Director of Hygiene

Nuva Smile is hiring a Director of Hygiene! Location: Cranford, NJ (must be willing to travel between offices throughout NJ) Job Description We are seeking an experienced and motivated Director of Hygiene to oversee and support the dental hygiene departments across multiple practice locations. This leadership role is responsible for maintaining high standards of patient care, improving clinical efficiency, supporting hygienist development, and driving the overall growth and success of the hygiene program.

The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, extensive clinical hygiene experience, and a passion for mentoring and developing high-performing teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations and clinical performance of hygiene departments across multiple locations. * Develop, implement, and maintain standardized hygiene protocols, policies, and best practices. * Provide leadership, coaching, training, and ongoing support to dental hygienists. * Monitor hygiene department performance, productivity, scheduling efficiency, and patient retention.

• Collaborate with regional managers, office managers, and clinical leadership to identify opportunities for improvement. * Support the recruitment, onboarding, training, and retention of dental hygienists. * Conduct regular office visits to evaluate clinical performance, ensure quality standards, and provide hands-on guidance.

• Develop strategies to increase hygiene department growth, patient satisfaction, and treatment acceptance. * Ensure compliance with OSHA, HIPAA, state dental board regulations, and applicable clinical standards. * Identify continuing education opportunities and implement professional development initiatives. * Analyze hygiene department performance metrics and implement action plans to achieve organizational goals.

• Foster a positive, collaborative, and patient-focused work environment.

Qualifications

• Active Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) license in good standing; New Jersey licensure preferred for NJ-based practices. * Minimum of 5 years of clinical dental hygiene experience preferred. * Previous leadership, management, or multi-location supervisory experience strongly preferred. * Strong understanding of dental hygiene operations, periodontal protocols, and clinical best practices.

• Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills. * Ability to mentor, motivate, and develop dental hygiene teams. * Experience with dental practice management software and performance reporting. * Strong understanding of patient care standards, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. * Ability and willingness to travel between practice locations as needed.