Dental Hygienist 2 (40 Hour)

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Correction (DOC) is seeking a highly motivated and experiencedDental Hygienist 2 (40 Hour)to join our healthcare team at the Cheshire Correctional Institution and Manson Youth Institution. This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the dental health of our diverse population in a unique correctional setting.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• NEW: Visit our State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

Our state has a lot to offer - from fun activities for all ages, to great food and shopping, to beautiful state parks and forests, to our diverse cultures and rich history. Connecticut is a great place to live! Learn more about Connecticut here.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• Conduct dental health assessments
• Develop and implement dental hygiene care plans
• Provide admission and discharge dental hygiene evaluations, including plans for ongoing care
• Collaborate closely with medical and administrative teams to ensure seamless care delivery
• Work in a dynamic correctional healthcare environment
• Play a vital role in improving patient oral health and overall wellness

This position is full time on first shift, 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am until 3:00 pm.

ABOUT US

The State of Connecticut, Department of Correction (DOC) shall strive to be a global leader in progressive correctional practices and partnered re-entry initiatives to support responsive evidence-based practices aligned to law-abiding and accountable behaviors. Safe and security shall be a priority component of this responsibility as it pertains to staff, victims, citizens and offenders.

The Department of Correction provides comprehensive health care to the offender population that meets a community standard of care, and includes medical, mental health, dental, addiction and ancillary services, in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and consent decrees.

The Cheshire Correctional Institution confines adult sentenced and unsentenced offenders. It also operates several specialized housing units, including protective custody, restrictive housing and the True Program.

The facility supports the DOC initiative by providing various opportunities that address risks/needs such as; offender programming, learning a trade through prison industries, educational and vocational programming to include special education services provided to qualified students under age 22, addiction treatment programming and religious services. The vocational education programs conducts dozens of projects assisting non-profit and community organizations.

The Manson Youth Institution is a level 4 high-security facility. It serves as the Department's primary location for housing sentenced inmates under the age of 21. Recognizing the need to educate youth, staff provide a climate, which enhances inmate social skills, while reinforcing ethics, attitude and behavior valued by productive law-abiding citizens.

The Manson Youth Institution houses male offenders ranging in age from 15 to 21 in ten separate buildings, each with three wings containing 12 cells, a day room, counselor offices and mini kitchen. As the states' only facility for male youth, it houses chronic disciplinary inmates, close custody program, mental health, high security and general population inmates who are involved in a wide variety of programs including educational, vocational and addiction services.

In response to an increase in young population, a youthful offender mentoring program was established. Emphasis is placed on development of positive peer relationships, understanding criminal culture, substance abuse, basic life skills, employment counseling and release planning.

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Reference Library for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

BEFORE YOU APPLY

• Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below.
• Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
• Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
• Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

AFTER YOU APPLY

• Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
• Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
• Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Ben Beaudry at benjamin.beaudry@ct.gov.

Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In state facilities this class is accountable for providing clinical dental hygiene services, including dental health assessments of individuals, training of individuals and staff in the implementation of dental health care plans, and providing consultation.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Performs clinical dental services including dental prophylaxis, facial and oral tissue screenings, oral cancer screenings, topical fluoride treatments, blood pressure evaluations, taking and processing radiographs, charting abnormalities, screening individuals for systemic diseases which may appear in the oral cavity;
• Conducts dental health assessments;
• Develops and implements dental hygiene care plans;
• Provides admission and discharge dental hygiene assessments including plans for continuing care;
• Does nutritional counseling;
• Reviews diets and nutritional needs of individuals;
• Provides functional supervision of staff members involved in dental care of individuals, which includes creation of an awareness among staff of signs and symptoms of dental diseases and procedures for prevention of same, showing ward staff how to maintain oral health of individuals who cannot care for themselves, and providing centralized inservice dental education and training to individuals and staff;
• Implements dental care programs, and sets goals to meet needs of each individual;
• Consults with and makes recommendations to dentist concerning dental health needs;
• Investigates problems arising from dental care programs as relayed by staff or departments;
• Maintains dental records and recall system to assure individuals treated regularly;
• Assures dental care services comply with intermediate care facility (ICF) regulations;
• Provides dental hygiene input into interdisciplinary health care plans and individual programs;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Considerable knowledge of
  • principles and practices of dental hygiene, dental hygiene administration and dynamics of behavior, particularly the behavior of difficult and multi-handicapped individuals;
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of experience as a dental hygienist.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with Electronic Health Record (EHR);
• Experience with digital X-Rays;
• Experience with Patient Education;
• Experience with the sterilization process;
• Experience working in a Public Health setting;
• Certificate in Dental Anesthesia.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license as a Dental Hygienist in Connecticut.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain individuals and may be exposed to disagreeable conditions, communicable diseases and risk of injury from assaultive and/or abusive individuals.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.