Dental Hygienist Job at The American Dental Hygienists' Association in Santa Mar

Summary

The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Dental Service is one of the largest patient care, education, and research enterprises in VHA. We are a tertiary medical care facility that provides quality patient-centered care in all aspects and specialties of dentistry. This Dental Hygienist position is an Open Continuous Announcement for 1 position located at our Santa Maria, California Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

Qualifications Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: Applicants must possess an Associate degree or higher from an accredited dental hygiene program.
• The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Approved programs are: (1) Dental hygiene programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). (2) Education completed outside of the United States must be considered at least equivalent to that gained in CODA accredited United States programs and would enable the candidate to sit for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination - which is administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations.
• Licensure: Applicants must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist with a full, current, and unrestricted license in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• Certification: P.L. 97-35 - Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Of 1981 requires persons who administer radiologic procedures to meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R. Part 75 - Standards for the Accreditation of Educational Programs for and the Credentialing of Radiologic Personnel.
• Loss of Credential: Management officials will remove dental hygienists from their positions who fail to maintain the required licensure/certification, which may also result in termination of employment.
• English Language Proficiency: Dental hygienist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Preferred Experience: Employees at this level serve as staff dental hygienists at the full performance level.
• It is expected that they provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients and require only general supervision from a dentist.

Duties

• Performs examinations, applies topical agents such as fluoride and antibiotics, plans periodontal treatment, and provides patient education related to dental hygiene.
• Administers oral prophylactic and dental hygiene treatment to patients presenting a variety of conditions.
• Performs procedures such as medical and dental history review to search for evidence of past and present conditions which may complicate or alter dental hygiene treatment.
• Reviews patient's dietary habits and instructs patients in self-care therapy and proper diet as they relate to oral health.
• Examines the teeth and surrounding tissues for evidence of plaque and periodontal disease and charts findings.
• Inspects the oral cavity and pharynx for evidence of disease, such as oral cancer.
• Interprets routine radiographs to identify anatomical structures, subgingival calculus, caries, and periodontal pockets.
• Prepares dental hygiene treatment plans including assessment of the problem, type of oral hygiene care required, and the sequence of appointments needed to complete treatment.
• Performs a complete oral prophylaxis on ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients.
• Performs subgingival scaling, root planning, and curettage under local anesthesia.
• Administers local anesthetics.
• Polishes the teeth and applies fluoride for hypersensitivity and caries prevention.
• Instructs patients at chairside in oral hygiene, brushing, and flossing techniques.
• Keeps operatory supplied with all necessary equipment, instruments, and disposable supplies needed for the proper treatment of patients.

Work Schedule

Full-time - Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized

Telework: Not authorized

Virtual: This is not a virtual position