Overview

Join #TeamWake as a Dental Hygienist!

Wake County Health & Human Services Dental Clinic is an exceptional oral health care provider with a team-centered atmosphere that is seeking a flexible, high energy, patient-focused dental hygienist to join our team and help us achieve our clinic goals. If you thrive on teamwork and helping provide the highest quality patient care to an underserved population, possess excellent communication skills and have a positive attitude, this position is for you!

Wake County Health & Human Services (WCHHS) Dental Clinic provides comprehensive services for children ages birth to twenty years. The patient population served includes those with Medicaid as well as uninsured low income children for which a sliding fee is available based on household income. The dental clinic is involved with the annual Give Kids A Smile program each February as well as community outreach including dental screenings of North Carolina Pre-K children in Wake County to facilitate early detection of childhood caries. Wake County Dental Clinic is a recipient of the Delta Dental Foundation Smiles for Kids Program Grant which provided more than 325 sealants for over 120 children in 2023. The Dental Clinic was also a recipient of the Community Health Medical Access Program grant from the NC DHHS since October 2017 that allows children ages 0 to 20 years to receive preventative dental services (i.e. exam, cleanings, x-rays & Fluoride varnish) at no cost. To date more than 6,000 preventative dental visits have been provided through this grant opportunity.

The Dental Hygienist position is responsible for providing direct clinical preventative dental services to qualified citizens of Wake County. This position is also required to provide patient and parent dental education in the clinic. General workload is determined by patient appointment schedule. The position will also be involved with providing guidance to dental students, dental assisting students and dental hygiene students. This position will directly report the Dental Director.

Essential job functions of this position include:

  • Direct patient care responsibilities in WCHS Dental Clinic involving proper management of treatment needs and patient behavior which include but are not limited to: performing appropriate dental hygiene procedures; exposing, developing, and mounting radiographs; seating and readying patient for dental appointment; dismissing patient; proper infection control/sterilization protocols related to the dental setting; application of dental sealants and applying Fluoride varnish
  • Responsible for providing educational opportunities for rotating dental students, dental hygiene students and dental assisting students
  • Responsible for maintaining and developing a good working relationship with entire WCHS Dental Clinic conducive of establishing a team centered working environment
  • Participation and involvement with community outreach events such as Give Kids A Smile in efforts to promote public relations
  • Responsible for staying abreast on latest dental techniques and materials as well as infection control standards for the dental setting as specified by the CDC, OSHA and other regulation entities

The Basics (Required Education and Experience)

  • Associate’s degree or equivalent from an accredited dental hygiene program
  • One year of experience as a dental hygienist
  • Licensed to practice as Dental Hygienist by the NC State Board of Dental Examiners
  • CPR
  • Equivalent education and experience are NOT accepted
  • Please include ALL prior work experience on your application and resume.