This is supervisory professional dental work evaluating the dental care and treatment given throughout the various dental clinics of an assigned health district and performing difficult or complex dentistry when required. Work includes making recommendations for the improvement of dental services and training a number of lower level dentists. Responsibility for maintaining the cooperation of school authorities and others in implementing the dental health program is a significant aspect of the position.

Work is performed under the general direction of a professional administrator. Assignments require evaluative thinking and are carried out in accordance with accepted dental standards and applicable departmental regulations. The employee's work constitutes an important advisory service to public health officials and affects the development of a public health dental program.

• Tours dental clinics in an assigned health district to evaluate the dental care program; determines optimum patient load and reschedules visits and clinic hours or reassigns dental staff as necessary; determines sites for new clinics and recommends their establishment.
• Examines, diagnoses, and treats the teeth and gums of pre-school and school age children especially in cases where difficult treatments are required; extracts teeth, treats oral infections, and administers anesthesia.
• Confers with principals, nurses, and other school authorities to establish procedures for the referral of school children to the dental clinics and for following up cases until entire dental treatment is completed.
• Evaluates the work of clinic dentists and provides continuous on-the-site training as necessary; orients new employees to the principles and policies of public health programs and to the methods and techniques of pedodontia; reviews their work by personal examination of patients and by inspection of records.
• Performs related work as required.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• the principles, practices, methods and materials of professional dentistry with emphasis on pedodontia.
• the current developments and literature in the field of dental health.

SKILL IN:

• the application of the procedures and techniques of professional dentistry with emphasis on pedodontia.

• supervise the work of a number of dentists and non-professional personnel engaged in preventive, corrective, and investigative dental activities.
• learn the principles and objectives of public health dental programs.
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and patients.

EDUCATION

• Graduation from an accredited school of dentistry with a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine.

• Three years of experience in the practice of dentistry, two years of which has been in an organized group dental program involving the application of program standards and procedures, including one year planning, assigning and reviewing the work of dentists and/or a team of two or more expanded function dental auxiliaries who restore teeth with conventional dental materials.

Appropriate graduate level training may be substituted for one year of the required general experience.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, AND/OR CERTIFICATES

• Eligibility for a license to practice dentistry in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issued by the Pennsylvania State Dental Council and Examining Board.

PAY RANGE: EP26
Class Established: 2/1963

Latest Spec. Revision: 1/1978

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