JOB DESCRIPTION (JD)
1. JOB DETAILS |
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Job Title: |
Dental Hygienist –Therapist – 2posts |
Responsible to: |
Clinical Director Dental Services |
Reporting to: |
NHS Board Dentists |
Liases With: |
Dental Nurse Manager and Dental Teams |
Department & Base: |
Hawick and Coldstream Dental Centres |
Date this JD written/updated: |
17/11/08 |
Job Reference number: |
PCS445 |
2. JOB PURPOSE
To provide a range of clinical, restorative and or preventative dental procedures for patients registered with NHS Borders Dental Services.
This post is vital in the prevention and treatment of oral disease and will practice under prescription from the Salaried Dental Practitioners supporting and developing treatment programmes for patients.
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3. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION
Clinical Director of Dental Services
Dental Management Team
Dental Oral Health Team
Senior Dentists
Locality Dentists
Dental Practice Managers
Hygiene Therapist
Dental Nurses
Dental Support
Staff
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4. SCOPE AND RANGE
The postholder will support the NHS Borders dental service providing clinical sessions at several surgeries or mobile dental units. Treatment will be provided in accordance with the range of dental treatment permitted for dental therapist/hygienist by the General Dental Council. NHS Borders Dentists will prescribe treatment and the post holder will develop the appropriate treatment plan and implement care. The therapist/hygienist will also provide extensive oral health treatments and preventative advice to a wide range of patient groups.
Duties include
- Intra and extra oral assessments using diagnostic indices, monitoring oral disease.
- Treats all patient types, and provides oral health interventions and education to enable improvement in health.
- Extract deciduous teeth under local analgesia without direct supervision from the dentist.
- Undertake pulpotomies and placement of stainless steel crowns on deciduous teeth
- Treat patients under conscious sedation with support from dentist.
- Routine restorations in deciduous and permanent teeth from class 1-5 cavity preparations.
- Emergency temporary replacement of crowns and fillings.
- Take impressions and x-rays which may include casting and wet processing of film.
- Uses all materials except pre cast or pinned replacements.
- Scaling teeth including prevision of specialist periodontal invasive therapy.
- Application of prophylactic materials and medicaments.
- Application of rubber dam
- Promote health improvement policy aims and objectives.
The postholder is only permitted to undertake duties for which they have been adequately trained and for which a written prescription from a dentist has been received.
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5. MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
- Accepting patients on referral from NHS Borders dental practitioners.
- Checking and recording clinical, periodontal and medical history conditions prior and during treatment.
- Discussion of treatment plan with the patient, including review of progress and monitoring disease.
- Dental health education and oral hygiene instruction on an individual or group basis with dietary advice and use of dental sundries for caries prevention to improve the patient and carers knowledge to enable healthy choices.
- Treatment is to include the full range permitted under the regulations, including restorations, extractions of deciduous teeth, placing preformed crowns impressions, x-rays, emergency care, scaling, root surface debridement, polishing along with post treatment instructions for self care.
- Organise and maintain an efficient admin system to enable essential recording of information to be available when required.
- As well as performing scaling and polishing the post holder can give specialist information on, prevention, nutrition, use of fluoride and smoking cessation.
- Administration of local anaesthetic and drugs in accordance with current legislation.
- Preventive care including provision of fissure sealants and fluoride applications.
- Contribute to clinical governance; elements will include compliance with all relevant NHS management procedures.
- Participation in clinical audit programmes or projects. Supervision of trainee dental nurse staff providing teaching input and evidence for SVQ portfolios.
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- SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT
Telephone and Mobile Phone
Fax Machine
Photocopier, Scanner, Printer, Computer
Dental Software Kodak R4, monitor recall systems.
Microsoft office software.
Oral Health promotion materials, visual aids, interactive media information, models and literature.
Specialist dental equipment includes
- Intra Oral X-ray Machine
- Dental Chair specialised equipment value over £30k
- Curing light, apex locator
- Autoclave, ultrasonic cleaner, washer disinfector.
- Cavitron scaler/ Titan air scaler/dental handpieces
- Hoist, manual handling aids
- Velopex x-ray developer
- Amalgamator
- Digital - camera, intra oral camera, x-ray sensors
- Inhalation Sedation equipment, Quantiflex MDM machine and its components.
- Vehicle over 10 tonnes and value over £100k
- Domiciliary equipment and emergency dental drugs.
- Blood pressure monitor, automated external defibrillator
As well as clinical duties other duties include
Prepare the surgery or mobile dental unit for clinical duties, ensuring a supply of water, compressed air and suction. Check the function and maintain records of fixed or portable dental equipment including oxygen cylinders, emergency drugs, emergency equipment velopex, autoclave and computer.
All NHS Borders policies, protocols and procedures for patient and staff care and well being are to be implemented and maintained.
To ensure all NHS Borders policies, protocols and procedures for patient and staff care and well-being are implemented and maintained.
Electronic dental patient management system software and office software are used in the surgery.
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7. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
The Postholder must work within GDC regulations, legislation for dental hygienists-therapist and NHS Borders policy and protocols ensuring the confidentiality of the patient.
The post holder will work autonomously, managed not supervised to carry out clinical treatment as prescribed by the dentist and is required to make clinical judgements during delivery of care.
The post holder will provide a range of specialist oral health advice, instruction and dental education in relation to the treatment needs of patients with complex needs and their carers .
The anticipation and management of problems in the clinical setting and referring back to the dentist for further advice in case of difficulty.
The postholder will provide clinical supervision to trainees and is responsible for the clinical workload and coordination of all surgery appointment books.
Planning of domiciliary visits if required and other duties to make best use of the clinical time and other resources available.
The hygienist-therapist may on occasions offer toothbrushes and similar items for sale on behalf of the Board and maintain records.
The dental hygienist-therapist will provide information to patients and the referring dentist on patient progress on treatment. All treatment must be prescribed in writing by the referring dentist and the hygienist-therapist should liaise closely with referring dentists and seek help in the event of any uncertainty or difficulty.
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8. COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Internal within NHS Borders, verbally, written and electronically.
External, verbally, written and electronically may include:
- Schools
- Nursing Homes/Care Homes
- General Dental Practitioners
- Patients/Carers, providing and receiving information requiring tact and persuasion.
- Social Services
- Dental Practice Board
- General Public
The dental hygienist-therapist has responsibility for motivation and counselling of a range of patients some with high complex needs and liaising with colleagues as required.
Emotional demands of this job in particular are significant as a high proportion of patients have complex medical conditions and needs, physical and learning disabilities and dental anxiety or phobia which intensifies the need for highly skilled communication and concentration.
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9. PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB
Dental hygiene-therapists require highly developed physical skills with a high degree of precision and manual dexterity
Intensive lengthy periods of concentration are required.
Manual handling skills for moving patients and domiciliary equipment
Assembly of equipment, attaching umbilical services to Mobile Dental Unit and operation of levelling jacks.
Standing/sitting in a fixed position for long periods of time during precise dental procedures.
Speed and accuracy in making appropriate clinical recordings.
Occasional exposure to distressing or emotive cases and to interpret the needs of both patients and clinicians and be able to deal with them promptly and efficiently.
Frequent exposure to unpleasant oral conditions, such as halitosis, bodily fluids, infected tissues.
Stress of treating and communicating with patients, carers and relatives with high complex needs who may be unpredictable while maintaining a calm and professional manner.
Repetition of instruction and advice to patients who may not be motivated to change their behaviour.
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10. MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB
- Manipulation of fine tools and materials. High degree of accuracy and developed physical and motor skills required.
- Treating and communicating with a full patient range that has behavioural, challenging, complex needs and personalities.
- Frequent exposure to blood borne viruses and infection, unpleasant and hazardous substances.
- Completion of all necessary paperwork as well as clinical duties from several clinicians and multiple clinics.
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This job description is not definitive and may be subject to
future amendments following negotiation and consultation.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
For the post of Dental Hygienist-Therapist.
Below are the essential and desirable knowledge, training (including qualifications) and experience required to do this job.
ESSENTIAL
2 Registration with GDC with portfolio to show CPD and evidence of knowledge on current legislation regarding eg consent, antibiotic prophylaxis, infection control etc.
3. Knowledge and skills of a range of oral health procedures relevant to this post
4 Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills with evidence of recording medical histories and interpretation of medical conditions which impact on post duties
5 Ability to work on own initiative within the limits of prescribed treatment and as part of a team, with a tactful and diplomatic approach in dealing with sensitive and confidential information.
6 Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise workload, with a willing, flexible and enthusiastic approach to work.
7. Experience in either CDS/GDS/hospital dental services, or in the armed forces dental service.
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DESIRABLE
1 Clinical experience
2 Standard driving licence
3 Post holder should be willing to undertake any training that may be necessary to carry out the work effectively and efficiently
4 Up to date knowledge and experience of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
5 Knowledge of dental practice software
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Grade and salary: Band 5 £20,710 - £26,839 per annum
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week. Permanent
Annual leave: 27 days + 8 days public holidays per annum
Details of other types of leave entitlement (such as sick leave) are set out in the Agenda for Change Council handbooks.
In NHS Borders, we believe that all staff should be treated equally in employment. We will not discriminate against any member of staff, or job applicant, on grounds of
- age;
- gender or choice of sexual lifestyle;
- being married or not;
- race, colour or ethnic origin;
- religion or belief;
- disability; or
- Trade Union membership.
Disclosure checks:
We carry out criminal record checks on all new staff, through Disclosure Scotland. We send out Disclosure Forms to all shortlisted candidates, and ask for these to be completed and returned at interview. If a successful-at-interview candidate forgets to bring their completed form to interview, then they will be required to return the form (and proofs of identity) within 7 days, otherwise the provisional job offer will be withdrawn. Unsuccessful candidates forms will be shredded.
Tobacco policy:
We have a Tobacco policy in place. When selecting staff, we do not discriminate against applicants who smoke, but staff must observe our policy on smoking.
We offer Hepatitis B immunisation through our Occupational Health Service (OHS). If you think you may be at risk of contracting Hepatitis B through your job, you should ask for this immunisation at OHS.
If your work involves exposure-prone procedures, you must keep to the document “Protecting Health Care Workers and Patients from Hepatitis B”, and the NHSiS Management Executive Directive on this issue. You must be immune to Hepatitis B, and if you cannot prove that you are immune, OHS will investigate to find out whether you are Hepatitis B positive or not.
Health and Safety at Work:
You must take look after the health and safety of yourself and anyone else who may be affected by what you do at work. You must also co-operate with us to make sure that we keep to legal and organisational safety regulations. You can get more information from the NHS Borders’ Health & Safety Adviser.
The closing date for completed application forms is: 5pm on Monday 25 May 2009 |
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