Dental Hygenist Work | Dental Hygenist Employment and job description

A career as a dental hygienist will allow an individual to work in the medical field without the burden and fees of medical school. Dental hygienists work for a dentist and are responsible for routine cleaning appointments with patients. Other responsibilities include taking x-rays, applying dental sealants, and educating their patients about proper techniques to maintain dental health. In some instances, dental hygienists can be certified to apply anesthetics, perform routine cavity fillings, remove stitches, and can smooth down and polish existing metal fillings.

In many ways, a dental hygienist performs the same basic duties as a typical dentist. Their job consists of assessing the patient, collecting data that will lead to a dental hygiene diagnosis, planning a treatment regimen based on the patient’s needs, implementing the treatment plan, and evaluating the success of the prescribed treatment. A dental hygienist keeps record of how treatment has changed over a series of months and will make alterations to the treatment plan as needed.

Dental hygienists are essential for patient education. A dental hygienist can instruct a patient on how to choose the right toothbrush, how to reduce plaque and risk of gingivitis, how to brush effectively, and the best way for a patient to floss his or her teeth. It is often effective for a dental hygienist to have a friendly demeanor to reduce patient anxiety and to encourage the patient to talk about issues that may affect his or her dental health.