Dental Hygienist needed in our dental office

Permanent Dental Hygienist Job

Menomonee Falls, WI

Job Description

Title: Dental Hygienist

Report to: Clinical Manager

Status: Full-time, Permanent 

FLSA Classification: Nonexempt

Job Summary: Community Smiles Dental (CSD) is seeking an energetic and compassionate team-oriented dental hygienist to join our team and support our Menomonee Falls location. Our dental hygienists play an important role in patient care: they primarily provide preventative oral hygiene instruction during prophylaxis appointments helping our patients understand the current state of their oral health and how they can take steps to improve it. They ensure that by collaborating with our dentists, we become the dental home for our patients. 

Major Responsibility Areas

• Supports mission, vision and core values of Community Smiles Dental emphasizing early intervention and prevention through clinical work and patient care. 
• Maintains strong and positive working and interpersonal relationships with all employed at Community Smiles Dental including interns, externs and volunteers.
• Positively contributes to a highly inclusive culture where all team members, interns, externs and volunteers can thrive and represent CSD's core values to the best of their abilities. 
• Understands and is able to comply with all employment policies and procedures defined by Community Smiles Dental. 
• Performs duties and responsibilities under the following major responsibility areas: patient care, infection control and daily operations. 
• Patient Care responsibilities include: 
• Models “Tell Show Do” at each appointment to help build trust with patients. 
• Provides oral hygiene instruction with the help of visual pamphlets to patients and patients’ parents/guardians.
• Records patient-hygienist interactions as they occur in the patient’s electronic dental record so that the dental record accurately and completely reflects the nature of the interaction, the condition of the patient and the care or treatment provided.
• Provide clinical oral hygiene services including dental prophylaxis, scaling, sealant application, fluoride application, periodontal screening and administering local anesthetic consistent with accepted professional practices and standards and in compliance with applicable state law and clinical protocols.
• Exemplifies excellent patient care skills, including the ability to compassionately care for and treat patients of diverse backgrounds who also have diverse medical and dental needs. 
• Takes and develops dental radiographs in accordance with CSD’s Standard Radiograph protocol. 
• Integrates appropriate patient dental hygiene care with CSD dentists and other healthcare professionals involved in the patient’s health care management.
• Works with a sense of urgency to ensure room is set up and taken down in a timely fashion, patients appointments occur according to schedule and all patient notes are completed before seating the next patient. 
• Considers and implements feedback given from Clinical Manager and Director of Operations in order to meet clinic production goals.
• Efficiently manages time to support clinic operations such as sterilization, instrument sharpening and general supply organization. 
• Performs independent procedures in accordance with state regulations and law in settings such as an in-school sealant program and/or medical dental integration facility. 

• Workplace safety/Infection control responsibilities include: 

• Complies with all applicable federal, state, local and organization rules, regulations, protocols and procedures governing the practice of dental hygiene and the clinical provision of dental care.
• Adheres to following personnel policies, workplace safety guidelines and confidentiality rules to reduce risk and liability.
• Supports clinical cleanliness and infection control through thorough room turnover and following manufacturer guidelines as they relate to proper instrument sterilization.
• Follows clinic guidelines in terms of PPE usage to protect self and others from infectious diseases. 

• Daily operations responsibilities include: 
• Arrives at 7:40am to set up first operatories, prepare patient schedule and attend morning huddle at 7:50am. 
• Works collaboratively as a team with CSD dentists and dental assistants to ensure all patients are seen on time and all infection control routines are followed in regards to room turnover and sterilization. 
• Ensures that operatory rooms and auxiliary clinical areas such as the lab and sterilization are properly organized and stocked with dental supplies.
• Ensures that rooms are properly shut down and that patient schedules for the following day are prepped and ready for huddle. 

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions for the position. 

Minimum Requirements

• Completion of dental hygiene education from an accredited technical college or completion of a four year bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene.
• Unrestricted license to practice dental hygiene in the state of Wisconsin.
• Must not be excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs. 
• Current CPR (BLS) from the American Heart Association or Red Cross and the ability to recertify/renew on a biannual basis.
• Ability to maintain continuing education (CE) requirements as outlined by the Wisconsin Dental Examining Board and the Department of Safety and Professional Services. 

Preferred Requirements 

• At least one year of experience practicing dental hygiene. 
• At least one year of experience in a related, community-based or nonprofit dental clinic using public dental health principles and practices. 
• Proficient in Dentrix or comparable dental electronic health record system and Google Office Suite. 
• Ability to effectively communicate orally in Spanish with patients and families including the use of dental terminology. 
• Prior experience with treating children and patients with special health care needs. 
• Wisconsin Medicaid and HMO credentialed provider (credentialing can be completed by CSD Director of Operations). 

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to understand, demonstrate and support the mission, vision and core values of Community Smiles Dental. 

• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with diverse populations.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and instruction. 
• Ability to contribute to the priorities and needs of the team. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in regards to patient sensitive and protected information.
• Ability to follow safety protocols including infection control standards. 
• Ability to effectively prioritize and multi-task throughout the day. 
• Ability to meet the work hours and schedules of the position. 

Physical and Mental Demands 

• Ability to work wearing multiple layers of PPE for extended periods of the work day. 
• Ability to work with a computer and frequently look at computer monitors throughout the day. 
• Ability to sit and/or stand for long periods throughout the clinic day. 
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or slide 10-20lbs at a time.
• Ability to work in an environment with frequent moderate to high noise levels. 
• Ability to work in close proximity with other team members and patients. 
• Ability to effectively respond to varying situations using logical reasoning and decision making throughout the clinic day.
• Ability to perform repetitive hand and wrist motions to accomplish small motor skills. 

The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.