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What Does A Dental Hygienist Do?
Photo by Yusuf Belek on UnsplashAlong with cleaning your teeth, dental hygienists also:
Teach you about good oral hygiene (like how to brush your teeth)
Take x-rays of your teeth to spot cavities and other problems
Put sealants and fluoride on your teeth to protect them
Add information to your dental records
Help the dentist during your visit
Do Dental Hygienists Use Technology On The Job?
Yes! Dental hygienists use the following technological tools to get the job done:
X-ray machines and processing software
Dental equipment like the fancy chair you sit in and the part that squirts water in your mouth
Dental software to add information to your file
Productivity software such as word files and spreadsheets
Accounting software to keep track of your bills
Photo by Sam Moqadam on Unsplash
Quiz
A typical day in the life of a dental hygienist might include...
Dental hygienists do a lot of different tasks each day. This includes getting information from patients and sharing it with the dentist. They also build relationships with patients, which might include asking about your day or where you work.
Who Can Be A Dental Hygienist?
It's a misconception that only women can be dental hygienists. In the video below, Whitney talks about gender in dental hygiene.
Anyone who wants to work with their hands, build relationships with people, and has a passion for teeth would be great at this job!
Did you know?
How Can I Become A Dental Hygienist?
To work as a dental hygienist, you'll need the following:
At least an associate's degree
Clinical experience (this could be up to 2,000 hours)
License (for US: www.adha.org and for CA: www.hss.gov.nt.ca)
On average, you can make:
Quiz
Sam just graduated from high school and has decided to become a dental hygienist. What's Sam's next step?
Sam should look for dental hygiene programs near by. This could be at a community college, for-profit college, or university. However, Sam will need to find the right DH program before registering.
Take Action
If you think working as a dental hygienist is the right career for you:
This Byte has been authored by
Jennifer Benaggoun
Learning Designer