Embedded Dental Hygienist

Marana Health is seeking an Embedded Dental Hygienist to join our Dental team at the Oro Valley Pediatrics Health Center, located in Oro Valley, Arizona.

The Embedded Dental Hygienist provides preventive dental hygiene services, oral health education, screenings, and care coordination in integrated medical and other non-traditional care settings. Working collaboratively with dental, medical, behavioral health, and other care teams, this position promotes early identification of oral health needs, improves access to dental services, and supports continuity of care through appropriate education, referrals, and follow-up.

Marana Health is a Federally Qualified Community Health Center (FQHC), with 11 sites in Tucson and Pima County. Our mission is to improve our community by providing exceptional, whole-person healthcare.

Required Qualifications

Associate degree in Dental Hygiene from an accredited institution

5 years’ experience as a Dental Hygienist and/or Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene from an accredited institution

Affiliated Practice Dental Hygiene agreement with a Marana Health dentist.

Current Arizona State Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) license from the Arizona State Board of Dentistry (ASBD)

Anesthesia Certification

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Fingerprint Clearance Card through the Arizona Department of Public Safety

Current Arizona driver’s license with clean driving record and proof of current vehicle insurance (39-month MVR will be run by MH)

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene from an accredited institution

Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Embedded Dental Hygiene experience

Experience with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)

An equivalent combination of directly related education and experience may be considered when it provides the knowledge and skills required to perform the essential functions of the position.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

No supervisory responsibilities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of dental hygiene principles, preventive oral healthcare, periodontal care, and patient education.

Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws, regulations, professional standards, and scope-of-practice requirements.

Knowledge of infection prevention and control standards, protocols, and procedures.

Ability to provide dental hygiene services effectively in traditional and non-traditional clinical settings.

Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with dental, medical, behavioral health, and other interdisciplinary care teams.

Ability to identify oral health concerns, determine appropriate follow-up needs, and facilitate referrals and continuity of care.

Strong patient education and communication skills with the ability to explain oral health conditions, preventive care, and treatment recommendations in an understandable manner.

Ability to establish rapport and provide patient-centered care to individuals from diverse backgrounds, ages, and levels of health literacy.

Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.

Ability to adapt to varying clinical environments, workflows, patient populations, and operational needs.

Ability to maintain accurate, timely, and complete clinical documentation in the electronic health record.

Ability to effectively coordinate care and communicate relevant oral health information with members of the interdisciplinary care team.

Proficiency with electronic health records, Microsoft Office applications, and other technology necessary to perform job responsibilities.

Demonstrated commitment to professionalism, confidentiality, patient safety, and high-quality care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Promotes the patients’ dental health by delivering comprehensive dental hygiene services in a quality-oriented and cost-effective manner.

Supports the dentist and dental team members and works in a professional, cooperative and congenial manner with the entire dental staff (i.e., dentist, hygienists, students, dental assistants, and dental receptionists).

Maintains an active affiliated practice agreement with MH to provide services at other sites as authorized by the Senior Director of Dental Services.

Captures dental encounters in a non-traditional setting such as medical, behavioral health and schools offering services of dental screenings, fluoride varnish application, nutritional counseling and oral hygiene instructions.

Offering comprehensive dental services by conversion from the medical or behavioral health appointments.

Supports the capacity of the dentists to deliver patient care by acting as a dental auxiliary in providing expanded function services to the patients.

Develops strong working relationships with medical and behavioral health providers that enhance communication regarding the oral health needs of their patients.

Collaborates with a broad spectrum of health professionals while working across traditional boundaries to achieve success.

Develops rapport with patients, family, staff members and management.

Participates in community outreach events coordinated by Marana Health.

Depending on need, performs duties at various site locations and travels to other locations on an as-needed basis, providing coverage and filling in as assigned. Travel with same day notice may be required.

Provides comprehensive dental hygiene services in a traditional dental team environment at the direction of the team dentist.

Ability to deliver dental hygiene care, which is considered reasonable, prudent, and within the abilities of a dental hygienist; to include, but not limited to, the following procedures:

Radiology: Takes high quality, diagnostic images as prescribed by the dentist.

Preventive: Performs dental prophylaxis, the application of topical fluorides including fluoride varnish, and the application of pit and fissure sealants.

Patient Education: Instructs patients in all phases of oral hygiene, home care technique, nutritional counseling, and tobacco cessation utilizing motivational interviewing techniques.

Periodontics: Performs periodontal scaling/root planning, conservative periodontal therapy (i.e., placement of controlled-release chemotherapeutic agents), and periodontal maintenance procedures.

Adjunctive: Administers local anesthesia, nitrous oxide analgesia under supervision of a dentist and all other services allowed within the scope of the AZ Dental Practice Act regarding regulation of dental hygienists.

Prepares treatment area for patients by cleaning, sterilizing, and setting up treatment area and equipment.

Assesses patient health by interviewing patients, performing visual examinations, and by obtaining, updating, and studying medical and dental health histories.

Determines abnormal conditions and performs oral cancer screenings.

Maintain documentation of patient care services by completing patient and department records in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Performs therapeutic procedures by ordering and administering injections and performing corrective, preventive, and periodontal procedures as authorized by the Board of Dentistry.

Instructs and counsels patients by describing therapeutic regimens, giving normal growth and development information, providing counseling on problems of daily care, and promoting wellness and health maintenance.

Provides continuity of care by developing and implementing patient management plans.

Protects patients and employees by complying with infection control policies and procedures.

Maintains a safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.

Complies with federal, state, and local requirements by studying existing and new legislation, anticipating future legislation, enforcing adherence to requirements, and advising management on needed actions.

Serves on committees aimed at compliance and quality assurance and management and performs peer review as requested.

Maintains clinic standards of care by adhering to the ASBD and other governing bodies.

Performs Dental Assistant duties as needed including proper sterilization, assisting Dentists with procedures, sealants, and other dental services.

Adheres to expectations of required in-services, certifications, and licensure.

Mentor’s and participates in the training of dental hygiene students.

Works clinical sessions and/or mentor/coaches dental hygiene students during clinical sessions as assigned by the Dental Hygiene Manager.

Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies.

Participates in in-service and Quality Improvement education opportunities.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Marana Health strives to be the premier provider and employer in community health. We believe caring for our community begins with supporting the health and well-being of our employees.

Eligible employees may receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Health Savings Account with an employer contribution for employees enrolled in the qualifying high-deductible health plan

403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution

Short-term disability and other voluntary worksite benefits

Paid time off, including vacation and sick leave accrual

11 paid holidays

Paid bereavement leave, including one day of pet bereavement leave

Paid jury duty and community service leave

Education reimbursement of up to $3,000 per fiscal year for eligible full-time employees

Company-paid basic life and AD&D insurance

Company-paid long-term disability coverage

Employee Assistance Program

Employee wellness programs and additional discounts

Benefits and eligibility may vary based on employment classification, scheduled hours, position, and applicable plan or policy terms.