Dental Hygienist

Purpose This position is a licensed oral health professional that provides educational, preventative, and clinical therapeutic services to the public. The Hygienist 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.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities Assess dental condition and needs of the patient including screening of head, neck, and oral cavity for disease Responsible for dental prophylaxis, topical fluoride application, sealants, radiographs, patient education including oral health instruction and the plaque control program. Providing routine preventive treatment for new and existing patients. Accurate documentation and maintenance of patient records Performs all hygiene functions according to policy and procedure Accurately documents the patient's health history including allergies, current medications, surgeries, and new medical conditions Responsible for taking necessary radiographs Perform adult or child prophylaxis on all patient types Apply fluoride varnish when indicated Apply sealants when indicated Perform periodontal scaling and root planning on patients diagnosed with periodontal disease Apply chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of periodontal disease when indicated Provide patient education so the patient understands the level of oral health existing in his/her mouth and address how to improve or continue to maintain the patient's best possible oral health, and document in clinical notes Minimum Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Licensed in Illinois Physical Demands Moderate physical exertion includes frequent walking, standing, bending, reaching, and carrying moderately heavy loads (up to 25 lbs.)
Work Environment Work is primarily in a clinical setting including Headstart/school locations.
Education/Experience Requirements Graduate of accredited dental hygiene program. CPR certificate required
Language Skills Bilingual (Spanish) language preferred but not required