Dental Hygienist Career, Training and Employment Information

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Dental Hygienist Career and Job Highlights

• Hygienists may earn a certificate, or an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree.
• Employment opportunities will be readily available.
• Flexible scheduling and part time opportunities are typically available.

Dental Hygienist Career Information and Job Description

Educating patients about proper oral hygiene, cleaning teeth, and administering preventive dental care are the major responsibilities of dental hygienists. They record abnormalities and problem areas in patients’ mouths. Other tasks include taking oral x rays; giving fluoride and fissure sealants; providing periodontal therapy in the form of root planning; removing plaque, calculus, and stains from teeth. Some States allow hygienists to conduct some procedures normally reserved to dentists, including filling cavities, anesthetizing patients, taking out stitches, and applying metal restorations. Hygienists often work side by side with dentists. They prepare laboratory tests for the doctor’s review, though they themselves are not allowed to diagnose problems.

Dental hygienists are educators—they teach patients the ins and outs of proper dental care, how to brush and floss, and which type of floss and toothbrush are best for them.

Hygienists use a variety of apparatus to perform their jobs: they take oral x rays using x ray equipment; they clean teeth using ultrasonic, rotary, and manual tools; and they use models of teeth and the mouth to educate patients.

Unique to dental hygienists is the opportunity for flexible scheduling. Hygienists may work part time in a few offices because dentists may only hire them for a few days a week. Ample opportunities are available for part time, full time, and weekend or on call.

Dental hygienists work in sterile, well-lit environments and are exposed to relatively few hazards when following proper safety protocol. Protecting oneself from excesses of radiation from x ray machines and wearing masks and gloves to guard against infectious disease are important safety concerns to follow.

Dental Hygienist Career Training and Job Qualifications

Passing a practical and written test and graduation from an accredited dental hygiene school are requirements to gain licensure in the State in which they are practicing. All States and the District of Columbia accept the examination given by the American Dental Association Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. The clinical test is administered by regional or State testing centers. The majority of States also require hygienists to pass a test on the legal aspects of their field. Alabama offers a State-regulated hands-on training program for hygienists; those who complete this program are allowed to take the exams.  ( jobs employment )