Registered Dental Hygienist

Job Title: Registered Dental Hygienist

Location: Eastport, Maine

Salary: DOE ( Depends on how many years in practice)

Benefits: Full - Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Sign on Bonus - 10K

Relocation Assistance

A dental hygienist is needed for a beautiful rural community in Maine. Community-based practice with a rural area for hiking, biking, fishing, and more. New grads are welcome. Much growth opportunities. RDH can work 4 10-hour days or 5 8-hour days with 1 patient per hour. Great team to work with as well as an established dentist. Very popular office so no recruitment is needed, established patients for the long term. Most are from the area but some travel to come to this office. The hygienist's main role is to perform comprehensive prophylaxis procedures, take radiographs, educate patients on oral hygiene practices, and maintain patient recall schedules while adhering to all quality improvement initiatives and maintaining a positive team spirit. 

Duties/Responsibilities:

Perform hygiene procedures for complete prophylaxis.

Perform sealants when recommended.

Perform periodontal scaling/root planning, and curettage

when recommended.

Take radiographs when needed.

Schedule patients for recall appointments.

Maintain a recall system for patients. Rolodex/cards/ computer.

Seat patient, check

crossover information, update health history, check

for chief complaint, take

radiographs, advise the patient of treatment options, and have the dentist

examine the patient to establish a comprehensive treatment plan.

Fill cancellations, and broken appointments. Order hygiene

supplies.

Take impressions for soft night guards/whitening trays/athletic

mouth guards.

Instruct patients in oral hygiene brushing, flossing, and product

choices, sensitivity agents, and fluoride supplements.

Be the liaison for the patient/dentist relationship.

Sterilize and disinfect rooms between patients and set

up procedures for treatment. Lab work when needed.

Perform denture repairs when needed.

Maintain licenses and attend CEU training and mandatory

clinic training.

Wear uniforms and maintain personal hygiene standards

shoulder length or above, wear safety glasses, gloves, and masks for all

patients.

Fill out all documentation for patients’ charts: Billing

information, clinical notes, and computer or written encounters.

Fluoride applications.

Provide education on fluoride, nutrition, and dental health.

Removal of sutures.

Placing temporary fillings.

Referrals to outside specialists as appropriate

Other duties as deemed necessary by supervisors.

Engage and actively participate in quality

improvement projects and efforts, risk identification

and reporting, attend training and meetings

as requested, and contribute to overall team spirit

and cooperation.

Independent Dental Hygienist

Scope of practice. May perform only the following duties

without supervision by a dentist: Interview patients and record complete

medical and dental histories

Take and record the vital signs

of blood pressure, pulse, and temperature

Perform oral inspections, recording all conditions that should be

called to the attention of a dentist

Perform complete periodontal and dental restorative charting

Perform all procedures necessary for complete prophylaxis,

including root planning

Apply fluoride to control caries.

Apply desensitizing agents to teeth.

Apply topical anesthetics.

Apply sealants.

Smooth and polished amalgam restorations,

limited to slow-speed application only

Obtain impressions for athletic mouthguards and custom

fluoride trays

Place and remove rubber dams

Place temporary restorations in compliance with the protocol adopted by the

board.

Apply topical antimicrobials, including fluoride

but excluding antibiotics, for bacterial reduction, caries

control, and desensitization in the oral cavity. The independent practice

dental hygienist shall follow the current

manufacturer’s instructions in the use of these medicaments;

Expose and process radiographs, including but not limited to

vertical and horizontal bitewing films,

periapical films, panoramic images, and full-mouth

series, under protocols developed by the board

as long as the independent practice dental hygienist has a written

agreement with a licensed dentist that provides that the dentist is available

to interpret all dental radiographs within 21 days from the date the radiograph is taken and that

the dentist will sign a radiographic review and findings form; and

Prescribe, dispense, or administer anti-cavity toothpaste or topical gels

with 1.1 odorless sodium fluoride and oral rinses

with 0.05%, 0.2%, 0.44%, or 0.5% sodium fluoride,

as well as chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse. For this paragraph, “topical”

includes superficial and intraoral application.

.

Minimum Entrance Requirements:

Graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program.

Hold an active Maine dental hygiene license and dental

radiograph license.

Obtain or hold a valid CPR certification.

Ability to maintain a harmonious relationship with staff,

patients, and professionals.

Ability to meet the physical, mental, and visual standards of the job.

Abide by employment contract.

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