Dental Hygienist - Kennebec Valley Dental Coalition - Oakland, ME

Both Office-based and Community-based work opportunities are available. Office Based: In our fully equipped nine operatory center. The Center delivers comprehensive traditional office-based dental care to uninsured, underinsured, and MaineCare eligible residents of Central Maine. Office-based care responsibilities include: Clinical Care Clean calculus deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments, including scaling and root planning for patients with periodontal disease. Apply fluorides and other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay. Take digital X-rays. 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. Patient Management: Educate patients on proper oral hygiene. Evaluate patient through exam, patient records, and patient’s medical history to assist in diagnosis of dental hygiene problems, disease, and administer treatment plans. Recognize early signs of periodontal disease Review and update patient’s health history Communicate effectively with patients. Address patient concerns and answer questions regarding dental procedures and oral health. Maintain accurate patient records and documentation in compliance with clinic policies. Team Collaboration: Work closely with dental assistants, dental hygienists, and support staff to ensure seamless patient care and operational efficiency. Contribute to team meetings, case reviews, and continuing education opportunities to enhance clinical skills and knowledge. Foster a collaborative and supportive work environment that values teamwork and professional growth. Community Based : This program provides teledentistry supported care using a Virtual Dental Home model as described below. Currently we are serving all the Head Start programs and other Early Childhood Education programs in Kennebec and Somerset counties and exploring building the program with expansion into other sites such as long-term care settings. This model allows our hygienists to work to the full capacity of their scope of practice and to deliver services within the community in a more patient and family-centered fashion. The Virtual Dental Home (VDH) model of care involves a community-based Independent Dental Hygienist (IPDH), a dental assistant and a dental coordinator who collaborate with a clinic/practice-based dentist using tele-dentistry technology. The community-based dental team collects electronic dental records such as x-rays, photographs, dental and medical histories, and uploads these records to a secure website where they are reviewed by the clinic/practice-based dentist. The community-based dental team provides as much clinical care as is authorized by scope of practice laws to a patient at the community site at a recall frequency based upon risk level. Meanwhile, the dentist reviews the patient’s information and creates a tentative dental treatment plan. The services provided by the community-based dental team include usual hygiene activities as identified in Office Care Responsibilities with an emphasis on: Health promotion and prevention education. Dental disease risk assessment. Dental hygiene services and other preventive procedures such as application of fluoride varnish, sealants, dental prophylaxis (cleaning) and periodontal scaling. Early intervention treatments including application of SDF and Interim therapeutic restorations which stabilize the tooth or teeth until additional care can be provided by a dentist. Additional care may include virtual monitoring only, not replacement of the ITR. These types of fillings are done with hand instruments – no drilling or anesthetic is involved in these procedures. Support and case management when the dentist determines the individual needs follow-up care that can only be provided in the dental office. This includes help with making an appointment and case management to support the individual and family to successfully keep the treatment appointments. The principles upon which this system is built are a team approach to care with all members practicing to the top of their respective scopes of practice while creating a continuous dental presence at the community site. This system ideally results in improved oral health and increased dental literacy of patients, families, staff and administration. Benefits: Competitive salary commensurate with experience Benefits package including Paid time off, Paid holidays Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Vision insurance, Dental coverage, Retirement program with employer match Employees at this practice are eligible for NHSC Loan repayment and state and federal loan repayment options such as FAME and PSLF Potential to participate in an innovative community-care based model Work where your skills are most needed Job Types: Full-time, Part-time Pay: From $72,000.00 per year Expected hours: 36 per week Benefits: 401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee assistance program Employee discount Flexible schedule Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Tuition reimbursement Vision insurance Work Location: In person

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