If you have been to a dental office, then you have received dental assistance from both the dentist and other professionals in the office. Those other professionals are dental hygienists and they play a vital role in helping the dentist keep your mouth healthy. They have specific training, as well as tasks that they perform during dental cleanings, exams and even more major dental procedures. Learn what a dental hygienist is and what role they play in your dental health!

Experience In a Dental Office

If you’ve been to a dental office before, then you are aware of many things that happen there. Patients always have a dental exam with the dentist at their appointments. These are times when a dentist and dental hygienist can find areas of tooth decay, gum disease and other oral health problems. After a problem is found, patients receive information about what to do for their oral health. They learn about keeping their teeth clean and the products they need at home to do just that. If there is a cavity or bigger oral health problem present, a patient will schedule a second appointment to have the problem fixed.

Most people will go to their biannual dental exams. This is what a large amount of appointments are. The American Dental Association recommends that every person visit the dentist at least twice a year to keep their mouth healthy. At this appointment, you will see the dentist, but most of your time will be spent with a dental hygienist instead.

What’s a Dental Hygienist?

At every dental office, there is a main dentist in charge and many dental hygienists that work alongside him. A dental hygienist is a dentist’s helper in the procedures they do and the main professional working with you on dental cleanings and exams. However, not just any person can be a dental hygienist. It takes specific training and schooling to become a hygienist and they have specific roles in a dental office.

In a nutshell, a dental hygienist does all of the work that the dentist simply doesn’t have time for. Countless patients have many needs just in one dental appointment, which would become overwhelming for a dentist. Many procedures require more than one set of hands to accomplish. Some even require the help of two or more dental hygienists and a dentist when a patient needs oral surgery, custom teeth and more. Defined, a dental hygienist is a “licensed dental professional that is registered with a dental association.” They will have a full day’s worth of work in a dental office and are integral to a dental office functioning well. However, their training and job description is different than a dentist’s.

Schooling and Facts

If you want to become a dental hygienist, you have to go to dental hygiene school. This is different from dental school, as a dentist will complete 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years of dental school and generally fellowships or 2 years of additional schooling. Dental hygienists complete programs equivalent to receiving an associate’s degree, except all of their labors are focused on specific dental hygiene training. They have countless roles depending on if they are in a corporate, clinical, public health, educational or researching position. After their degree is complete, they have to continually pass licensing and continuing education exams, just as a dentist has to do.

Some fun facts about dental hygienists include:

• The U.S. News & World Report puts dental hygienists at #17 on the list of “100 Best Jobs” you can have in the U.S.
• Because of growing oral health problems, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the U.S. will need 20% more dental hygienists within the next 8 years.
• They can get a bachelor’s and master’s degree in dental hygiene.
• 95.8% of dental hygienists are women.
• There are 328 dental hygiene programs in the nation
• There are 21 masters degree programs for dental hygiene in the U.S.
• Dentistry wouldn’t be what it is today without dental hygienists.

Training and Job Description

Dental hygienists are training in dental hygiene and have to be Registered Dental Hygienists. This requires many written and clinical board exams. They have to continually show precision and aptitude for performing tasks in the office such as:

• Patient screening, medical history reports, and full health diagnostics
• Taking, developing and examining patient oral x-rays
• Dental charting and proper dental documentation on patients
• Performing oral cancer screenings
• Proper examination of the oral cavities to find abnormalities
• Using scaling, drills and dental tools to remove plaque and stuck-on tartar
• Reporting problems and health symptoms to the dentist
• Applying dental sealants to the tooth enamel
• Fluoride treatments on patients
• Teaching patients proper oral hygiene methods and providing them with oral hygiene kits
• Counsel for proper nutrition and changing current dental habits
• Mixing and preparing dental molds from chemicals in the office
• Taking molds of a patient’s teeth
• Flossing, brushing, polishing and more during the dental cleaning
• Assisting the dentist with all dental procedures, cavity fills, oral surgeries and more

Dental Cleaning and Comprehensive Exams

When you go to your dental appointment, the dental hygienist is who you will spend your time with unless you have an oral health problem or procedure. They will take the time to examine every tooth as they clean them. When a dental hygienist and a dentist work together, they can find tooth decay, gum disease and other oral health problems. From start to finish, both of these professionals will help you to have a healthy mouth every year for life. For questions about the dental hygienists in our office, call Mountain Aire Dentistry today at (303) 731-7755!