Dental Hygienists: Oral Care Starts With You

Who we are: La Clínica de La Raza is a community-based health center committed to providing culturally appropriate, high-quality, and accessible health care to the diverse communities of the San Francisco Bay Area. We have spent over 40 years advocating for and creating a health home for the many that have been denied access to care. As health care activists, we are dedicated to making sure individuals who do not have health coverage get the same level of quality healthcare as those who have it. From our genesis as a community health center in 1971, we understood that we cannot heal our communities without also addressing the economic and social factors that affect health. Many times, this requires that we go outside and provide services in other settings to build the bridge that links individuals to our health center for preventive and primary care. Over 90,000 individuals come to La Clínica because it is a welcoming place that addresses the whole person, coordinating and connecting them to a broad network of services to improve and maintain their health and well-being. While we are still known for our activism and spirit of social justice, we are also proud to have grown into a sophisticated provider of primary health care services with 35 sites across Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties.

Oral care starts with you: As vulnerable populations lose access to care, it becomes more important than ever that those who can lend their skills and passion to serving their communities step forward, live their values, and advance our mission. If you have this calling, La Clínica is the place for you. Join the La Clínica family and work shoulder to shoulder with some of the most dedicated dental professionals you’ll meet. The sense of teamwork, commitment to our community, and our dedication to giving our diverse patients the high quality dental care they deserve, will inspire you. You will be rewarded by your work with patients whose families choose La Clínica generation after generation. You will see the impact of your efforts as well as your colleagues in the faces of our patients. You will further your professional development through opportunities designed to build your skills as a mission-driven dental care provider. We offer robust perks including educational leave plus stipend, FTCA malpractice coverage, and flexible work schedules. In addition, we are a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) approved site for tax free loan repayment. Our clinics are located in the thriving Bay Area known for its cultural diversity, beautiful weather, highly sought after schools and year-round recreational activities.

Major Areas of Responsibility include but are not limited to:

Care Delivery

• Provide dental hygiene treatment to children and adults in a primary care setting.
• Perform dental prophylaxis, remove deposits (plaque, tartar, stain) from the teeth, and take and develop necessary radiographs.
• Apply preventive agents such as fluoride and sealants to the tooth surfaces and assist dentist, as required, in further treatment of teeth and gums.
• Examine teeth and gums for signs of disease or decay.
• Chart such conditions for further diagnosis and treatment by dentist and for proper patient record maintenance.
• Administer local anesthetic agents

Patient Experience

• Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients
• Record and review patient medical histories
• Serve as a member of the cross-functional team of providers, engaged in routine and preventive dental care.
• Flexibility in meeting patients’ needs, and able to work evenings and Saturday clinics

Office Management

• Report accurately all procedures to billing staff for proper billing to patient or third party payors
• Maintain dental equipment and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments.
• Other duties as assigned supervisor

Minimum Job Requirements

Knowledge

• Knowledge of OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard and adherence to safety rules and professional standards
• Knowledge of evidence based approaches to dental care
• Cultural competence working in diverse/low income communities

Abilities

• Ability to convey information effectively
• Ability to considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
• Ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects
• Ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer)

Experience and Other Certifications

• California State License to practice as a dental hygienist, plus licensure in dental radiographs
• Anesthesia certification preferred
• One to four years of dental hygienist experience working in primary care clinic setting
• High degree of interpersonal competence with both staff and patients
• Must hold a current BLS (Basis Life Support) /CPR Certificate. You will have a 30-day grace period to obtain your certificate from the date of hire.