Lead Dentist

Overview

The Lead Dentist is responsible for providing management and oversight for the daily operations of a regional dental clinical team, to include staff dental providers, dental assistants and dental front office. The Lead Dentist works closely with the Chief Dental Officer. This role also provides preventive and comprehensive dental care consistent with the dentist’s training and experience in a community health clinic setting to patients of the clinic.

• Examines individuals requesting care, diagnoses their dental condition, prescribes, and carries out, or directs others in carrying out, appropriate dental treatment, or refers individuals for specialty consultation or treatment in conformance with approved clinical protocols and guidelines.
• 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 contact, the condition of the patient and the care of treatment provided. Completes patient referrals and other records, and paperwork as required by the corporation.
• Educates individuals regarding the correlation of oral health and overall health and in the general promotion of oral health related disease prevention.
• Maintains and updates skills and knowledge to appropriate professional levels with continuing education courses and educational materials.
• Responsible for personal and professional compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and Clinic rules, regulations, protocols and procedures governing practice of dentistry and the clinical provision of dental care as well as those relating to personal issues, workplace safety, public health and confidentiality.
• Demonstrates full knowledge of infection and exposure control and sterile techniques for dental practice.
• Supervises dental department compliance related to infection and exposure control and safety, as required by local, state, and federal guidelines, dental department directives, protocols, and clinic policies and procedures.
• Works collaboratively with support staff, providing clear expectations.
• Works with Lead Medical Provider and Clinic Administrator to attain goals for efficiency, patient satisfaction, and productivity.
• Performs oral screenings to fill gaps in scheduling such as no-shows.
• Manages difficult clients and patients, demonstrating interpersonal savvy and influence skills.
• Exercises professional judgment in the performance of services provided, consistent with organization’s policies and the standards of the dental profession.
• Actively participates in community health fairs as needed.
• Must follow the Dental Board of California Table of Dental Auxiliary Duties Delegable by Supervising Dentist.

• Ensures daily Dental Care Team huddles are conducted each morning and that the meetings are logged for each Dental Care Team.
• Works with the Dental Manager and Lead RDA to ensure all dental logs are updated daily, weekly, and monthly.
• Ensures Dental Front Office provides printed daily appointment lists at the end of each day for the next day.
• Monitors daily clinic productivity for all dental providers on-site and works with the Dental Manager and Lead RDA to ensure oral screenings are performed to fill gaps in the schedule for all providers.
• Works to ensure dental productivity goals are achieved daily.
• Has intricate knowledge of Medi-Cal dental covered and non-covered services and limits of services and guides other dental providers with Medi-Cal guidelines and other programs within the clinic such as DHSP or any Medi-Cal dental HMOs and/or dental commercial insurances.
• Manages conflicts with dental auxiliary staff in a positive constructive manner with the aid of the Dental Manager.
• Conducts peer chart audits quarterly (5 charts per dental provider on staff and assigned Lead Dentist). Creates a dental quality report for each assigned dentist and overall DQM for the clinic using i2i data and reports results to the Chief Dental Officer.
• Utilizes and monitors effectiveness and efficiency of all equipment and supplies used in the delivery of service and reports any…