Dental hygienists are at risk of obtaining diseases and illnesses, but also they are at risk of other injuries in their work environment. Most people do not realize how dangerous and risky this career field is. According to Noel Kelsch, “Dental health care professionals (DHCP) are truly at risk, ranking No. 2 out of 974 occupations.” This information comes from the Department of Labor's Occupational Information Network. The Dental Hygienist Profession is a risky one. From contaminated blood to radiation poisoning, Not to mention the physical and mental stress that is put on the body.
Disease and illness are life threatening. Viruses such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), HBV (hepatitis b virus), and HCV (hepatitis c virus) can be passed
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on while working in a patient's mouth. According to (Jamshid, et al.) “The risk of HIV transmission to Healthcare workers approximately ranges from 0.2 to 0.3% for parenteral exposures (exposure in a manner other than through the digestive canal) and 0.1% or less for mucosal exposures (exposure to contaminated blood, saliva, and other body fluids through passages that are open to the external environment).” This means it is more likely that a dental Hygienist would be exposed to one of these harmful diseases through their digestive tract than through contact with infected bodily fluids. “Dental equipment such as hand scalpers or air, water syringes (both basic dental equipment used to clean teeth during a checkup) and others can cause large droplets that contain pathogenic organisms,” according to (Harrel). Although this is extremely hazardous, aerosols (a substance inclosed under pressure and able to be released as a fine spray, typically by means of a propellant gas) set up more of a risk for an ill prepared dental Hygienist. Aerosols mixed with pathogenic organisms can infect dental hygienists. According to (Harrel) “The ultrasonic scaler and air polisher are the greatest producers of small particle aerosol contamination in dentistry”. Even though more visible aerosols seem to be more dangerous it's been proven by studies that the small, less visible aerosols are more of a health risk. Although there are many ways to get infected by disease, there are also many ways to prevent infection and unnecessary contamination. According to (Eklund), a dental office, comprehensive program should contain written policies and standard infection control protocols that are consistent with the CDC (The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations, Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, and other relevant state and local guidelines and statuses. This can help improve a patient's awareness of health risks and also remind dental hygienists of safety protocols. Also, wash hands frequently, according to (Noel) “88% of disease is spread from hand to hand contact.” Wearing protective gloves and sanitizing before operating on patients can lessen chances of transmitting infections. Disease alone is not the only hazard to your health. Chemicals can also be dangerous to a dental professionals health. According to (Greenwood) “chemicals found or given off by dental composites (materials used to fill in a patient's tooth) , mercury or dental processing machines, and anesthetic gases such as nitrous oxide, for another group of potential hazards, each chemical has different effects and although they may only occur in small amounts, exposure can have a cumulative effect. This means that those small traces can have effects that will not happen immediately, but kind of build up over time. For a dental hygienist, a person who has contact with these chemicals regularly, these chemicals could seriously affect them in the future. “Protection from these substances include strategies assuring good ventilation, ensuring machines and other equipment are well maintained and in good order, and limiting exposure when possible” (Greenwood). It would not hurt to always wear your safety mask as well. According to (Noel) knowing the labels and whetherrather or not the chemical needs ventilation is a key way of limiting exposure to harmful chemicals and contaminants. Chemicals are dangerous and should be handled with care. Knowing the difference between chemicals could help better protect your health from unwanted chemical contact. In addition to disease and chemical hazards, dental hygienists also face the risk of radiation poisoning.
Dental hygienists in contrast of people thinking that they only clean teeth, they also run x-rays on your teeth. Dental hygienists run these x-rays to better check the state of teeth and gums. Using these expensive machines help spot cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay that no normal person would be able to see otherwise. The downside is that these machines give off small amounts of radiation. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the effects of radiation are cumulative. This means that the effects do not show right away but have large and more serious effects over time much like the way chemical exposure works. According to (Greenwood ) “Dental hygienists who take x-rays protect themselves by wearing lead aprons and standing outside the range of the x-ray machine.” This protects them from most radiation, but not …show more content…
all. One hazard that is not talked about much is the physical sStrain that comes with being a dental hygienist.
According to (Jamshid et al) “During dentistry procedure, the dentist's posture is strained (while standing and sitting close to a patient who remains in a sitting or lying position), which induces stress injury on the musculoskeletal system, which occurs in 37.7% of work time.” This means that although it seems like a dentist or hygienists is not straining, staying in these positions for long periods of time can cause serious physical harm to the body over extended periods of time.
According to studies, the most common symptoms for people in the Dental Profession is back pain and hand/wrist pain. Most commonly hand and wrist pain in dental hygienists. According to “The Occupational Hazards of a Dental Hygienist” proper positioning and the use of ultrasonic rather than manual scraping tools can help prevent these symptoms. Most dental healthcare workers don’t realize that they areir causing physical damage to their body by staying in those strained positions for long periods of
time. Although there are not many physical hazards to a dental hygienist, there are some mental health risks as well. Stress is the most prevalent of theses mental risks. According to (Jamshid et al.) “Eighty-three percent of dentists believed that dentistry is (very stressful), nearly 60% believed that dentistry is more stressful than other professions.” Most dentists think that their profession is hard work and more of a challenge to deal with everyday. According to (Jamshid et al.) “A large number of factors are responsible for stress situations, including low autonomy, work overload, and inappropriate relation between power and responsibility.” The Dental Hygienist Profession may seem like an easy, laid back, relaxing job, but it is a very hazardous environment to work in. From protecting against the spread of disease and infection to radiation and unwanted chemical contact. The Dental Hygienist Profession has its ups and downs. If the safety protocols and proper precautions are followed, the possibility of choosing dental hygienist as a career choice should be exciting and fun.
A dental hygienist is a very important role in any dental office. As stated by a dental assistant, “Dental hygienists work closely with the dentist as well as hands on with the patients. They assist dentists with operative procedures such as fillings and extractions, and making molds of patients teeth” (Wilson, Jennifer). A large part of their job is teaching patients proper dental care to ensure a lifetime of healthy teeth. This includes proper brushing and flossing techniques. According to the job out look, a day as a dental hygienist can include taking x-rays, cleaning and scaling teeth, charting treatment plans, putting sealants on teeth, taking impressions of teeth and completing information about the patient’s oral and medical history (Summary). In some states dental hygienist are allowed to give local anesthetic and place and remove sutures (Delivering Local Anesthetic). According to advantages of becoming a dental hygienist, hygienists spend more hands on time with the patients than the dentist does. These are some of the instruments that dental hygienists use on a daily basis: toothbrush, scaler, mirror, ultrasonic scaler, explorer, suction, computer, salvia ejector, rubber cap polisher, dental models, x-ray machine and probe. The dental hygienist uses a toothbrush to remove soft plaque from the teeth. Plaque is a soft coating on the teeth that contain bacteria. The bacteria can cause tooth decay and gum disease. The amount of plaque on the teeth gives the hygienist an idea of how well the daily brushing and flossing of the patient’s teeth are completed on a regular basis. The scaler is used to remove hardened plaque or calculus from the teeth. The mirror is used to look closely at the surfaces of the teeth a...
Dental hygiene is amongst many professions that come with an increased risk of injury. In fact, evidence suggests that the incidence of dental professionals acquiring musculoskeletal disorders is reaching 96%. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), these complications are a result of “repetitive motion or awkward posture for more than 2 hours at a time, unassisted frequent manual handling (eg, scaling an area using the same strokes), and unassisted forced manual handling (eg, heavy calculus removal using hand-activated instruments)”. These complications not only affect the quality of life for the
For those that have bad habits with cigarettes, Tobacco Cessation Counseling is available. Cigarettes cause tooth loss, rotting, and surface stains; hygienist make sure to pass this information to the patient and help them to understand that quitting is the best option if they want to keep their teeth. As said before, a hygienist informs the patient on what foods to avoid. Nutritional Counseling is provided if a hygienist believes there is danger with a patients teeth such as diseases. (Dental Hygiene Clinic) Any foods with high acidity is something a dental hygienist would recommend avoiding. For example, apples, hard candies, popcorn, diet sodas, and salad dressing. Enamel is the hardest structure in the human body. It’s even harder than bones. When the enamel is exposed to acid, it wears down and erodes. This is how tooth erosion and decay happens. They will educate the patient with what foods to replace the bad ones with. Although, a dentist is who performs the restorations, a hygienist can still inform what will happen. Because of the fact that hygienists usually see patients before the dentist, they will give feedback to the dentist and recommend restorations in the mouth. They specialize in providing clinical and educational services (Sealy Dental Center) so they are very useful to dentists. When a patient has missing, chipped, or sharpened teeth, a restoration is done to replace the originals. Some examples
According to the book, “Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist”, a dental hygienist is a dental health specialist whose primary concern is the maintenance of oral health and the prevention of oral disease. A career as a dental hygienist provides a wide range of challenges where in the dentist office, the dental hygienist and dentist work together to meet the oral health needs of their patients. There are many things that dental hygienists do that you may not realize when you think you are just going in to get your teeth cleaned.
The history of a Dental Hygienist is very riveting. This profession was first founded in 1913 by Dr. Fones when he created the first Dental Hygiene education program in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 1906 Fones trained Irene Newman the basics, and she was then the first Dental Hygienist in the world. Later, the founding of the first Dental Hygienist training program, many more were founded. People that decide to become a Dental Hygienist for many reasons, and one is because it is listed to be the 5th out of the “100 best jobs” in 2015. Other reasons are because the “U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics” projects that the employment will grow to 33.3%
Dental assistant mostly experience right-sided neck and shoulder pain, also hand and finger pain that is worst in the first and second fingers. If it doesn’t get taken care of immediately, this pain could lead to muscle imbalances, ischemia, nerve compression, or disc degeneration. Structures in the musculoskeletal system can be affected by long-term wear and tear.
When most people think of dental hygienists, the first and only thing they think about it cleaning and whitening teeth. However, that is mainly what dental hygienists do, but they also learn to do a lot more than that. According the occupational outlook handbook, hygienists clean teeth, examine patients for signs of oral diseases such as gingivitis, and provide other preventative dental care. They also educate patients on ways to improve and maintain good oral health. As explained on American Dental Association, the dental hygienist...
The best description of a dental hygienist is a professional whose main job is to teach their patients necessary oral hygiene skills and provide great dental care. They perform various tasks around a dentist’s office such as applying fluoride treatments, removing plaque and stains, taking x-rays, removing sutures, placing temporary fillings, and evaluating the patient’s overall health (“Dental Hygienist” Coin Career). Dental hygienists do not just work in a dental office, but they also can work at schools, nursing homes, health clinics, and many other dental settings. Close contact is necessary when doing this job. Working with people is an everyday thing in this profession, so one must be able to communicate and get along with their clients very well. Having certain traits such as excellent hand-eye coordination and great motor skills are very important to posses since dental hygienists work on their patients mouths (Porterfield 4). Communication is vital since dental hygienists are constantly teaching patients how to hav...
As a future dental hygienist, I want to be able to help educate people about dental hygiene, prevent cancers and help rural communities overcome oral diseases and cancers. Dental Hygienist usually work in dentist office's, some of the responsibilities of a dental hygienist are removing tarter, stains and plaque from teeth, they take dental x-rays and access patient oral health and report findings to the dentist.
It’s been a long time since the last narrative and a lot has changed. The internship with the dental hygienist failed miserably. After three sessions, my mentor just stopped communicating and cut all ties with me. I attempted to email her multiple times but I remained unheard. So, I had to find a way to troubleshoot and look for another mentor and place to intern at.
It's important for any high school student to have an idea or plan of what they want to pursue in the near future. Most students want to go into the medical field, become a professional athlete, a lawyer, etc. Many talk about becoming a dentist, but not a dental assistant. Simply because they feel like it's not that big of a title of being a dental assistant as compared to a dentist. Little do they know dental assistants play a big role as well in the office. A dental assistant does many tasks and duties that help benefit the dentist and also the patients.
Did you know that the dental assisting profession has been projected to grow 18 percent during the years of 2014 through 2024, which is much faster than the average for all other occupations? And from there who knows, the sky's the limit. But what exactly does a dental assistant do?
As I started my new journey of becoming a dental hygienist, I came into the program with no background of dental. I came into this program with an open mind and willing to embrace new concepts as well as develop new skills. During my time at the Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene (CADH), I learned that as a dental hygienist that I am committed to promoting and helping each individual achieve their optimal oral health goals. In support of my client’s goals, I may assume any or all of the roles included in the dental hygiene scope of practice. My goal throughout this program was to help my clients achieve their optimal oral health goals through education, health promotion and providing preventive and clinical therapy.
Having shadowed a dental hygienist prior to that of a dental assistant I didn’t know what to expect their job to be. Although I did assume a dental assistant’s job consisted of handing instruments to the doctor during the various procedures so I was surprised to see just how many responsibilities they have. Each dental clinic has different expectations of what they require their dental assistant to do in my shadowing experience they were responsible for: preparing the room prior to the patients arrival, greeting the patient upon arrival and inviting them into the operation room, confirming dental history with the patient, briefing them on the procedure they are about to have and what to expect, answering the clients questions to the best of their abilities, assisting the doctor in the procedure and aiding with any tasks required of you, when the patient is ready to leave helping them to look presentable and explaining what to expect after that kind of procedure, updating and verifying dental records, and sanitizing and sterilization of the room and all instruments after departure of
Introduction: In Canada, general dental health is not part Canada’s national system of health insurance (Medicare) (1) except for some dental surgical procedures that are performed at hospitals. Since Oral health does not come under the Health Act about ninety-five percent of the oral health care services are offered on a fee-for-service basis. Oral health care is under provincial or territorial jurisdiction like other health care services and publically financed dental care programs provide the remaining five percent of oral health care services (2). Thus, majority of Canadians receive oral health via privately owned dental clinics. Privately owned dental care gives these services providers control over dental service charges, types of available treatment for the patients and number of follow-up appointment for treatments or routine care. Service users pay for the dental expenses from their own pockets or utilize insurance coverage (1).