Are you interested in a career as a Dental Hygienist? Do you want to know what it’s like? In this profession, you’ll primarily promote dental hygiene and help keep your patients’ teeth healthy. Read on for a sneak peek at what a day in the life of a dental hygienist entails.
Daily Activities
According to The Canadian Academy of Dental Health & Community Sciences, dental hygienists typically see an average of 8-10 patients per day. Their day begins about half an hour before the first patient arrives so they have time to review charts and the dental histories to prepare for the type of treatments their patients will need.
If a patient is new, the dental hygienist must perform a full assessment by reviewing medical history, taking necessary x-rays and analyzing the patient’s oral health. Once that is done, the dental hygienist will clean the patient’s teeth and gums of and provide a diagnosis. The diagnosis consists of explaining key findings to the dentist who will make the formal medical diagnosis.
After diagnosing and learning what the problems are, a dental hygienist must prepare an oral health plan for each patient. That could consist of directions as simple as flossing more, using a soft tooth brush or something more complex, such as recommending oral surgery. The dental hygienist will then schedule successive visits.
Karen Siebert, RDH, BS says once one patient’s procedure is completed, the dental hygienist needs to prepare the room for the following patient by disinfecting the instruments and work station. This is a very important step in order to prevent the spread of diseases in the office.
Then, the rest of the day will follow the same sequence with each patient until the schedule is complete. Treatments vary depending on the oral health of each patient.
Become a Dental Hygienist
The Dental Hygiene program offered by Fortis College prepares students to sit for a licensure exam after graduation so they can qualify to work as an entry-level hygienist. The program is offered at various campus locations across the country. Learn more by visiting our program pages.
