Dental Hygienist

Location: Puyallup Practice
Position Type: Full Time
Schedule: 4 10-hour days (40 hours per week)
Expected Hiring Range: $61 - $71 per hour

* Other Compensation
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Hired applicant will be eligible for retention/sign-on bonuses and relocation advance if applicant satisfies the distance from clinic location requirements

The Dental Hygienist works in collaboration with a dental team to provide dental care and education to patients. The Dental Hygienist will utilize interpersonal skills to motivate and partner with patients in maintaining oral health wellness and prevent oral disease. All duties and functions will be performed within the parameters of their state’s Dental Practice Act, the Willamette Dental mission, evidence based treatment philosophy and core values.

WD hygienists are encouraged to pursue education and gain the ultimate levels of licensure and certification allowed by each state’s Dental Practice Act. Fully credentialed hygienists present the greatest opportunity to provide exceptional care and help define the future dental mid-level provider.

• Apply the dental hygiene process of care (Assessment, Dental Hygiene Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation) as a framework for care delivery.
• Gather accurate patient data for systemic and oral comprehensive assessment; perform at least,
  but not limited to:
  • Review of medical, dental and social history
  • Take and/or update blood pressure
  • Perform extra-oral and intra-oral exams
  • Chart and record dental and periodontal findings
  • Conduct risk assessment through patient interviewing
  • Expose and evaluate diagnostic radiographs that are appropriate within treatment guidelines and ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) guidelines
  • Document assessments findings in Electronic Dental Records (EDR) system.
• Document assessment findings and communicate these findings with the doctor of record to establish a dental hygiene treatment plan.
• Communicate and reinforce the treatment plan to the patient; discuss additional costs associated with treatment and obtain patient consent.
• Render appropriate dental hygiene care as dictated by the treatment plan and ethics of the profession; perform at least, but not limited to:
  • Explanation of Procedure, Alternatives, Risks and answer patient questions (PARQ)
  • Prophy
  • Scaling and polishing
  • Scaling and root planning
  • Oral health education and prognosis
  • Nutritional counseling and prognosis
  • Smoking cessation and prognosis
  • Local anesthesia or N2O when necessary
  • Preventative and therapeutic fluoride, sealants and restorations as needed according to individual state scope of practice.

Requires graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program. Bachelor’s degree preferred.

• Current BLS certification required.
• N2O permit; required and kept…