State of Maryland

A Dental Hygienist II is the full performance level of work at Maryland Department of Health (MDH) designated Court Involved (CI) Facilities providing dental hygiene treatments and services in community health programs, inpatient or residential facilities.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a dentist or other dental healthcare professional.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and spread of disease.  Employees may be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent or aggressive behavior.  The work may require long periods of standing, walking, bending and reaching.  The work may require lifting and positioning non-ambulatory patients/clients and lifting wheelchairs and other heavy equipment.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Dental Hygienist I and the Dental Hygienist II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Dental Hygienist I performs duties under close supervision at times and with general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed while the Dental Hygienist II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Dental Hygienist II is differentiated from the Dental Hygienist III in that the Dental Hygienist III promotes community dental health programs in a local health department or provides in-service training of employees at State healthcare facilities.

Performs dental cleanings by removing calcareous deposits and stains and polishing the surface of the teeth; Administers gum treatments and applies fluoride and medicinal agents to the teeth for good dental health;

Prepares patients and organizes equipment to facilitate dental treatments;

Obtains patient medical histories and maintains dental files, charts and records;

Sterilizes and maintains dental instruments, equipment, supplies, medications, and the dental room;

Exposes, develops and mounts x ray films;

Participates in surveys to determine the prevalence of tooth decay or periodontal disease;

Takes impressions of the mouth for study models;

May assign, review and approve the work of Dental Assistants and other non-licensed staff;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of theories, methods and practices of dental hygiene;

Knowledge of dental processes, procedures, and terminology;

Skill in performing dental cleaning by removing calcareous deposits and stains and polishing the surface of teeth;

Skill in exposing, developing and mounting x ray films;

Ability to provide advice and guidance to Dental Assistants and other non-licensed staff;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, patients and staff.

Education:   Determined by the Maryland Board of Dental Examiners under the licensing requirements for Dental Hygienist.

Experience: Two years of experience providing dental hygiene treatments and services as a Dental Hygienist.

Note: Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Dental Hygienist or Specialist classifications or Dental Hygienist or Specialist specialty codes in the dental field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Candidates for positions in this classification must possess and maintain a current certification as a Dental Hygienist from the Maryland Board of Dental Examiners.

2. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete training in and maintain current cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification.

3. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties may be required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit D, Health and Human Service Nonprofessionals classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.   An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.