Dental Hygienist

Dental Hygienist Responsibilities

• Using dental instruments to clean accretions, calcareous deposits, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums.
• Looking for indications of oral cancer by feeling lymph nodes under patient chins for signs of tenderness or swelling.
• Noting and reviewing patient medical history.
• Using probes to examine and locate periodontal recessed gums and other signs of gum disease.
• Recording dental decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentists.
• Maintaining dental equipment and x-ray machine.
• Feeling and visually examining gums for signs of disease, sores, and other dental health issues.
• Exposing and developing x-ray film.
• Sharpening and sterilizing dental instruments.
• Promoting preventative dental care to improve patient oral health care.
• Applying fluorides and other dental decay prevention agents.
• Working with dentists and dental assistants.
• Maintaining a dental hygiene program for patients.
  

Dental Hygienist Requirements

• Associates degree from an accredited hygiene program.
• State hygiene license.
• Current CPR certificate.
• Current on Hepatitis B vaccination.
• Ability to administer local anesthetic agents.
• Able to use an x-ray machine.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Comfortable using computers for a variety of tasks.
• Knowledgeable about oral hygiene and dental health.