Dental Hygienist - Ames Dental Clinic

Primary Health Care•Ames, IA

7h•Onsite

About The Position

Primary Health Care (PHC) is seeking a Dental Hygienist for its Ames Dental Clinic. PHC's mission is to provide healthcare and supportive services to all, regardless of insurance, immigration status, or ability to pay. The Dental Hygienist will be responsible for providing patient care under the direction of the staff Dentists and in accordance with the Iowa Dental Practice Act. This role supports organizational success by following assigned workflows to ensure patient and staff satisfaction, as well as the clinic's financial success. The position offers an opportunity to help underserved patients, improve health equity, and be part of a compassionate, professional team. The clinic operates Monday - Friday from 8 AM - 5 PM, with a typical schedule including one weekday off, offering a 4-day work week and work-life balance. The environment is collaborative and educational for both staff and patients.

Requirements

Graduate of accredited dental hygiene program.
Organization and time management skills.
Customer service orientation with strong interpersonal skills.
Current license to practice dental hygiene in the state of Iowa.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Providers Certification recognized by the American Heart Association.
Current Mandatory Reporter Training: Child and Dependent Adult Abuse recognized by the State of Iowa (must be obtained with Introductory Period if not current).

Nice To Haves

Minimum of one-year clinical dental hygiene experience.
Clinical experience and/or educational preparation in working with patients with diverse backgrounds.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) language skills.

Responsibilities

Delivers comprehensive dental hygiene services to patients with diverse backgrounds, developing modalities of dental hygiene therapy for medically, mentally, and otherwise compromised patients.
Completes dental x-rays in accordance with regulations.
Assesses patients presenting to the dental clinic for preventive services and completes diagnostic procedures as directed by the supervising dentist.
Assists dentists at chair side and with business office procedures as needed.
Educates patients and families regarding assessment data, treatment plan, pre- and post-therapy instructions, and prevention of future disease, considering the patient’s age, educational level, physical and mental condition, and cultural background.
Assists with cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of instruments.
Cleans and disinfects dental hygiene operatory and equipment.
Sharpens dental hygiene instruments as needed.
Follows PHC policies and procedures to minimize the risk of radiation exposure to employees and patients.
Maintains and completes dental hygiene patient records.
Assists the Program Director with the development and implementation of the dental community outreach program.
Develops and maintains patient education material for use at chair side and for office display.
Attends continuing education programs as required by license and to maintain skills.
Attends scheduled departmental meetings and in-service programs, as requested.
Performs other duties as assigned.