SCOPE:

Contractor will perform the following, but not limited to:

• Sets up operator for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
• Handles instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently
• Ability to assess the patient's medical and dental histories, anxiety/phobias, and medications for safe patient care
• Assesses the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health
• Recognize age-related changes in individual patients, adapt patient environment, and maximize
• Patient's physical comfort
• Provides routine oral prophylactic care to include periodontal charting and application of appropriate fluoride solutions
• Provides gross debridement, scaling and root planning procedures
• Cleans dental prostheses, fixed and removable
• Administers topical and local anesthetic agents
• Accomplishes all procedures within VA standard infection control protocols to include but not limited to, wearing of proper PPE, following VA sterile processing guidelines, and Martinsburg’s VA Dental Clinic Infection Control Policy.
• The scope of practice that a specific provider may perform is defined through the medical center credentialing and privileging process.
• Ability to assess the patient's medical and dental histories, anxiety/phobias, and medications for safe patient care.

• Ability to assess the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health, recognize age-related changes in individual patients, adapt patient environment, and maximize patient's physical comfort.

• Skill in detecting plaque and calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure.

• Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application.

• Knowledge of hygiene procedures in order to explain the process and indication, complications and expected treatment outcomes for each.

• Knowledge of proper usage of dental radiography equipment, radiation safety, assessment of proper image capture and interpretation of films.

• Skill in educating patients and caregivers on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, and effects of illness, addictions, medications and tobacco on the oral cavity.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS -Hygienist

• Education. Associate Degree or higher in an accredited dental hygiene program. This program must be accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

• Licensure. Applicants must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist with a full, current, and unrestricted license in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

• Certification. Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must have successfully completed an educational program that meets or exceeds the standards described in that regulation and is accredited by an organization recognized by the Department of Education and be certified as radiographers in their field. Accredited dental hygiene programs contain curriculum addressing radiologic procedures which will meet the requirement for certification as dental radiographers.

• Skill in educating patients and caregivers on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, and effects of illness, addictions, medications and tobacco on the oral cavity.