Dental Hygienist

apartmentLiverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust placeLiverpool calendar_month 

Job overview

The post holder will work on outpatient clinics providing care under the supervision of Consultants and carry out active treatment plans for patients to prescriptions. They include patients with a range of periodontal conditions mainly moderate to severe periodontitis, but also including patients undergoing multidisciplinary care for oral cancer, hypodontia and cleft palate, orthodontic treatment and management of peri-implant diseases.
He/She is accountable for his/her own actions within the guidance set out by the General Dental Council within the Scope of Practice document. The post holder is responsible for contributing to the clinical management of patients, working in collaboration with Consultants in order to improve patient care.

They are responsible for maintaining high standards of clinical care with reference to relevant research and evidence-based practice. They maintain their own standard of practice and keep up to date adhering to CPD and appraisal protocols.

This post is for two days (15 hours); one of preferred days is a Thursday however this can be discussed at interview.

Main duties of the job
  • To undertake all aspects of non-surgical periodontal therapy and other prescribed treatments as below, underpinned by appropriate training and usually assisted by a dental nurse.
  • Advising and instructing patients on oral hygiene measures and diet and Smoking cessation advice.
  • Periodontal indices, charting and reassessment.
  • Scaling and root surface debridement of teeth, application of appropriate medicaments.
  • Appropriate use of local analgesia for treatment.
  • Application of topical fluorides.
  • Making of impressions for study models.
  • Re-cementing crowns (lost during dental hygiene treatment only).
  • Replacement of a filling removed during dental hygiene treatment with
temporary cement.
  • Such other procedures as may be required in order to comply with any future regulations governing the work of Dental Hygienists.
  • Manage own clinics and appointments, liaising with patients, clerical staff and Clinical Lead to ensure the care pathway is well organised.
  • Monitor and ensure cleanliness and infection prevention/control measures are adhered to.
  • Report any untoward incidents in accordance with Trust policy.
  • Maintain up to date records and ensure that confidentiality is respected at all times.
  • Maintain a commitment to improving the quality of service provided.

Working for our organisation

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation.

Liverpool Women’s Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK’s largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

For roles at Liverpool Women’s, visit their careers page.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
  • Maintain a commitment to improving the quality of service provided.
  • Keep fully conversant with resuscitation techniques, attending annual mandatory training. (BLS/ILS).
  • Safely use equipment ensuring all instruments and equipment in suitable condition prior to patient use.
  • Adheres to Trust policy on manual handling, participating in mandatory training.
  • Ensures effective and efficient use of resources.
  • Assist in the development of clinical policies, protocols and clinical pathways and evaluate patient outcomes.
  • Utilise 1st line resolution skills to deal with complaints and liaise with management team as required.
  • Comply with the GDC Professional Standards, Scope of Practice and
registration annually with the General Dental Council.
  • Maintain annual registration with General Dental Council.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to Professional Development.
  • Identify and promote innovative ideas regarding the provision of care pathways.
  • Establish and maintain communication links with the multidisciplinary team within the Dental Hospital.
  • Participate in annual appraisal and develop skills and knowledge in line with agreed objectives.
  • Undertake appropriate additional training to enhance clinical competence and knowledge.
  • Participate in departmental Restorative Dentistry meetings as required and provide feedback as appropriate.
  • At all times respect patient confidentiality and in particular, the confidentiality of electronically stored personal/manual data, in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
  • Assist in teaching of staff and students as required.
  • Undertake mandatory training within required timescales, meet training requirements and achieve timely update.
  • Undertake relevant courses to continuously develop knowledge & skills.
  • The post holder will be required to communicate across organisational boundaries as required

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Diploma in Dental Hygiene or Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy or equivalent
  • Identified training in additional duties for Dental Hygienist such as OMFS, Radiology, Impressions, Temps
  • Compliant with GDC CPD requirements

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrate experience of working in NHS / Private GDP, Hospital, Specialist Periodontal Practise, the community services or Armed forces
Desirable criteria
  • Previous experience of working in a dental team albeit in another clinical role e.g. dental nurse
  • Participation in clinical audits/ quality improvement programme in the work place

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrate clarity in written/spoken communication and be able to communicate effectively with staff and patients.
  • Capacity to work effectively within a multi-professional team
  • Capacity to take in others’ perspectives and treat others with understanding; sees patients as people
  • Capacity to manage time and information effectively. Capacity to operate under pressure. Basic IT skills

Please ensure you check the email account (including junk/spam boxes) from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.

Posts advertised to ‘internal staff’ are open to employees of hospitals within University Hospitals of Liverpool Group and you should confirm your employment within your application form.

Note: Under current Home Office Immigration Rules we are currently unable to offer right to work visa sponsorship for Band 2 and 3 roles with a salary of less than £25,000 pa as they do not meet the UK Visas & Immigration criteria.

Only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview.

We reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a minimum number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

Candidates applying for the role of Healthcare Assistant on the staff bank should note that due to the nature of the role, workers must be aged 18 or above when commencing in post. Applicants are therefore welcome from those aged over 18 or within 3 months’ of their 18^th birthday.

The Trust is committed to promoting a healthy work-life balance and achieve fair, equitable and consistent practice. We welcome flexible working requests and will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements from day one of your employment.

Not all roles are suitable for every flexible working opportunity all of the time. Flexible working options may include reduced hours, compressed hours, fixed shifts, time back in lieu and home working.

The Trust is committed to promoting equality and diversity; we value the contribution of individual talent, skills, knowledge and experience and aim for a workforce demography representative of the local community. We encourage applicants from the following groups that are currently under-represented in our workforce black, Asian and minority ethnic, lesbian, gay, bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ+), disabled, male and age 16-24.

Trust policy requires that the cost of submitting & processing the successful applicant/s DBS application be recovered via salary deduction following start in post. The amount of £23 (standard disclosure) or £43 (enhanced disclosure) will be deducted from salary, in manageable monthly instalments for up to 3 months following commencement of employment.

Bank posts require upfront payment. DBS applications submitted from 2nd December will be subject to the new DBS fee of £26.50 (standard) and £54.50 (Enhanced).

From April 2017, Skilled visa applicants and their adult dependant(s) will be required to provide a criminal record certificate from each country they have lived in consecutively for 12 months or more in the past ten years.

Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

This organisation has a zero-tolerance approach to the abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff must ensure they adhere to the organisations safeguarding children and adults’ policy and comply with the Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Board procedures.

Staff should be mindful of their responsibility to safeguard children and adults in any activity performed on behalf of the organisation in line with the requirements of statutory guidance and legislation.

All employees (and volunteers)are expected maintain their safeguarding knowledge and skills by completing mandatory safeguarding training which includes understanding and recognising the signs of abuse and neglect and taking appropriate action.

As an organisation, we have adopted the Merseyside Domestic abuse workplace scheme which supports our staff who are experiencing Domestic Abuse /any forms of sexual violence.

If you have any personal requirements that will enable you to participate in our recruitment process please contact a member of the Recruitment Services by phone on 0151 706 4666 at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable your application for this post.

Please note: new entrants to the NHS will commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.

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apartmentNorth London Dental CentreplaceBolton (Greater Manchester), 22 mi from Liverpool
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