Position Summary:
Under the supervision of a licensed Dentist in a clinical setting and using established dental hygiene protocols and procedures, the Dental Hygienist provides professional, high-quality dental care and education to a broad range of patients. Diagnoses and treats diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums, and related oral structures: Examines patient to determine nature of condition, utilizing x rays, dental instruments, and other diagnostic procedures. Cleans, fills, extracts, and replaces teeth, using rotary and hand instruments, dental appliances, medications, and surgical implements. Provides preventive dental services to patient, such as applications of fluoride and sealants to teeth, and education in oral and dental hygiene.

Job Responsibilities:

• Institutes and supervises oral hygiene practices; determines that aseptic techniques of treatment are followed; acquires and supervises maintenance of supplies and equipment necessary to perform all types of dental treatment.
• Coordinates local dental health projects; directs and participates in dental examinations of school age children; promotes dental health programs in public schools.
• Serves as an area consultant in promoting dental health education with local health departments; conducts state-wide program with local agencies and assists in establishing and maintaining an effective program on the local level.
• Examines and determines need for dental treatment of patients entering institution or clinic; participates in dental treatment by performing all procedures required to establish and maintain proper dental health for the patients.
• Serves as a consultant in dental problems to other medical and para-medical services in the institution, clinic, or other health facilities.
• Assists in promoting and maintaining good public relations among community groups and professional health organizations such as the North Carolina Dental Society.
• Determines that patients’ charts and dental records are correctly maintained through accurate recording of all dental procedures performed on patient during period of confinement.
• Performs related duties as required.
• Provides high-quality dental hygiene care within the scope of service consistent with accepted standards of care.
• Evaluates patients and implements treatment regimens under the supervision of the Dentist.
• Provides complete documentation of all findings, treatments and outcomes;
• Initiates oral health education and prevention activities;
• Reviews and interprets patient dental records;
• Works cooperatively with other Dental Program staff;
• Helps out where needed to ensure smooth, efficient running of Dental Program; and
• Participates in the ongoing evaluation of Dental Program operations to assure the delivery of high-quality services that support the financial sustainability of the program.

Minimum Training and Experience Requirements:
Graduation from an approved school of dentistry and two years of experience in the general practice of dentistry.

POSITION SUMMARY
Promote dental health by completing dental prophylaxis, providing oral cancer screening and radiographic studies, charting conditions of decay and disease, performing procedures in compliance with the dental practice act. Teach primary preventive care education.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Considerable knowledge of standard practices and procedures in a dental clinic required. Ability to communicate effectively with patients, dentist, staff and community groups required. The ability to understand technical and medical terminology as they relate to dentistry and ability to teach preventive dental education required

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Graduation from an accredited Dental Hygiene program required. Special requirements: licensed to practice in the State of North Carolina. Two (2) years’ experience preferred.

Lincoln Community Health Center, Inc., a federally qualified community health center located in Durham, NC is recruiting for a Dental Hygienist (Full/Part time). Durham is known as the Bull City, the City of Medicine, the Tastiest Town in the South, and the Startup Capital of the South. It’s a two-hour drive from the beach, a three-hour drive from the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is North Carolina’s fourth largest city by population. Along the East Coast, Durham is located conveniently along I-85. For those outside of driving distance, travel to and from is made easy as the City and County of Durham co-own the top-ranked Raleigh-Durham International Airport that services more than 45 nonstop destinations.

Lincoln Community Health Center, Inc. (LCHC), mission is to provide primary and preventive health care in a courteous, professional, and personalized manner.

Key requirements for any position are our “Core Values”:
•Courtesy
•Respect
•Quality
•Accessibility
•Teamwork
•Continuous Improvement
•Accountability

LCHC provides comprehensive, high-quality primary health care to our patients regardless of ability to pay. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), we provide health care to all members of our community, including low income, uninsured patients and diverse communities. We screen potential employees to first ensure alignment with our key requirements followed by the requisite position skills set. In doing so staff must be committed to the mission who do their best to live and work the characteristics of our core values as we strive to care for ever increasing members of the communities we serve. Understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences.