Our Dental Hygienist job description includes the responsibilities, duties, skills, education, qualifications, and experience.
About the Dental Hygienist role
A dental hygienist is a health care professional who focuses on preventive oral health and works with a dentist to provide educational, clinical, and therapeutic services to patients. They clean teeth, examine patients for signs of oral diseases such as gingivitis, and provide other preventive dental care. They also educate patients on proper oral hygiene.
Role Purpose
The purpose of a dental hygienist is to help maintain oral health and prevent dental disease. They are responsible for assessing a patient’s oral health, providing preventive care, and educating patients on how to maintain good oral hygiene. They also provide treatments such as teeth cleaning, scaling and polishing, fluoride treatments, and sealants. They may also take X-rays, administer local anesthesia, and provide patient education on diet, brushing and flossing, and other oral hygiene practices.
Dental Hygienist Summary
A Dental Hygienist is responsible for providing preventive dental care and educating patients on oral hygiene. Duties include providing thorough dental cleanings, removing plaque, taking and developing X-rays, applying fluoride and sealants, and educating patients on proper brushing and flossing techniques. They must also document all services provided and maintain patient records. A Dental Hygienist must have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work well with a variety of people.
Dental Hygienist Duties
- Provide preventative dental care such as cleaning teeth and educating patients on oral hygiene
- Assess patient oral health and diagnose any dental issues
- Take and develop X-rays
- Remove plaque and calculus from teeth
- Apply protective sealants to teeth
- Administer anesthetics and perform restorative treatments
- Provide instruction on diet, brushing, flossing, and other oral hygiene techniques
Dental Hygienist Skills
- Assess and record patient dental health history
- Remove deposits and stains from teeth
- Polish teeth
- Educate patients on proper oral hygiene and preventive care
- Expose and process dental x-rays
- Assist dentist in providing treatment
- Maintain and sterilize dental equipment
Dental Hygienist Requirements
- Completion of an accredited dental hygiene program
- Current license to practice dental hygiene
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- In-depth knowledge of dental hygiene procedures
- Ability to work collaboratively with other dental staff
Personal Traits
- Team-oriented
- Detail-oriented
- Excellent communication skills
- Compassionate
- Organized