Dental Hygienist

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Are you excited about a new opportunity? Do you have a passion for providing high quality medical assistance and patient support? Are you mission-driven to help improve health and eliminate inequities in health outcomes in under-resourced communities in DC? Well, look no further! At Community of Hope, we have worked diligently to improve health and end family homelessness to make Washington, DC, more equitable. We believe everyone in DC should have access to good healthcare, a stable income, and home, and hope! If you are ready to make a positive difference in the community, this position is for you!

At COH, we strive for: Caring for Families. Improving Lives. Leading Change

Our Approach and Values:

We care for families by providing direct services with a focus on prevention, healing, and wellness.

We improve lives by building on families' strengths, honoring their choices, and taking a whole-family, multi-generational approach.

We lead and advocate for system change to address the effects of historical and current racial inequities on health outcomes and housing opportunities.

We embrace the diversity of our community, welcome all voices and perspectives, and treat everyone with respect, compassion, and integrity.

We strive for excellence in all that we do, implement evidence-based practices, measure our outcomes, and use this knowledge to continuously strengthen our work.

Position Summary: The Dental Hygienist is accountable directly to the Director, Dental. The Dental Hygienist performs clinical oral hygiene procedures as delegated and directed by a dentist in accordance with department protocols, accepted professional practice and in compliance with applicable DC law. The Dental Hygienist documents all relevant patient information and service in the dental practice management system. This is a full-time position.

The salary for this position ranges between $90,000 - $100,000 annually and the offer amount is determined by the candidate's education, qualifications, and experience. Indeed provides their own estimated salary calculator and is not affiliated with COH's range.

Highlighted Duties and Responsibilities:

• Performs patient screening procedures; such as assessment of oral health conditions, review of the health history, oral cancer screening, head and neck inspection, dental charting and taking blood pressure and pulse;
• Records patient-hygienist transactions as they occur in the patient's dental record so that the dental record accurately and completely reflects the nature of the contact, the condition of the patient and the care or treatment provided;
• Integrates appropriate patient dental hygiene care with other health care professionals involved in the patient's health care management.
• Removes calculus and plaque (hard and soft deposits) from all surfaces of the teeth via use of a cavitron, piezo or by hand instrumentation.
• Performs taking and mounting diagnostic dental radiographs (x-rays);
• Applies preventive materials to the teeth (e.g., sealants and fluorides);
• Counsels patients about good nutrition and its impact on oral health;
• Participates in the Quality Improvement program of the Dental Department of the center;
• Teaches patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health; (e.g., tooth-brushing, flossing and nutritional counseling); Incorporates different modalities to educate patients about proper oral care including but not limited to distribution of educational pamphlets, playing videos, demonstration on dentiform, etc.
• Coordinates with Dental Director to maintain and update provider schedules as needed
• Provides coordination with the Dental Office Manager as needed.
• Maintains ongoing training and licensing and other credentials as required by DC and COH;
• Remains compliant with Community of Hope policies and state and federal regulations governing confidential information, including HIPAA and HITECH.
• Completes and locks all progress notes within 3 days after patient visit.
• Documents all patient encounters, including face to face, telephone and electronic communications in the health record of the patient in a timely fashion.
• Respond to all telephone encounters in a timely fashion
• Performs other duties as requested by supervisor

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

• Diploma from an accredited dental hygienist program required;
• Requires an active DC Dental Hygienist license and Local Anesthesia Certification.
• 2 years experience in a dental office practice preferred;
• CPR required;
• Must have the ability to work in a non-profit environment and a commitment to work with under-served populations.
• Certification in Administration of Local Anesthesia preferred
• Ability to work in a non-profit environment;
• Must be physically capable of sitting or standing for extended periods of time
• Knowledge of examination, diagnostic, and treatment procedures
• Complies with all OSHA and Safety guidelines
• Experience with EMR or other IT systems required; experience with Open Dental preferred.
• Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is required. COH will consider requests for reasonable accommodations for anyone who cannot be vaccinated for a religious or medical reason, subject to applicable law.
• All Health Staff must receive the required vaccinations. This includes annual flu and covid vaccines. Medical or religious exemptions may be requested.

At COH, we understand the toll that the Covid-19 pandemic has taken on the workforce, which is why we prioritize the following well-being and work-life balance-centered benefits:

• Remote work opportunities are available for many of our roles, promoting a culture of work-life balance.
• 8-hour workdays, which include a paid lunch
• 11.5 paid company holidays, 1 personal floating holiday, 15 days of paid vacation (increases to 20 after 3 years of service), and 12 days of paid sick leave on an annual basis
• Annual performance-based raises, up to 5% of your annual pay
• National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and DC Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (DCHPLRP) participants
• Tuition reimbursement, loan repayment for clinicians, licensing reimbursement, and continuing education unit funds for licensed staff
• Many opportunities for internal promotions and transfers across the agency as we continue to grow; we average 30+ promotions each year
• Ongoing internal leadership training for supervisors
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion training and initiatives for all staff
• Ongoing well-being activities, culture compact activities, and trauma-informed care initiatives
• Medical/Dental/Vision Plans through CareFirst BlueCross Blue Shield
• Life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care reimbursable expenses
• And much more!

About Us:

Community of Hope is a mission-driven, innovative, and rapidly growing nonprofit. For over 40 years, we have provided healthcare, housing, and supportive services for under-resourced, underserved and people experiencing homelessness in Washington, DC. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, we provide medical, dental, emotional wellness, and care coordination services for the whole family at three locations in DC. Community of Hope also strongly emphasizes maternal and child health, with midwifery practice and the only free-standing birth center in DC. In 2020, Community of Hope provided about 28,400 medical visits, 7,000 dental visits, and 10,000 behavioral health visits for about 11,000 patients. Community of Hope provides community walk-in COVID testing and COVID vaccines. Community of Hope is also one of the largest providers in DC of housing and support services for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Through providing these programs, we live out our mission to improve health and end family and individual homelessness to make Washington, DC, more equitable.

Community of Hope cares for families and individuals by providing direct services focusing on prevention, healing, and wellness. We improve lives by building on families' and individuals' strengths, honoring their choices, and taking a whole-family, multi-generational approach. We lead and advocate for system change to address the effects of historical and current racial inequities on health outcomes and housing opportunities. We embrace the diversity of our community, welcome all voices and perspectives, and treat everyone with respect, compassion, and integrity. We strive for excellence in everything we do, implement evidence-based practices, measure our outcomes, and use this knowledge to strengthen our work continuously. We were selected as one of The Washington Post 150 Top Workplaces in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2024 based on feedback from our staff.

To request a reasonable accommodation to complete an employment application or for general questions about employment with Community of Hope, contact a Recruiting Coordinator. Email: [redacted] Phone: [redacted]. Community of Hope is an equal opportunity employer.

Salary Description

$90K - $100K