Dental Hygienist - Limited License Accepted

SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY HEALTH•Boston, MA

14d•$47 - $56•Onsite

About The Position

South Boston Community Health Center is hiring a Dental Hygienist to expand access to preventive dental care and improve oral health outcomes in South Boston and surrounding communities. The role provides comprehensive preventive services, patient education, clinical support, and collaboration with the dental team. The hygienist also builds lasting relationships with patients and families and may mentor and precept dental hygiene students during clinical rotations. The position is full-time and on-site at South Boston Community Health Center. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, with a one-hour lunch break from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Occasional overtime may be required due to patient-care needs or scheduling delays; regular weekend hours are not currently required. The Dental Department is collaborative, supportive, and patient-focused, with a fast-paced environment that emphasizes communication, teamwork, continuous learning, and mutual respect.

Requirements

Degree from an accredited Dental Hygiene program.
Active Massachusetts Dental Hygienist License in good standing.
Local Anesthesia Certification.
Current CPR/BLS Certification.
Experience providing preventive dental hygiene services.
Ability to perform periodontal assessments and charting.
Experience providing oral health education and patient counseling.
Strong knowledge of infection control and sterilization practices.
Ability to maintain accurate and complete clinical documentation.
Confidence working independently with patients in a busy clinical setting.
Strong communication, interpersonal, organizational, and time-management skills; attention to detail; adaptability; collaboration; cultural sensitivity; and empathy.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a community health center, public health, or underserved-care setting.
Experience working with diverse patient populations.
Experience caring for medically complex patients.
Experience mentoring, teaching, or precepting dental hygiene students.
Experience using Epic electronic health records.
Multilingual language skills.

Responsibilities

Perform dental hygiene services, including prophylaxis, periodontal maintenance, scaling and root planing, and other preventive procedures within scope of practice.
Conduct comprehensive periodontal assessments and charting.
Obtain and evaluate dental radiographs.
Administer local anesthesia in accordance with licensure and organizational protocols.
Educate patients on oral hygiene practices, disease prevention, and treatment recommendations.
Document assessments, treatment, patient education, and clinical findings accurately in the electronic health record.
Collaborate with dentists to identify treatment needs and support comprehensive treatment planning.
Follow infection prevention, sterilization, and safety protocols.
Support instrument processing and operatory readiness.
Build trusting, long-term relationships with patients and families.
Participate in outreach efforts and initiatives to improve access to dental care.
Precept and mentor dental hygiene students during clinical rotations.
Work collaboratively with dentists, dental assistants, patient support associates, students, and leadership to provide coordinated care.
Contribute to departmental initiatives focused on patient access, quality improvement, and clinical excellence.