Dental Hygienist

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Dental Hygienist facilitates delivery of dental services by the dentist and/or resident staff. PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: performs dental prophylaxis on cooperative patients; cleans calcareous deposits, accretions and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums using dental instruments; feels lymph nodes under patients chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer; feels and visually examines gums for sores and signs of disease; examines gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease; applies fluorides and other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay; charts conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist; makes impressions for study casts; may remove sutures and dressings; may place and remove rubber dams, matrices, and temporary restorations; may place, carve, and finish amalgam restorations; may remove excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth; may provide clinical services and health education or desensitization programs to improve and maintain oral health of children and adults that are mentally retarded, developmentally delayed or disabled; may conduct dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist monitors and distributes dental products. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Associates degree from an accredited college or university in dental hygiene required. Bachelors degree preferred. New York State licensure required. 24 Continued Medical Education (CME) credits per credentialing cycle (2 years). Basic Life Support Certification. Healthcare Provider CPR/AED Certification. Familiarity serving persons with mental retardation, developmental delays or disabilities desirable. Strong ability to support busy dental teaching program serving OMRDD population as well as developmentally delayed children required. Strong oral, written, organizational and computer skills required. Knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid and third party billing requirements preferred.