Dentist I (Temporary .10 FTE) - La Clinica de La Raza

Who we are:  La Clínica de La Raza is a community-based health center committed to providing culturally appropriate, high-quality, and accessible health care to the diverse communities of the San Francisco Bay Area.  We have spent over 40 years advocating for and creating a health home for the many that have been denied access to care.  As health care activists, we are dedicated to making sure individuals who do not have health coverage get the same level of quality healthcare as those who have it.   From our genesis as a community health center in 1971, we understood that we cannot heal our communities without also addressing the economic and social factors that affect health. Many times, this requires that we go outside and provide services in other settings to build the bridge that links individuals to our health center for preventive and primary care.  Over 90,000 individuals come to La Clínica because it is a welcoming place that addresses the whole person, coordinating and connecting them to a broad network of services to improve and maintain their health and well-being.  While we are still known for our activism and spirit of social justice, we are also proud to have grown into a sophisticated provider of primary health care services with 35 sites across Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties. 

Be a champion for community dentistry.  As vulnerable populations lose access to care, it becomes more important than ever that those who can lend their skills and passion to serving their communities step forward, live their values, and advance our mission. If you have this calling, La Clínica is the place for you.  Join the La Clínica family and work shoulder to shoulder with some of the most dedicated dental professionals you’ll meet.  The sense of teamwork, commitment to our community, and our dedication to giving our diverse patients the high-quality dental care they deserve, will inspire you.  You will be rewarded by your work with patients whose families choose La Clínica generation after generation.  You will see the impact of your efforts as well as those of your colleagues in the faces of our patients. You will further your professional development through opportunities for mentorship, leadership, and continuing education designed to expand your reach as a mission-driven dental provider. We offer robust perks including educational leave plus stipend, FTCA malpractice coverage, and flexible work schedules.  In addition, we are a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) approved site for tax free loan repayment. Our clinics are located in the thriving Bay Area known for its cultural diversity, beautiful weather, highly sought after schools and year-round recreational activities.

Major Areas of Responsibility include but are not limited to: 

Dental Care Delivery

• Handle all aspects of general dentistry
• Perform oral exams, restorations, extractions, and prophylactic work
• Treat oral diseases and confer with physicians regarding medical/dental problems
• Assign patients to plaque control or other educational programs
• Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatment
• Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
• Write prescriptions for antibiotics or other medications.
• Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue

Patient Experience

• Advise or instruct patients regarding preventive dental care, the causes and treatment of dental problems, or oral health care services
• Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases
• Design, make, or fit prosthodontic appliances, such as space maintainers, bridges, or dentures, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for dental assistants.

Mentorship & Collaboration

• Willing to be credentialed as volunteer faculty for University of California San Francisco and Lutheran Medical Center to assist the Associate Dental Director in mentoring and supervising of AEGD residents at La Clinica
• Serve as a member of a cross-functional team of Dentists that provides exceptional patient care and performs four-handed dentistry and oral surgery.
• Attend staff conferences; keep clinical and other records regarding services provided, supplies and materials used.

Minimum Job Requirements

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measure
• Good time management skills and evidence-based approaches to dental care
• Patient Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing patient services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of patient satisfaction.
• Healthcare Technology: Working knowledge and experience with Practice Management System software

Abilities

• Ability to deal courteously and effectively with patients and maintain good working relationships with other staff
• Ability to operate all types of dental equipment and machinery
• Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects
• Ability to work across cultures and demonstrate support of diversity, equity and inclusion.
• English/Spanish proficiency preferred but not required

Experience and Other Certifications

• Requires graduation from an accredited school of dentistry; Possession of valid D.D.S. /D.M.D.
• One year experience in all phases of general dentistry and auxiliary utilization and/or administrative experience in a clinic setting
• License to practice in the State of California
• DEA number
• Cultural competence working in diverse/low-income communities