Dental Hygienist

Who We Are:

Neighborhood Health Center is a non-profit organization local to Portland, OR serving underserved patients in the areas of primary care, internal medicine, dental services and more. Our patient-centered approach to care honors the unique needs and circumstances of each individual patient. NHC sees people, not problems, and recognizes that the time spent as a patient in a doctors office is only one factor in a persons overall health. Our leading edge, integrated clinical teams work in partnership with patients, their families, and the communities we serve to provide whole-person care, prevention, and ongoing support.

NHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate differences in the workplace and do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, gender (sex), national origin, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.

Why work with us?

• We are a non-profit organization, passionate about providing the underserved population with medical and dental services across the greater Portland area, committed to making a difference daily.
• We offer our employees a competitive compensation and benefits package which includes 20 days of PTO (based on full time employment), 9 paid holidays, health/dental/vision insurance, quarterly wellness reimbursements, generous 401k retirement plan with employer match, employer paid disability insurance, EAP and life insurance.
• Our employees voted NHC a Top Workplace in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023!

Job Title:  Dental Hygienist
Department:  Dental
Reports To:  Chief Dental Officer
Work Type:  On-Site
Classification:  Full-Time, Exempt
Schedule: Four 10-hour days during the week
Language Differential:  Eligible

SUMMARY

This position is responsible for providing dental hygiene and periodontal therapy treatment to patients in clinic and mobile dental units.

Essential Job Duties

• Provides clinical services to adults and children including prophylaxis, scaling, root planing, soft tissue curettage, and preventative care (oral health screenings, dental sealants, fluoride treatments and education).
• Obtains and enters patient information into electronic dental record, including chief complaint, health history, medications, allergies, vitals, patient pain level, findings and treatment plans.
• Develops and implements preventive oral health programs for patients.
• Provides blood pressure screening and administers topical and local anesthesia as licensure permits.
• Performs fluoride applications, polish restorations and alloys.
• Provides nitrous oxide as licensure permits.
• Coordinates a variety of dental health services including case management and referrals to available community resources.
• Provides patients and their families with instruction on oral hygiene, oral disease prevention and post-operative instructions, including anticipated next steps and appointment information.
• Consults regularly with dentists on individual patient needs and complex medical histories.
• Maintains proper infection control practices at all times, including the following areas: PPE, hand hygiene, handling and disposal of sharps and biohazard waste, instrument sterilization, and dental operatory disinfection.
• Maintains collaborative relationships with all levels of co-workers and the general public.
• Assists in new employee training on specific tasks, as needed.
• Works collaboratively in a team environment with a spirit of cooperation.
• Participates in process and quality improvement workflows.
• Maintains punctual, regular, and predictable attendance.
• Complies with NHC standardized workflows, protocols, HIPAA, OSHA, and safety guidelines.
• Performs all duties necessary to support tele-dentistry as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Don’t think that you meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women, people of color, people with disabilities, and LBGTQ+ people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they think they meet every single qualification. At Neighborhood Health Center, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace; so, if you’re excited about this role, but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every preferred qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Education and/or Experience

• Requires graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program.
• One year related experience and/or training preferred, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Behaviors

• Highly punctual and dependable.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain discretion with sensitive or confidential information.
• Must have excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to work under direction of multiple people.
• Intermediate or higher proficiency of MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks, sometimes with conflicting deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and within a team setting.
• Familiarity with video conferencing applications and software.
• Excellent grammar, spelling, and proofreading skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work flexible hours occasionally as needed.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This position is full-time and is scheduled to work 40 hours per week, with 4/10 hours workdays. Working days and locations may be variable. Occasional weekend availability may be required.
• As a result of high patient volume, this position experiences stressors that come along with a fast-paced environment. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to toxic chemicals for infection control or blood borne pathogens and regularly handling contaminated sharp instruments.
• Regularly sit while working on the computer; use hands and fingers to handle, control or feel objects tools or controls; repeat the same movements when entering data; ability to differentiate between colors, shades, and brightness; read from a computer screen for extended periods of time.
• Frequently stand and walk around the office to gather supplies, required to do filing, use office equipment, or collaborate with employees.
• Occasionally stand, stoop and lift or move objects, equipment and supplies weighing approximately 20-25 pounds up to 40-50 pounds.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Neighborhood Health Center Employment Offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks, background checks, drug screening for illegal substances, Tuberculosis, and any position specific credentialing or licensure requirements.