What
Do Dental Hygienists Do?
A career as a dental hygienist offers a wide
range of challenges. In the dental office,
the dentist and the dental hygienist work together to meet the oral health needs
of patients. Since each state has its own specific regulations regarding their
responsibilities, the range of services performed by hygienists varies from
state to state. Some of the services provided by dental hygienists may include:
-
Patient screening procedures; such as
assessment of oral health conditions review of the health history, oral cancer
screening, head and neck inspection, dental charting and taking blood pressure
and pulse;
-
Taking and developing dental radiographs
(x-rays);
-
Removing calculus and plaque (hard and soft
deposits) from all surfaces of the teeth;
-
Applying preventive materials to the teeth
(e.g. sealants and fluorides);
-
Teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene
strategies to maintain oral health; (e.g., toothbrushing, flossing and
nutritional counseling);
-
Counseling patients regarding good nutrition
and its impact on oral health;
-
Making impressions of patients? teeth for
study casts (models of teeth used by dentists to evaluate patient treatment
needs); and
-
Performing documentation and office management
activities.
Since each state has its own specific
regulations regarding the dental hygienist?s responsibilities, the range of
services provided by a dental hygienist varies from state to state.
Responsibilities generally include removing deposits from teeth and providing
oral health education.