What does it take to be a Dental Hygienist? As if scraping plaque and tartar off of teeth isn't fun enough, there is more to the job than you think. According to Jada A. Grave on Money.usnews.com, the main idea about this subject is the understood tasks of a general dental hygienist. Dental hygienist focus mainly on the preventive care of dental hygiene rather than the damage already caused. They also educate and inform the patients of the best over-the-counter medicines for their pains, and speak to them about flossing and brushing habits to prevent future damages to the teeth and gums. A dental hygienist's main purposes are completing dental prophylaxis, screening oral cancer and radiographic research, and charting the conditions of decay and disease of the patients. In conclusion, Pam Quinones, a registered dental hygienist with more than 30 years of experience and the past president of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association says, “When we see a patient’s health improve, we know we have done our job, and hopefully encouraged a lifetime of good health habits.” The duties of a dental hygienist can be stressful, they begin by preparing the treatment room for the patient by protocols. Then, they prepare the patient for the dental work by seating the patient and discussing any questions or concerns the patient has for visiting that day. The hygienist then proceeds to sterlizing, sharpening, and arranging the instruments depending on what is needed due to the patient's oral health. The hygienist then detects any diseases by using an oral cancer screening, visually and physically examinging the gums, then uses probesto locate periodontal diseases.This job requires a quality understanding of the body due to the diseases carried ... ... middle of paper ... ...ty or public health setting and a license is required. To become a dental hygienist it is required that you must graduate from dental hygienist school, pass a National Board Dental Hygiene examination, pass the State Board Dental Hygiene examination, your school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and pass the state's Junspudence examination. All requirements vary depending on states and may have different rules but all dental hygienist must be licensed by the state that they are working in. (http://www.adha.org/education-careers) The field of work in Dental Hygiene is competetive, difficult, and long but after all of the information i found while researching for this paper, I found it is a very respectful and great career to be interested in and work for. Works Cited http://www.adha.org/education-careers www.adha.org Unixl.com/dir/dental-hygienist/louisiana/
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%
I can remember coming to school and hearing all my classmates talk about how much they hated going to the dentist. Going to the dentist was one thing that I have always loved to do. The sound of the tools and just the smell of the clinic was never a bad atmosphere to me, I actually enjoy the dentist. Laura was my first dental hygienist from as far back as I can remember, and she had the whitest teeth I have ever seen! I have honestly came to the conclusion that I am obsessed with teeth. With this being said, I have always felt and known that I wanted to be a dental hygienist. I am currently in my first year here at Community College getting my preq for dental hygiene. I always get the question, “Why would you want to look in somebody’s mouth all day?” After I hear this question and then I start thinking to myself. I want to be a dental hygienist because first of all someone has got to do it and secondly, I think smiles light up rooms and if I can help get more smiles in this world then that is what I am going to do. With seeking my career in dental hygiene I have great hopes of being able to help people understand and find compassion in caring for their teeth and inspiring them as Laura inspired me.
Out of all the careers in the world, a dental hygienist probably has one of the most interesting and flexible jobs. Not only is this career interesting and flexible, but it is also very helpful towards others and usually pays pretty well too. Many people become dental hygienists because of the easy education requirements and high demand for their jobs. These days, dental hygienists are more respected and being hired more rapidly due to the fact that more and more people are keeping and taking better care of their teeth. They also say that at the end of the day they feel accomplished in knowing that they helped improved their patient’s health, even if only in the slightest way (“Interview with a Professional”).
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
While being a dental hygienist has its pros it has some cons. The fact that you will be cleaning teeth every shift really makes people stay away from this career. For some this may become boring, but for some that love what they do it can be a great and fun career.
Practicing dental hygienists, are expected to maintain certain level of professionalism during interaction with patients, collegues and other professionals. There are six values defined by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) that serve to guide dental hygienists to maintain and improve their level of professionalism. These six values include, competence, fairness, integrity, responsibility, respect, and service-mindedness. Integrating fairness and responsibility into everyday dental hygiene practice will be discussed in this paper.
The role of a dental hygienist in education includes clinical and classroom instructors according to the ADHA model. The dental hygiene educator teaches dental hygiene students at community colleges and universities. They instruct students on how to properly remove calculus, stain, and plaque as well as exposing and processing radiographs in the clinical environment. In a classroom environment, the educator will teach the students about the dental hygiene process of care, evidence-based decision making, ethics, and numerous other courses and curriculum that is required for the students to obtain their licensure. Dental hygiene fits into this path as an educator because you can use a dental hygiene degree to become a clinical instructor or classroom instructor.
There are many similarities between the three websites. The most important part of working in the office is meeting the oral health needs of the patients. The main duty of the hygienist is to do the routinely check-ups, which include removing plaque. They also give them a better understanding of how to improve their oral hygiene. Education is an important part of becoming a dental hygienist. The most important subjects going into the program include: chemistry, math, biology, health, ect.. Hygienist commonly just get their Associates degree, which is then only two to three years of schooling. Depending on the school there could be a year of pre-requisites and the program, or just two years of the program. There is also the option of going to a University, which requires two additional years of school. If a bachelor’s degree is obtained, it is normally used for teaching or researching. In order to become a hygienist, the last step is to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination. There
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.
If a dental hygienist is not dependable and does not show up to work she impacts the whole clinic. Patients would have to be rescheduled and it would also impact the office because it would decrease their earnings for the day that is why it is very important that a dental hygienist is dependable. Dental hygienist should also always be on time to work to be able to setup their operatory so that they can see their patients on time. A dental hygienist should also be respectful to her coworkers and her patients because as professionals we need to treat everyone with respect. A professional dental hygienist should also take the time to research different cultures and ages so that they are able to communicate well with their patients. They should also research different preventative methods for their patients. They should have different preventative methods that will fit the different needs of every patient. A dental hygienist also has to always take in consideration what is the best option for every patient, for example if they have a patient that has not had a cleaning in a couple of years they should be able to determine if that patient needs a full mouth debridement, quad scaling or just a prophy based on that patient’s
229). Social responsibilities include the concepts of a person’s right to health care, the profession’s obligation to raise oral health literacy of the community and government's responsibility to promote the health and well being of the public (Beatty, 2017, p.229). Dental hygienists promote and maintain oral wellness and thereby contribute to overall health and quality of life (Darby & Walsh, 2015, p. 1). As dental hygienists, we can be socially responsible by maintaining our competence in clinical skills and being current on evidenced based research in dental hygiene so as to provide the best possible care for our clients.We can also disseminate our knowledge to clients in order for them to improve their oral health through oral hygiene education and nutritional counselling. We can also support groups in advocating for governmental policies with regards to oral health. Volunteering to serve those who cannot afford dental hygiene care is also a means of giving back to society and being socially
Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a dental hygienist. It has been 17 years and my mindset hasn’t changed yet. My dad has pushed me as I was growing up and make sure I do all my research. I have had experience and it is very fun and exciting to me to see the work that can be done and how it changes people’s lives. The dentist yearly salary is 131,834-$172,668. I am interested in teeth, how they grow, and how they form. These things all combined are what have my interest in this field. I want to see the smiles on kids and adults faces after I have helped them achieve what they have come to me for. Bringing joy and happiness to my patients set a fire inside of me and bring me
A dental hygienist is an important part of the dental team ("What is a Dental Hygienist?", 2018). According to the American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA), dental hygienist defines as the oral health professionals who are responsible for preventing and treating oral diseases ("What is a Dental Hygienist?", 2018). Communication skills, Critical thinking, Detail oriented, Interpersonal skills, and Problem-solving skills are some of the Qualities of a dental hygienist ("Dental Hygienists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics", 2018).
I am applying for dental hygiene as I think dental hygienist is as essential as the dentist to prevent patients from tooth decay, gum disease and to maintain the oral health.
Dental hygiene is a dynamic and challenging career that offers team work, personal growth, and extraordinary benefits, and it is the perfect career for me. As a health care professional, the dental hygienist is an important member of the dental team providing patient care. Good qualities for a dental hygienist are compassion and enjoying talking to people which are two qualities that fit my personality. I love the thought of knowing I made a positive impact in a person's health. Becoming a dental hygienist professionally requires you to obtain an associate degree in dental hygiene. They affect the average American by educating them about dental care. A dentist helps people with their dental health, which can greatly impact a person’s day-to-day life.