Dental Hygienist Practitioner

UPMC•Pittsburgh, PA

17d•Onsite

About The Position

The Dental Hygienist/Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner performs prophylactic and therapeutic services and provides client education to prevent and control dental disease without a dentist being present. The role is based at the UPMC Children’s Primary Care – Oakland Office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and requires the ability to work independently and hold Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner certification. The practitioner performs dental hygiene services within the applicable standards of care and scope of practice, maintains accurate patient records, supports clinic operations, and follows safety, infection control, compliance, and regulatory requirements. Records of services must be retained for five years from the date of the last treatment entry and include patient and guardian details when applicable, service dates and descriptions, radiographs and their justification, and documentation of the annual referral to a dentist.

Requirements

Degree from an accredited Dental Hygienist Program.
Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners License.
Additional education and licensure as a Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner.
Ability to work independently.
Knowledge of dental equipment.
Knowledge of dental terminology.
CPR meeting AHA standards, including didactic and skills demonstration components, required within 30 days of hire.
Basic Life Support (BLS) or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Dental Hygienist licensure or certification.
Public Health DH Practitioner licensure or certification.
Act 31, 33, 34, and 73 clearances, with renewal.

Responsibilities

Clean and care for teeth within dental standards of care, including polishing, scaling, and root planing.
Provide oral health education and advise patients on appropriate home care and treatment of teeth and gum tissues.
Perform approved dental care and preventive treatments, which may include topical fluoride application and dental sealants.
Take and develop radiographs, documenting their date, type, and necessity or justification.
Maintain accurate, complete, and legible records of services performed and communicate appropriate information to the health care team.
Maintain dental records for five years from the date of the last treatment entry, including required patient, service, radiograph, and annual dentist-referral documentation.
Assist the dentist in organizing and implementing clinic procedures and systems.
Perform supply inventories and properly clean, pack, and store supplies and instruments.
Follow clinic safety procedures, continuing education requirements, operational procedures, corporate compliance requirements, occupational exposure policies, disaster plans, infection control policies, and regulatory requirements.
Demonstrate understanding of age-specific needs of the dental client population.
Perform dental hygiene services as a Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner without authorization, assignment, or examination by a dentist.