fluoride or sealants. By discovering and documenting areas of failure, both periodontally and restoratively, he or she facilitates the dentists diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Working Conditions/Physical Requirements: Standing 20% Sitting 80% Moderate noise levels from dental and other Lab equipment. Medical, office, and lab setting. Minimum lifting requirements of 35 pounds in order to transfer equipment and pack and unpack supplies. Frequent bending, twisting, and position changes in order to examine and service patients. Exceptional hand eye coordination, control, and finger dexterity in order to use dental implements for exams, mixing and/or placing materials on dental tools, products, and in mouths, and grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects. Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. Frequent client and interoffice personnel interaction as this position is chair-side to dentist and heavily dependent on excellent customer interaction. Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer) as required for mixing and placing materials on tools and in mouths. Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. Must demonstrate excellent communication skills - Talking to others to convey information effectively. Essential Duties: Welcome and seat patient cheerfully. Prepare and properly set up treatment rooms for hygiene procedures. Review and update patients health history; chart progress, treatments, and home care compliance. Clean calculus deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments, including scaling and root planing for patients with periodontal disease Apply fluorides and other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay. Assess and evaluate patient through exam, patient records, and patients medical history to assist in diagnosis of dental hygiene problems, disease, and efficacy of administered treatment plans. Complete scheduled treatments. Recognize early signs of periodontal disease; chart restorations and notate areas of concern. Develop and present treatment plans. Capture x-rays, process, download and organize for doctor to view; capable of interpreting x-rays independently. Perform head and neck/oral cancer exam. Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease; communicate findings to patient and doctor. Selecting, mixing, and placing materials on instruments and in the patients mouth, as needed. Educate and motivate patient on proper oral hygiene and corrective/preventative measures. Work chair side with Dentist as needed, assist doctor in hygiene examination. Give anesthesia, if qualified, when asked for, and as hygiene treatment dictates. Schedule appropriate re-care appointments. Assist hygiene assistant in sterilization duties. Maintain hygiene hand pieces and instruments in good repair and sufficient supply. Adhere to strict safety guidelines and procedures to OSHA and office standards. Must always represent the practice in a professional, pleasant, and cooperative manner. Maintain regular attendance and adhere to assigned work schedule and office policies. Must be able to comfortably and efficiently handle multiple deadlines and task assignments. Must be able to work both independently and cooperatively in team settings displaying exceptional skill in time management in order to set and maintain own and subordinate procedure/task schedule. Always maintain the highest level of confidentiality to HIPAA standards. Must be comfortable seeing and able to maintain a professional demeanor and attitude while working around blood and smells that may be unpleasant. Other duties and tasks, as assigned periodically. Success Factors: Participate in morning meeting, and provide information regarding new patients for the day. Participate in marketing efforts, patient contact. Use downtime constructively. Presents in a clean, well-groomed professional manner.

Keywords: Lifetime Dentistry, Davenport , Dental Hygienist, Healthcare , Davenport, Iowa