Job summary
Dental Hygienist, Band 5 (4.5 hours a week)
The Dental Hygienist role is part of a specialist team within Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Orthodontics department. They would be working alongside our Oral Surgeons, restorative dentist and Orthodontic Clinicians and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. The post holder would be responsible for managing their own clinical case load of patients, referred by the clinicians within the department, for assessment of their oral health.
Main duties of the job
- Under the direction and prescription of a registered clinician, who has examined the patient and indicated in writing the course of treatment to be provided. This is in accordance with the current General Dental Council (GDC) regulations and within the hygienist scope of practice.
- The hygienist will be responsible to assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatments for oral hygiene including dry mouth, plaque control and periodontal health for individual care plans.
- Communicate effectively with patients, carers, relatives and all members of the multidisciplinary team, including giving of advice and information regarding their treatment and ongoing care.
- Be responsible for recording and maintaining own records of treatment as part of the patient's hospital notes.
- Performs a comprehensive assessment of the patients oral status through examination of the oral cavity, recording the presence of any dental diseases or abnormalities.
- Take on responsibility for personal development and support the development and supervision of others by developing and maintaining specialist knowledge of practice.
- Conduct oneself in a professional manner and be a role model to less experienced/ non registered and new staff at all times.
- Work proactively to ensure that every patient attendance meets the patients expectations and needs with timely undertaking of procedure, and effective communication with relatives, patients and carers.
About us
We have 18 Registered Dental Nurses, 1 Apprentice Dental Nurse, 3 Staff Nurses, 3 Healthcare Assistants working within a very busy outpatients department. The oral and maxillofacial and orthodontics department work with a multidisciplinary team which covers a variety of head and neck procedures. We also have Dental Core Trainees in the department and a strong training ethos.
This is a cross-site specialty with all staff required to work at both Cheltenham General Hospital & Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Free transport is provided for trust staff by shuttle-bus between the two sites.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest employer in the county and with over 8,000 staff, we are one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK. We offer a generous annual leave allowance, excellent bank rates, access to the excellent NHS Pension Scheme, discounts for local shops, restaurants and services, access to our health and well-being hub, access to our two on-site nurseries, flexible working options, discounted public transport, reward and recognition schemes, exercise and activity classes and membership to our popular hospital choir.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidate will be expected to perform treatments in accordance with the patients prescription including:
- Scaling and polishing teeth using ultrasonic scaler and hand instruments,
- Explanation of the relationship between diet, disease and oral health
- Education of patients of good oral health and teaching the practice of good oral hygiene,
- Toothbrushing instruction including inter-dental cleaning if appropriate, Application of fluoride varnish,
- Counselling patients with advice for dry mouth in line with departmental protocols.
- The administration of chlorhexidine mouthwash for medically compromised patients
- Respond to emergency situations with composure, maintaining patient safety and seeking immediate support, supporting the patient, family and other staff as required.
- Appropriate treatment and management of the medically compromised/complex patient including:
Head and Neck cancer
Radiation therapy
Heart problems
Implant therapy
Osteoradionecrosis
- Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality at all times.
- Administering topical and local infiltration / regional block anaesthesia under prescription.
- The ability to listen and empathise with patients and their relatives/carers.
- Be able to communicate with patents, visitors and collages by telephone, face to face, in writing or electronically to ensure the effective running of the services.
- Ensure the important information relating to the patients physical condition is related to the appropriate personal.
- Appropriate referral to other clinicians when clinical intervention is required.
- Liaise with the members of the multi-disciplinary team regarding patients within the cancer care pathway
Professional practice
- Adhere to the GDC code of practice at all times and operate within the GDC scope of professional practice.
- Implement policies and propose changes to work practices within own sphere of work.
- Maintain quality in own work and contribute to improving quality
- Participate and promote the change process to meet the future needs of the service.
- Be competent in the use of all relevant Trust IT systems including the use of electronic patient record, email, and PACS.
- Maintain regular use of emails to keep abreast of information disseminated in the Trust
- Ensure clinical practice is evidence based or peer reviewed best practice in line with BSDHT guidance.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidate will be expected to perform treatments in accordance with the patients prescription including:
- Scaling and polishing teeth using ultrasonic scaler and hand instruments,
- Explanation of the relationship between diet, disease and oral health
- Education of patients of good oral health and teaching the practice of good oral hygiene,
- Toothbrushing instruction including inter-dental cleaning if appropriate, Application of fluoride varnish,
- Counselling patients with advice for dry mouth in line with departmental protocols.
- The administration of chlorhexidine mouthwash for medically compromised patients
- Respond to emergency situations with composure, maintaining patient safety and seeking immediate support, supporting the patient, family and other staff as required.
- Appropriate treatment and management of the medically compromised/complex patient including:
Head and Neck cancer
Radiation therapy
Heart problems
Implant therapy
Osteoradionecrosis
- Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality at all times.
- Administering topical and local infiltration / regional block anaesthesia under prescription.
- The ability to listen and empathise with patients and their relatives/carers.
- Be able to communicate with patents, visitors and collages by telephone, face to face, in writing or electronically to ensure the effective running of the services.
- Ensure the important information relating to the patients physical condition is related to the appropriate personal.
- Appropriate referral to other clinicians when clinical intervention is required.
- Liaise with the members of the multi-disciplinary team regarding patients within the cancer care pathway
Professional practice
- Adhere to the GDC code of practice at all times and operate within the GDC scope of professional practice.
- Implement policies and propose changes to work practices within own sphere of work.
- Maintain quality in own work and contribute to improving quality
- Participate and promote the change process to meet the future needs of the service.
- Be competent in the use of all relevant Trust IT systems including the use of electronic patient record, email, and PACS.
- Maintain regular use of emails to keep abreast of information disseminated in the Trust
- Ensure clinical practice is evidence based or peer reviewed best practice in line with BSDHT guidance.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Active registration with the GDC
- Degree/ Diploma in Oral hygiene
- Evidence of ongoing professional development through maintenance of professional portfolio and registration revalidation
Experience
Desirable
- Experience of working / dealing with a variety of patients including medically compromised patients and those being treated for head and neck cancers.
- Previous experience working in a hospital setting
Knowledge/ Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise own workload and that of others as appropriate
- Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
- Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment.
- Demonstrates ability to maintain and contribute to the development of standards of practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction with team
- Self-motivated and able to work under own initiative and prioritise workload
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Active registration with the GDC
- Degree/ Diploma in Oral hygiene
- Evidence of ongoing professional development through maintenance of professional portfolio and registration revalidation
Experience
Desirable
- Experience of working / dealing with a variety of patients including medically compromised patients and those being treated for head and neck cancers.
- Previous experience working in a hospital setting
Knowledge/ Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise own workload and that of others as appropriate
- Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
- Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment.
- Demonstrates ability to maintain and contribute to the development of standards of practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction with team
- Self-motivated and able to work under own initiative and prioritise workload
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
