Community Health Dental Hygienist

Indian Health Service; Davis (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Indian Health Service in Davis, CA seeks a Community Health Dental Hygienist to support quality dental care for American Indian communities. You will deliver preventive services, perform screenings, and promote oral health in clinics, schools, and community settings.

The role emphasizes patient education, disease prevention, and collaboration with dentists and health teams to improve community wellness while upholding federal standards and culturally appropriate care.

Qualifications

• Prophylaxis, periodontal and preventive care for patients of all ages.
• Experience with dental screenings and medical/dental histories.
• Ability to perform intraoral/exam, charting, cancer screening, and tissue evaluation.
• Capable of radiographs within scope and interpretation for dentist review.
• Patient and community education using culturally appropriate materials.
• Plan and document preventive oral health programs across settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide prophylaxis and preventive oral care for all ages.
• Conduct preliminary dental screenings and review histories.
• Perform intraoral/external exams, charting, screening.
• Capture and interpret digital radiographs for dentist review.
• Instruct patients and communities in oral hygiene.
• Plan and evaluate preventive oral health programs.
• Advise on dental health promotion across the service unit.

Skills

Dental prophylaxis

Periodontal assessment

Oral hygiene instruction

Medical/dental history review

Education

Associate degree in Dental Hygiene

Dental Hygiene licensure

Tools

Digital radiography software

Job description

Summary

Join the Indian Health Service as a Community Health Dental Hygienists and support quality healthcare services for American Indian communities. Guided by our mission to improve the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people, you will help deliver safe and effective dental services while creating healthy smiles, restoring confidence, and promoting overall wellness in the communities we serve.

Summary

Join the Indian Health Service as a Community Health Dental Hygienists and support quality healthcare services for American Indian communities. Guided by our mission to improve the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people, you will help deliver safe and effective dental services while creating healthy smiles, restoring confidence, and promoting overall wellness in the communities we serve.

A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

Duties

Help

• Provide advanced prophylactic, periodontal, and preventive oral care for patients of all ages.
• Conducts preliminary dental screenings and reviews patient medical/dental histories.
• Performs intraoral and extraoral examinations, including periodontal charting, oral cancer screening, and evaluation of soft/hard tissues for evidence of disease or pathology.
• Captures and interprets digital dental radiographs within scope; identifies periodontal status, caries, calculus, bone levels, and abnormalities for dentist review.
• Instructs patients, families, staff, and community partners in oral hygiene techniques using demonstrations, visual aids, and culturally appropriate materials.
• Plan, deliver, evaluate, and document preventive oral health programs that enhance population health. The program offers preventive, diagnostic, restorative, periodontal outreach services in clinics, schools, and community settings.
• Serves as principal advisor for dental health promotion and disease prevention efforts across the service unit.

Requirements: (Continued)

IHS Selectees whose duties and responsibilities require them to work permanently, temporarily, or occasionally in an IHS healthcare facility must comply with the IHS Employee Immunization Policy related to vaccine-preventable diseases, consistent with recommendations for healthcare workers. Vaccine exemption requests may be available, as outlined in the IHS Employee Immunization Policy and facility guidance. This is a competitive vacancy announcement advertised under Delegated Examining Authority. Selections made under this vacancy announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given new appointments to the civil service; however, benefits, time served, and all other Federal entitlements would remain the same.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period.

U.S. Citizenship is required.

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

Physical Demands: Long periods of sitting, standing, bending, and lifting portable equipment.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment. A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other