A Dental Hygienist is a part of professional dental team dedicated to providing high quality dental care. Responsibility of a dental hygienist include assessing oral health, assisting dentists and suggesting tips to patients regarding proper oral health. But beside these medical expertise it requires certain qualities to excel in this field.A dental hygienist is expected to have caring and compassionate nature who enjoy working with people and take proper care of them.
Below are some of the qualities a dental hygienist should have:
Technical Requirements
To become a good Dental Hygienist you can start preparing right away from school. Subjects like Biology, chemistry, anatomy, pharmacology, physiology, nutrition and pharmacology are covered in a dental hygienist degree program which spans for two-years. During these two years you will have proper laboratory and clinical instruction.After completing the course and getting an associate degree, a license to practice in a state (of your wish) would be the only requirement left. Though requirements vary among states but generally written examinations and practicals are necessary to earn a license -- -- so study, practice and earn your career.
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You must have a knowledge of using a variety of machines and equipment, starting from basic medical devices to specialized ones.
You might have to check patient’s health using thermometers and blood pressure cuffs. You should be comfortable while using the tools necessary for cleaning and caring for teeth, such as probes, scalers and polishers. Your profession require the use of X-ray equipment or lasers at times, so again one should be able to handle the machine comfortably. Care and precision in the use of such machines is important to patient
safety. Personal Qualities After covering the technical aspect of the profession this paragraph give you an insight of qualities you should have as an human being. People coming to you are already suffering from some ailment and you might not want to increase it. So being patient, understanding their pain and showing sympathy towards patients is also important. The ability to put patients at ease is helpful. In addition, you should have physical stamina to be on your feet for considerable stretches of time. Other skills include: Self-motivation and a willingness to work diligently Responsibility and organization Ability to be self-sufficient and complete a multitude of clinical tasks Ability to multi-task Communication Skills A dental hygienists will have patients from all caste, creed and background. Adding to it they might be disturbed because of their problem so he need to have excellent communication skills to describe procedures, listen to their concerns and help them to relax. You are required to listen carefully to your patients who might unintentionally wrongly describe the problems, or are unable to speak properly. It's likely you'll also spend litttle amounts of time on patient education, teaching them basic hygiene skills, explaining dental health issues and providing instructions on the use of medicines and nutrients for good oral health.
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
A hygienist then asks what polisher flavor the patient would like. What the polisher does is remove any fragments of plaque remaining and surface stains on the teeth. A hygienist will then go over how to properly floss teeth for future references. Flossing is the only way to remove plaque in between the teeth. The hand scalers and polishing can only do so much. Most patients believe that flossing isn’t a big deal and make excuses such as “I forget to do it” or “I don’t know how.” This is what a hygienist is for; to properly educate the patient how to take care of the mouth by teaching them how to floss if necessary and prevent serious
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 education requirements include having an associate's degree in dental hygiene and a bachelor or master’s degree required for research, teaching, or the clinical practice in public or school health programs. A daily routine for a Dental Hygienist is waking up to get to work at least a half hour before the first patient comes. They then should look over the charts about the patient’s situation with their teeth and see what medical treatment they need. They then bring the patient in and perform the treatment. Lastly, they charge the patient for the certain treatments, like the cleaning, and then for say a filling, they will charge them separately, and then the patient will leave. Soon after they will start all over
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...
The average pay is around $72,000 a year. “I usually work around 34 hours a week” (Lewellen). Most hygienists work four hours a week. The pay may increase depending on where you work and also how long you’ve worked there. Education for dental hygiene is semi-difficult but most people can accomplish it. “Dental hygienists need an associate’s degree in dental hygiene. Programs typically take 3 years to complete. All states require dental hygienists to be licensed; requirements vary by state” (College). Depending on where you live and where you go to college will determine what requirements and skills will be needed.
I promptly educated myself on dental hygiene and I feel there are a lot of advantages becoming a hygienist. One of the best features about a dental hygiene career is, you only need an associate's degree. That’s two years of prerequisites and two years in the program if you get selected. There is a process you have to exceed to get into the program. The process is based on GPA, interviews
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.
The education requirements vary depending where you are, but typically it vary from a high school diploma to the completion of a postsecondary training program. There are no formal education requirements for entering this career and some high school students have even went from their diploma straight to on-the-job training. Although, postsecondary dental assisting programs offer more comprehensive career training. Dental assisting programs are typically 1-year diploma or certificate programs that tend to focus more on technical training through classroom, laboratory, and clinical instruction. Some community colleges also offer 2-year associate's degree programs which combine general education, technical training, and more extensive clinical practicums. Licensure and/or certification might be required by some states. Some states allow dental assistants to perform all duties assigned by a dentist but in other states they must obtain licensure or registration to perform certain duties. Obtaining the licensure vary in states as well. Some may include completing an accredited postsecondary program or may have to pass a written or practical exam, which could be required. Most dental assistants maintain licensure by earning continuing education at state-specified intervals. To get the certification, The Dental Assisting National Board offers the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA®) certification which was
The total credit hours include The Dental Hygiene Program. After completing the perquisites and the program, I will graduate with an Associate Degree in Applied Science. The next objective will next be to become certified as a dental hygienist. This is completed by taking state and certifying examinations. Training usually includes one to two years, including being on the job experience and informal training. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, skills necessary are interpersonal skills, physical stamina, dexterity, detail oriented and compassion. It is only recommended that a student should at least major in an Associate Degree in Applied Science. A student can also acquire a bachelor’s degree, but it is not necessary for this career. It is recommended to acquire this degree if the student is planning on branching away from dental
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?
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).