Oral Hygienist - The Dentist's Right Hand

Oral hygienists are considered to be the dentist’s right hand person in any dental office. The oral hygienist’s duties, depending on the state in which they are working, can be vast and many dentists are very dependent on their abilities to understand and complete arduous tasks.

The oral hygienist’s tasks include but are not limited to removing soft and hard deposits on the teeth and gums. The oral hygienist is many times responsible for educating the patients that come into the dentist’s office about appropriate oral hygiene habits. The oral hygienist also performs root planning which measures the degree of periodontitis and records the corresponding results. The oral hygienist takes and interprets x-rays, they create periodontal dressings, they administer anesthetics in some states, and they may also smooth and polish metal restorations. Because of the vast abilities that an oral hygienist is capable of delivering, they are well paid in today’s professional line of services.

According the United States Department of Labor, most oral hygienists earn between $22 and $34 an hour and most only work part time or less than 35 hours a week.

Because of the versatility of their positions, many oral hygienists will work for more than one dentist throughout the week performing various functions for different dentists. The skill set that they have obtained is versatile and can be used at virtually any dentist’s office. They can essentially function fluidly with any dentist that they should work for.

Oral hygienists, like dentists need to be licensed in the state for which they practice their trade. In order to qualify to take a state exam and receive their licenses, most states require that the candidate graduates from an accredited school of dental hygiene. In order for the candidate to even be considered entry into the dental hygiene school, many schools require an associate degree or a certain level of science classes. The schools vary from state to state as to the courses they offer but there will most likely be classes in anatomy, biology, pharmacology, nutrition, radiology, periodontology, clinical dental hygiene and behavioral sciences.

Oral hygienists or anyone considering becoming one must generally be someone who works well with others. They must also have excellent manual dexterity as they will be working in close spaces and will be performing micro manual dexterous movements repetitiously. It also doesn’t hurt to have an interest in science.

Oral Health | Gum Infections | Mouth Ulcers | Oral Hygienist