A dental hygienist provides dental patients with a variety of dental treatments and other oral care. A dental hygienist’s responsibilities can range from routine to extraordinary. Depending on the situation, they may change. Dental hygienist jobs can be found in private practices, hospitals, dental hygiene schools, and the military, to name a few.
Cleaning and polishing teeth, removing plaque on teeth and below the gum line, taking dental histories, charting decay and disease for the dentist to review, taking dental x-rays, and screening patients for signs of oral cancer are all examples of typical responsibilities. Making impressions or molds of teeth, educating patients on proper oral hygiene procedures, and applying anti-cavity agents to teeth, such as sealants, are some of the other responsibilities of the dental hygienist. In some cases, the dental hygienist is in charge of the patient’s pain management as well as other restorative procedures.
Depending on the location where the dental hygienist works, she may be supervised a dentist, work with minimal supervision, or work without supervision. A dental hygienist, for example, can work in a nursing home setting with little supervision in some areas. In fact, many state-run institutions do not require much supervision for dental hygienists.
Jobs as a dental hygienist are most common in private practices. Those hygienists typically work for a single dentist or for a group of dentists in a group practice. Other places to work as a dental hygienist include hospital dental departments, community agencies, health maintenance organizations, primary and secondary schools, dental schools, and the military. A dental hygienist only needs to look into the options that fit her schedule, lifestyle, and preferences, and then apply for those dental hygienist jobs.
Dental hygienist jobs are available worldwide through the World Health Organization and the Peace Corps. Accepting such a position, despite the low pay, can be a rewarding experience. New parts of the world can be discovered, and even a single dental hygienist can make a significant difference in areas where dental care is a luxury. She must go through the proper channels with each organization to apply for such a job, which includes filling out paperwork and conducting interviews.
Other dental hygienist jobs may necessitate more education and experience than a standard dental hygienist. Jobs as researchers, consultants, educators, and administrators, for example, are all possibilities for a dental hygienist. The majority of dental hygienist jobs are found at a university or dental college.