Dental Hygienist Job Description Template

Dental Hygienist

[Intro paragraph] The best dental hygienist job descriptions start by introducing prospective candidates to your company culture as well as the dental hygienist work environment they could expect. This is where you give candidates a feel for what it would be like to work for your office and to give them a reason to work for you instead of a competitor.

Dental Hygienist Job Responsibilities:

• Promotes dental health by completing dental prophylaxis, providing oral cancer screening and radiographic studies, charting conditions of decay and disease, and performing procedures in compliance with the Dental Practice Act.
• Prepares treatment room for patient by adhering to prescribed procedures and protocols.
• Prepares patient for dental hygiene treatment by welcoming, soothing, seating, and draping patient.
• Provides information to patients and employees by answering questions and requests.
• Maintains instrumentation for dental hygiene treatment by sharpening, sterilizing, and selecting instruments.
• Selects materials and equipment for dental hygiene visit by evaluating patient’s oral health.
• Completes dental prophylaxis by cleaning deposits and stains from teeth and from beneath gum margins.
• Detects disease by completing oral cancer screening; feeling and visually examining gums, using probes to locate periodontal disease and to assess levels of recession and exposing and developing radiographic studies.
• Arrests dental decay by applying fluorides and other cavity- preventing agents.
• Maintains patient appearance and ability to masticate by fabricating temporary restorations, cleaning, and polishing removable appliances.
• Places, carves, and finishes amalgam restorations.
• Removes cement from crowns and bridges.
• Helps dentist manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drugs and oxygen supply, and directory of emergency numbers.
• Educates patients by giving oral hygiene and plaque control instructions and postoperative instructions and providing reminders of time of next dental hygiene visit.
• Documents dental hygiene services by recording vital signs and medical and dental histories and charting in patient records.
• Maintains patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
• Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
• Ensures operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, following manufacturer’s instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, and calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Maintains dental supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders for supplies, and verifying receipt of supplies.
• Conserves dental resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.

Dental Hygienist Qualifications / Skills:

• Use of dental technology
• Dental health maintenance
• Infection control
• Health promotion and maintenance
• Bedside manner
• Creating a safe, effective environment
• Listening
• Teamwork
• Administering medication
• Thoroughness
• Self-development

[Work Hours & Benefits] It’s always a good idea to highlight the working hours and benefits specific to your dental practice. Potential hygienists want to learn things like team size, doctor-to-patient ratios, and shift rotations. You can also highlight any of the benefits that set you apart, like childcare reimbursements, commuter benefits, and tuition or continuing education credits. You may even consider adding the dental hygienist salary range for the position.

Education, Experience, and Licensing Requirements: While dental hygienist education requirements can vary based on your needs, it’s important that you list the appropriate licensing and certification for your state.

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• State-registered Dental Hygienist
• 1+ years in a dental office
• Experience with EMR (electronic medical records), medical terminology a plus

[Call to Action] The best job descriptions entice prospective dental hygienists to apply and teach them how with a strong call to action. For instance, you can let prospective dental assistants know whether you’d like them to submit an application via “clicking on the apply button at the top of the job posting” or if you’d rather them email an application and supporting documents to a hiring manager at your practice.