Hygiene Assistant - Dental Depot

Position Summary

Assist Hygienist, set up equipment, prepare patient for hygiene treatment and keep records

Essential Functions 

To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist/hygienist during dental procedures.

• Record treatment information in patient records.

• Expose dental diagnostic x-rays. Is responsible for x-ray sensor care and guidelines. 

• Coronal polish all surfaces of the teeth efficiently to assist the Hygienist during the patient’s preventative and/or periodontal visit.

• Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.

• Assist Hygienist in management of medical or dental emergencies. 

• Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by Hygienist.

• Make post-operative calls to patients. 

• Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs. 

• Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory for Hygiene department.

• Schedule appointments, make any necessary calls to maintain a full hygiene schedule. Follow up with patient on any missed appointments and reschedule accordingly.

• Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth.

• Placement of sealants as prescribed by Dentist. 

• Position may be required to relocate to other Dental Depot clinics either permanently or on a short term basis due to office needs, on an as needed basis at the discretion of Management.

• Complies with: Dental Depot policies and procedures; OSHA policies, procedures, rules, and regulations; and HIPAA policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.

• This position may complete other Administrative and Maintenance tasks as assigned by Management.

• Maintain regular and reliable attendance

Skills & Abilities

Education: High School Graduate or General Education Degree (GED):

Required Experience: Completion of Dental Assisting school or minimum three months experience in a dental office.

Certifications & Licenses: Dental Assistant permit within 30 days of employment required. Coronal Polish Certificate and Radiation Certificate within six month of employment required.

Computer Skills: Dental Software knowledge (Eaglesoft knowledge preferred, but not required.) Knowledge of all Microsoft Office products.

Other Requirements: Must have a valid driver's license, proof of valid vehicle insurance and must have annual Motor Vehicle Record Check, as a condition of employment if employee operates any Company owned vehicles or drives their own personal vehicle for Company business purposes. Must have signed the Hepatitis B Vaccination Form declining or accepting the vaccination within 30 days of Employment.

Position Qualifications

• DA Permit - Required within 30 days of hire
• X-ray certification - Required within 90 days of hire
• Coronal Polishing certification - Required within 1 year of hire
• Nitrous - Preferred, not required
• Sealant - Preferred, not required

• Accountability - Ability to accept responsibility and account for his/her actions.

• Adaptability - Ability to adapt to change in the workplace.

• Organized - Possessing the trait of being organized or following a systematic method of performing a task.

• Customer Oriented - Ability to take care of the customers’ needs while following company procedures.

• Working Under Pressure - Ability to complete assigned tasks under stressful situations.

• Ethical - Ability to demonstrate conduct conforming to a set of values and accepted standards.

• Technical Aptitude - Ability to comprehend complex technical topics and specialized information.

• Detail Oriented - Ability to pay attention to the minute details of a project or task.

• Safety Awareness - Ability to identify and correct conditions that affect employee safety.

• Accuracy - Ability to perform work accurately and thoroughly.

• Enthusiastic - Ability to bring energy to the performance of a task.

• Friendly - Ability to exhibit a cheerful demeanor toward others.

• Self-Motivated - Ability to be internally inspired to perform a task to the best of one’s ability using his or her own drive or initiative.

• Time Management - Ability to utilize the available time to organize and complete work within given deadlines.

• Active Listening - Ability to actively attend to, convey, and understand the comments and questions of others.

• Communication, Oral - Ability to communicate effectively with others using the spoken word.

• Initiative - Ability to make decisions or take actions to solve a problem or reach a goal.

• Motivation - Ability to inspire oneself and others to reach a goal and/or perform to the best of their ability.

• Honesty / Integrity - Ability to be truthful and be seen as credible in the workplace.

• Energetic - Ability to work at a sustained pace and produce quality work.