Pediatric Dentist

Pediatric Dentist

Provide both primary and comprehensive preventative and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health care needs. Under minimal supervision, diagnose, prevent, and treat problems with teeth or mouth tissue. Remove decay, fill cavities, examine x‑rays, place protective plastic sealants on children's teeth, limited interceptive and preventative orthodontics, repair fractured teeth, manage dental trauma, dental extractions, and appropriately refer when necessary. Provide instruction on diet, brushing, flossing, the use of fluorides, and other aspects of dental care. Administer anesthetics and write prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications. Provide services both in a clinical, hospital and operating room setting.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinate the preparation of reports and written documentation as required by the department, company and State and Federal agencies.
• Maintain proper, detailed and accurate dental records.
• Travel between clinics to work, as needed.
• Be on‑call, as scheduled, by the Dental Director/Administrative Director (AD).
• Assist the Clinic Manager/AD in supervising the dental staff and ensuring compliance with State and Federal guidelines.
• Meet productivity goals, as set by the Arkansas Children's Hospital organization, and assist the AD, working with dental staff to accomplish that goal.
• Maintain a professional demeanor with patients, staff and administration.
• Perform other tasks, as directed by the Dental Director/AD, as needed to meet clinic or organization goals.
• Supervise Dental Assistants with whom he/she works.
• Understand the organization's commitment to provide high quality patient care; promote a patient‑centered environment.
• Examine, diagnose and treat dental conditions to provide optimum care to patients.
• Consult with the patient/parent/guardian and advise them of dental status and required treatment.
• Educate patients regarding oral conditions, provide treatment options and explain the risks, benefits and alternatives of each option.
• Conduct infant oral health exams, including risk assessment for caries in mother and child.
• Provide preventive dental care: cleaning and fluoride treatments, nutrition and diet recommendations.
• Offer habit counseling (pacifier use, thumb sucking).
• Early assessment and treatment for straightening teeth and correcting an improper bite (orthodontics).
• Repair tooth cavities or defects.
• Diagnose oral conditions associated with diseases such as diabetes, congenital heart defect, asthma, hay fever and ADHD.
• Manage gum diseases and conditions including ulcers, short frenular, mucoceles and pediatric periodontal disease.
• Care for dental injuries (fractured, displaced or knocked‑out teeth).
• Prepare charts and determine the most feasible treatment plan; maintain charts, treatment plans and complete required reports.
• Treat pulp exposure: pulp capping, removal of pulp from pulp chamber, or root canal (anterior teeth only).
• Administer anesthetics to limit the pain experienced during the procedure.
• Engage in educational programs, current literature, and in‑service meetings and workshops for professional growth.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Individual must possess the knowledge and the following skills and abilities or be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities:

• Active Listening — giving full attention, taking time to understand points being made, asking questions appropriately, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking — using logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Judgment and Decision Making — considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Speaking — talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Social Perceptiveness — being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Oral Comprehension — the ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression — the ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Inductive Reasoning — the ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
• Problem Sensitivity — the ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Speech Clarity — the ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Requirements

Education: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) and successful completion of a pediatric residency approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

• Certifications:
  • PALS
  • BLS

Lyon College does not discriminate with respect to the hiring of applicants or with respect to the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin. It is the continuing policy of Lyon College to comply with any applicable state and federal law regarding equal employment opportunities.