Public Health Dental Officer

Clean teeth and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. May educate patients on oral hygiene, take and develop x-rays, or apply fluoride or sealants.

Sample of reported job titles:  Dental Hygienist, Mobile Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Hygienist, Implant Coordinator, Pediatric Dental Hygienist, Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), Registered Dental Hygienist, Part Time Clinical Faculty.

Daily/ Routine Task

1. 1.Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
2. 2.Record and review patient medical histories.
3. 3.Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
4. 4.Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.
5. 5.Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.
6. 6.Maintain dental equipment and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments. 
7. 7.Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.
8. 8.Apply fluorides or other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.
9. 9.Administer local anesthetic agents.
10. 10.Conduct dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.

Key Knowledge Area

• Medicine and Dentistry — Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Biology — Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Skills Needed

• Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Career Interests

Interest Code: SRC

• Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Work Styles

• Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Concern for others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
• Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
• Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Work Values

• Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
• Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
• Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.