Oral Health Educator

Oral Health Educator

Job Description

The Oral Health Educator will play a pivotal role in promoting oral health awareness and education across skilled nursing facilities, schools, early learning centers, and community settings.

Overview:
The Oral Health Educator will play a pivotal role in promoting oral health awareness and education across skilled nursing facilities, schools, early learning centers, and community settings. This position will focus on equipping Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), school nurses, educators, children and families, and community partners with the knowledge and skills needed to support oral hygiene practices, preventive care, and improved oral health outcomes.

Responsibilities:
Training & Education: Develop and deliver tailored workshops, and training sessions for CNAs, school nurses, early learning centers, and community partners on oral health best practices.
Resource Development: Create and distribute educational materials such as guides, checklists, pamphlets, posters, videos, and digital content tailored to skilled nursing facilities, school settings, and families.
Collaboration: Work closely with Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) leadership, school administrators, healthcare professionals, and community organizations to align oral health education with patient care protocols, school health needs, and community-based initiatives.
Oral Health Advocacy: Promote the importance of oral health in overall health, especially for elderly residents, chronically ill patients, children, and vulnerable populations.
Support & Guidance: Serve as a resource to CNAs, school nurses, educators, and community partners by providing ongoing support, answering questions, and offering solutions to oral health challenges.
Outreach & Events: Support planning, coordination, and participation in community outreach events, health fairs, school-based programs, and public health campaigns to expand oral health awareness and access.
Program Support: Assist with program planning, preparation and distribution of oral health education materials, grant proposals, budgets, data collection, and reporting.
Evaluation: Monitor and assess the impact of educational programs and outreach activities and recommend improvements to enhance care delivery, school-based prevention, and community engagement.

Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree or certification in Dental Hygiene, Public Health, Education, or a related field.
Experience delivering health education or training programs, preferably in school, healthcare, long-term care, or community settings.
Knowledge of oral hygiene practices, common dental conditions, preventive care strategies, and behavior change techniques.
Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to engage CNAs, school nurses, healthcare teams, educators, families, and community partners.
Ability to develop accessible, engaging, and culturally appropriate educational materials.
Familiarity with skilled nursing facility workflows, school health programs, and public health outreach preferred.
Relevant background in public health, data management, program evaluation, and grant writing preferred.

Skills:
Excellent interpersonal skills to engage with CNAs, school nurses, administrators, healthcare teams, and community stakeholders.
Ability to present complex oral health information in a clear, accessible, and impactful manner.
Empathy and understanding when addressing oral health challenges in vulnerable populations.
Organizational skills to manage multiple training sessions, outreach activities, and program responsibilities.
Creativity in developing materials and presenting oral health information in an engaging way.
Proficiency in data management and analysis to support program evaluation and reporting.
Flexibility to support oral health education needs across long-term care, school, early learning, and community settings.
Relevant background in public health.
Prior experience with grant writing preferred.

Skill - Required / Desired - Amount of Experience
Bachelor's degree in Dental Hygiene, Public Health, Education or a related field. - Required
Certification or degree in Degree in Dental Hygiene, Public Health or a related field. - Required
Knowledge of oral hygiene practices, common dental issues and preventative care strategies - Required - 2 Years
Experience in delivering health education or training programs, ideally in a school-based setting, early learning center or healthcare setting. - Required - 1 Years
Strong communication and interpersonal skills - Required
Ability to develop accessible, engaging, and culturally appropriate educational materials - Required
Proficiency in data management & analysis. - Highly desired
Prior experience with grant writing and budgeting - Highly desired
Certification in oral health education - Highly desired

Notes:

Candidate is required to be on-site 60% of the time when not in the field, 40% remote.

Candidate will be required to travel throughout the state approx. 30% of the time.

Position is 7.5H days/37.5H week, variable days depending on meetings scheduled in the community.

VIVA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants have an equal opportunity for placement, and all employees have an equal opportunity to develop on the job. This means that VIVA will not discriminate against any employee or qualified applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.