Dental Hygienist Job Description

Now-a-days, the number of people with dental problems is rising at an alarming rate, thanks to the lack of awareness and some hereditary problems. As a result of this, the dental hygienists are much in demand as they continue to cater to the needs of many people. This profession, according to experts is a strong contender to be one of the top thirty fastest growing professions worldwide. You can achieve success in this field provided you have an inclination and keen interest for the same.

Nature of Job of a Dental Hygienist

The dental hygienist job description consists of some important dental hygienist duties such as cleaning and maintaining the teeth, teaching good habits to the patients which will help them to maintain good health of their teeth in the future and providing the patients with preventive dental care techniques after careful examinations and diagnosis. Many dental hygienists are engaged in tasks such as removing sutures, taking X-rays of the teeth, keeping a record of the medical history of the patients along with the medications prescribed to them and polishing fillings. Many dental hygienists choose to work part time for renowned dentists which is a boon for this profession.

The assistance of dental hygienists to the dentists is vital in the proper and timely treatment and cure of the mouth, guns and the teeth. Removing tartar from the teeth and doing the root planning procedure for increasing the strength of the roots of the teeth are the tasks performed by the dental hygienists after closely examining the patients. As a treatment to the disorders which are diagnosed in the X-rays, the dental hygienists apply sealants and useful fluorides to the teeth which assist in preventing the cavities. Creating awareness among the patients by telling them the importance of regular and correct methods of brushing, timely dental check-ups and having a good balanced diet are the things taught in dental hygienist training and are highlights of a dental hygienist job description.

Maintaining the margins of the gums, using teeth whitening methods, calcareous deposits, teeth bleaching and removing stains from the teeth are the jobs done by the dental hygienists by use of the advanced dental instruments. The cement content on the coronal tooth surfaces, which are in excess quantities are removed by the dental hygienists. Detecting gum diseases, oral cancer and providing dental health care facilities to general public and school children are some important points in dental hygienist job description. They play a vital role in preventing tooth decay. Some more important aspects of the dental hygienist job description are as follows:

• Application of anesthesia
• Maintaining dental records of patients
• Assisting dentists during examinations, by keeping the patients mouth dry
• Cleaning dental prosthetics
• Creation of temporary crowns

Dental Assistants Job Description

Dental assistants are licensed professionals who work along with dentists and have different tasks than the dental hygienists. The dental assistants job description consists of the following tasks:

• Patient care and laboratory duties
• Preparing patients mentally for treatment and ensuring their comfort
• Handing over the dental instruments to the dentists
• Sterilizing and disinfecting the equipment
• Receiving patients, sending bills, receiving the payments and keeping daily records

Educational Qualifications and Pre-requisites for Dental Hygienist and Dental Assistant Job

Now, having understood the dental hygienist job description and dental assistant job description, let us know about the educational qualifications for both the professions. The dental hygienist education requirement is a course in dental hygiene from an accredited school. Before you take admission for this course, you will have to complete a high school diploma. Good communication and interpersonal skills, license in the area where practice is to be done, good work stamina and co-operative nature are some dental hygienist requirements which are covered in the dental hygienist training. A budding dental assistant needs to obtain the relevant certification from the Dental Assisting National Board and also a certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The dental hygienist salary is showing a growing trend, and experienced people are known to earn around US $75,000 and more. I hope the dental hygienist job description and the dental assistant job description is proved to be of a great use for those wishing to peruse these careers.