Job Description

A career as a dental hygienist offers a wide range of challenges. In the dental office, the dentist and the dental hygienist work together to meet the oral health needs of patients. Since each state has its own specific regulations regarding their responsibilities, the range of services performed by hygienists varies from state to state. Some of the services provided by dental hygienists may include:

• patient screening procedures; such as assessment of oral health conditions, review of the health history, oral cancer screening, head and neck inspection, dental charting and taking blood pressure and pulse
• taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays)
• removing calculus and plaque (hard and soft deposits) from all surfaces of the teeth
• applying preventive materials to the teeth (e.g., sealants and fluorides)
• teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health;
  (e.g., tooth brushing, flossing and nutritional counseling)
• counseling patients about good nutrition and its impact on oral health
• making impressions of patients' teeth for study casts (models of teeth used by dentists to evaluate patient treatment needs)
• performing documentation and office management activities