Dentist

Fair Haven Community Health Care 

FHCHC is a forward-thinking, dynamic, and exciting community health center that provides care for multiple generations at nearly 140,000 office visits in 19 locations. Overseen by a Board of Directors, the majority of whom are patients themselves, we are proud to offer a wide range of primary and specialty care services, as well as evidence-based patient programs to educate patients in healthy lifestyle choices. As we grow and are able to bring high-quality health care to more areas that need access, we continue to put our patients first in everything we do. The mission of FHCHC is “To improve the health and social well-being of the communities we serve through equitable, high quality, patient-centered care that is culturally responsive.”

For over 50 years, we have been a health care leader in our community focused on providing excellent, affordable primary care to all patients, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Fair Haven is proud to have a diverse and motivated team of professionals who are constantly seeking ways to enhance and improve the health and well-being of all patients. We believe that everyone should have access to high-quality medical and dental care, regardless of ability to pay.

Job purpose

Provides direct dental oral health care and oral health education to children, adults, and coordinate dental treatment plans.    

Duties and responsibilities

Reporting to the Dental Director, the Dentist will be part of a growing team committed to high quality patient care.

 Typical duties include but are not limited to:

• Evaluates patients’ intraoral & peri-oral hard and soft tissue condition; including caries, endodontic/periodontal pathology, soft tissue and developmental pathology. 
• Develops patient treatment plans; including preventative, endodontic, periodontal, restorative, prosthetic and follow up care. 
• Prescribes and carries out appropriate dental/oral treatment, or refer out complex endodontic, surgical and periodontal treatment. Perform and complete the remaining portion of treatment plan in conformance with approved clinical protocols and guidelines. 
• Provides safe, competent and ethically responsible patient-centered dental services to adults and children. The specific procedures which the applicant is expected to be proficient in and expected to perform are: amalgam and composite restorations, single and double canal endodontic therapy, extraction of erupted teeth and roots including simple surgical procedures, prophylaxis, periodontal scaling & root planning, and fixed and removable prosthodontics Space maintainers and removable single tooth movement appliances should be planned and performed. 
• Records patient-dentist transactions as they occur in the patient’s dental record so that the dental record accurately and completely reflects the nature of the encounter, the condition of the patient and the care or treatment provided.  
• Provides professional consultation to other staff dentists when needed  
• Supervises and evaluates the work performance of the dental hygienist and dental assistant. 
• Maintains productivity standards that are common to community health centers. 
• Completes referrals, data collections and other records or paper work as shall be required from time to time by the dental department. 
• Educates individuals in the nature of oral health related conditions and in the general promotion of oral health related disease prevention. 
• Helps to promote and execute dental initiatives as outlined by Dental Director.  
• Completes all required organizational trainings in a timely fashion.  

Qualifications

• One to two years’ dental experience preferred (new graduates will also be considered). 
• Familiarity with dental billing and coding procedures. 
• Strong oral and written communication, interpersonal, leadership and team building skills. 
• Possesses a comprehensive knowledge of primary dental care in outpatient settings. 
• Demonstrates interest in the knowledge of the principles and practice of modern dentistry as related to public health organizations and community health programs including, but not limited to:  current social and economic constraints pertaining to public health and their impact on primary oral health care. 
• An interest in treating underserved patient populations. Providing emergency, preventative and basic restorative care  
• Graduate from an accredited Dental School (DDS/DMD)  
• Unrestricted license to practice dentistry in the State of Connecticut 
• DEA certificate/CT Controlled Substance Registration 
• CPR certification/Medicaid provider number  
• Experience with Electronic Dental Records and digital radiography  preferred 
• Bilingual in Spanish strongly recommended 

Direction of Others

None

OSHA Status

Category I Increased Risk Position

Potential exposure to hazardous waste and blood borne pathogens, clinical setting

Yearly Infection Control Training

Physical requirements

Physical Demands: Requires walking, bending, sitting, standing, writing, reading, telephone use, data input into computer, pulling medical records, Mental Demands: Ability to cope with continual changing priorities under potentially stressful conditions. Manual Dexterity Required:  Ability to use a keyboard, telephone.

American with Disabilities Requirements:

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled, must be able to perform the essential job specific functions (listed within each job specific responsibility) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by the organization on a case by case basis.

Fair Haven Community Health Care is an Equal Opportunity Employer. FHCHC does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.