Dentist – Prince George Regional Correctional Centre Correctional Health Services

BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services

2 days per month.

Prince George, BC

Are you an accomplished Dentist, eager to provide services to a vulnerable and often overlooked clientele? Correctional Health Services , part of BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services , a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) , has recently absorbed dentistry into its provision of care. Correctional Health Services provides dedicated health care services to clients within British Columbia’s ten provincial correctional centres.

As a Dentist at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre (PGRCC), you will provide quality dental care to clients who may be in the most need. You will be a member of an interdisciplinary team made up of physicians, nurses, mental health and substance use specialists, pharmacists, and other professionals who are passionate about providing health care to all.

What You’ll Do

• Examine, diagnose and treat clients.
• Maintain and review individual clients’ dental records and x-rays and enter information concerning assessments, diagnosis and treatment into PAC.
• Prescribe medications for dental conditions as needed.
• Make required arrangements, requests or referrals to dental specialists regarding the examination, diagnosis, or treatment of clients.
• Coordinate services of outside facilities when the centre’s facilities are inadequate for necessary examination, diagnosis or treatment of a client with a dental disease.
• Provide after-hours telephone consultation services to health care personnel; and as required, travel to the health care centre to attend to dental emergencies outside of regular business hours.
• Obtain approval from the Medical Director prior to undertaking any dental care not deemed to be essential, such as bridges, gold fillings, extensive or elective oral surgery, braces, crown, dentures,, orthodontics, prosthetics, repairs, root canal therapy, dental lab fees and outside services.
• Consult in case management with PHSA.
• Participate in conference calls or in-service sessions.
• Provide advice to PHSA and the Medical Director regarding the provision of dental services to clients.
• Advise and assist PHSA and the Medical Director regarding the drafting and/or amendment of procedures and standards of dental services.
• Ensure that PHSA health care personnel maintain adequate medical and dental supplies for the operation of clinics.
• Provide opinion and cost estimates regarding the necessity of dental prosthetics, repairs, dental surgery and other emergency or elective dental procedures.

Core Competencies

• Brings an understanding of the Indigenous specific racism and the broader systemic racism that exists in the colonial health care structure, and has demonstrated leadership in breaking down barriers and ensuring an environment of belonging. Embed Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility into all aspects of work. This means creating an environment where Indigenous patients feel respected, valued, and understood. Foster trust through respectful communication, active listening, and honoring equity-deserving people's perspectives on health and wellness. Commit to ongoing education and training on Indigenous health issues, cultural safety, and DEI principles. Participate in workshops, cultural immersion experiences, and continuous professional development to stay informed and responsive to equity-deserving groups. Provide patient-centred care that respects Indigenous ways of knowing and healing, respects BIPOC experiences and world views ensuring that care plans are culturally relevant and holistic.
• Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

What You Bring

• Degree in Dentistry from an accredited academic institution.
• Certification or eligibility for certification with the Royal College of Dentists of Canada.
• Active license in good standing with the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia.
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism and systemic racism on Indigenous Peoples within social and health contexts. This includes understanding how these factors contribute to current health disparities and barriers to care. Show a clear commitment to identifying, challenging, and eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and all forms of discrimination impacting equity-deserving groups within healthcare settings. This involves recognizing personal biases, institutional barriers, engaging in anti-racism education and training and advocating for systemic change.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments within CHS contexts found in the foundational documents including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, BC Human Rights Code, Anti-racism Data Act and how they intersect across the health care system.

You Have

• Commitment to beginning and continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Shows willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.
• Knowledge of the social, economic, and political realities of settler-colonialism and its impacts on Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups within social and health contexts. Understands the impact of social determinants of health-on-health outcomes. Shows a commitment to learning about and upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments outlined in foundational documents such as the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan, Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, the BC Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Data Act, and the Distinctions Based Approach.

What We Bring Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.

• Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our 2,000+ in-house courses including a range of experience level, profession-specific, or other essential training on Indigenous Cultural Safety; Indigenous-specific anti-racism; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and accessibility, mental health and well-being, and more.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

A Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) could be provided to accompany you on-site.

For further information on this exciting opportunity, please contact heather.finn@phsa.ca

What We Do BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS), a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) cares for people with complex mental health and substance use challenges. PHSA is mandated to improve the quality and continuity of care for clients across the province during their time in correctional facilities and as they reintegrate into the community. This will help to improve access to primary health care, as well as mental health and substance use support for inmates; key needs that have been identified not just in BC, but internationally.

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Create equity – Be courageous.

PHSA and BCMHSUS are committed to anti-racism and equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently excluded groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.