Dental Hygienist

Nova Scotia Health Authority; Sydney; On-site; CAD 45,000 - 55,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental & travel insurance

Long-term disability & life insurance

Defined benefit pension

Job summary

Nova Scotia Health seeks a Dental Hygienist to lead community oral health initiatives in the Eastern Zone. You will collaborate with public policy and engagement teams, advocate for policy changes, and develop programs with schools and community partners to improve population oral health.

You must be licensed as an RDH/DH, hold a Dental Hygiene degree, and bring experience in program planning, evaluation, and building sustainable partnerships.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Dental Hygiene and a Bachelor's Degree; Bachelors in Dental Hygiene preferred.
• Must be licensed and in good standing with a provincial regulatory body (e.g. C DHNS) and hold RDH or DH designation; licensure maintained.
• Experience in planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of oral health-related programs and initiatives.
• Demonstrated core competencies for Public Health & LEADS and ability to build strategic partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Lead on oral health initiatives and participate in related advocacy work.
• Develop and implement oral health-focused programs and policies with community partners.
• Engage schools, childcare facilities and municipalities to promote oral health.
• Collaborate with public health teams to assess community oral health and inform decisions.

Skills

Oral health program planning

Partnership development

Public Health LEADS familiarity

Self-directed planning

First Aid/CPR

Education

Diploma in Dental Hygiene

Bachelor's Degree in Dental Hygiene

Job description

Location: Eastern Zone, Prime Brook

Department: PH HC Oral Health EZ

Type of Employment: PermanentHourly PT (83%) x 1

Union: NSGEUHealthcarePosition

Posting Closing Date: 20-Nov-26

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the Manager, Healthy Communities, the Public Health Dental Hygienist works in collaboration with the Consultants (Public Policy & Social Action, Strategic Partnership & Engagement, and Health Equity) and the rest of the Healthy Communities Team to address local population health needs and to take action to improve population health and reduce health inequities. The Dental Hygienist is the lead on oral health /initiatives and participates collaboratively in advocacy work as it relates to oral health. They use a health equity approach and works directly with key partners (e.g. school communities, childcarefacilities, municipalities) to provide tangible oral health support to develop and implement oral health focused programs and policies.

The Dental Hygienist, using evidence-informed strategies, seeks and advocates for policy and system change, with emphasis on optimizing oral health through community engagement, coalition building, volunteer development, and partnership development. They continually assesscommunity oral health through both formal and informal means (e.g. community health profiles, Provincial Public Health Fluorideprogram, gathers local intelligence, seeks out experiences and stories). They recognize the conditions that impact oral health, recommends strategies and interventions to address, and works collaboratively to achieve positive oral health outcomes.

About You

We would love to hear from you if you have the following:

• Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Bachelor's Degree; Bachelors in Dental Hygiene preferred
• Must be licensed and a member in good standing with, a provincial regulatory body (e.g. the College of Dental Hygienist of Nova Scotia) and must hold RDH (Registered Dental Hygienist) or DH (Dental Hygienist) designation; must maintain licensure throughout course of employment.
• Experience in planning, development, implementation, and evaluation oral health-related programs, policies, services and initiatives.
• Demonstrated proficiencies in the Core competencies for Public Health & LEADS.
• Demonstrated success in building strategic partnerships, networks, coalitions, and collaborative working relationships with a variety of internal and external partners to support healthy communities (particularly oral health) work
• Demonstrates an understanding of population based approach
• Demonstrated ability to plan and be self-directed, including the ability to set clear and realistic goals, activities, timelines, deliverables and accountability for own/team function in conjunction with team members.
• Able to conduct assessments and analysis
• Demonstrated knowledge of volunteer recruitment, training and retention methods
• First Aid/CPR Certification
• Competencies in other languages an asset, French preferred

Please ensure your resume is up to date and includes all relevant education, experience, training, and certifications.

Hours

• Permanent, part time position, 75 hours biweekly
• Dental Hygienist work 75 hours biweekly for an approximate ten-month period, aligning with the school calendar year. Their salary is pro-rated to 0.83 FTE, paid over a twelve-month period, contributing to a period of leave during a pre-determined summer break in July and August

Compensation and Benefits

$32.55 - $39.91 Hourly

$41.31 hourly with 25 years of service with the employer

Successful candidates may be eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, which includes health, dental, and travel insurance; long-term disability and life insurance coverage; and a defined benefit pension plan. Additional wellness, development and employee support programs may also be available.

What You'll Love About Nova Scotia Health

Nova Scotia Health is more than the province's largest provider of health services; we're a team driven by excellence in health, healing and learning. Across hospitals, health centres and community programs, our people deliver innovative, high-quality care that impacts lives across Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.

From vibrant city life to scenic coastal communities, Nova Scotia offers a lifestyle as rewarding as the work itself. At Nova Scotia Health, you'll find meaningful career opportunities, supportive teams and the work-life balance to enjoy everything our beautiful province has to offer. Join us and discover why so many people are choosing to call Nova Scotia home.

Once You've Applied

Thank you for your interest in this position. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. This is a Healthcare bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Nova Scotia Health is committed to being a workforce that is free of discrimination, values diversity, and is representative, at all job levels, of the people we serve. We encourage all qualified applicants who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotian, Persons of Colour, Foreign Nationals/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply and self-identify.

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