Dental hygienists are health care professionals with a focus on oral hygiene and disease prevention. They work closely with dentists to help patients understand how to maintain good oral health. Their duties include cleaning and polishing teeth, taking dental X-rays, providing oral health assessments, applying fluoride treatments and teaching patient education.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the demand for dental hygienists will increase due to growing interest in preventive oral health care. Dental hygienists are employed in private dental practices, hospitals, nursing homes, community health settings, schools, prisons, dental clinics on Indian reservations and government facilities such as the VA and Department of Defense. Some hygienists work full time, while others choose part-time schedules.

The Role of a Dental Hygienist in Maintaining Oral Health

To succeed in the field of dental hygiene, you should be detail-oriented and comfortable working with your hands. You should also enjoy working with people and be comfortable communicating with all types of individuals. In addition, you must be able to think critically to plan your cleaning routines and follow standard precautions when working with a patient’s mouth.

A career as a dental hygienist is very rewarding and flexible, offering a great balance of work life and family life. Dental hygienists often have the opportunity to advance their careers by earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree, which opens up additional opportunities in education, research, school health programs, and advanced clinical positions. This profession offers an excellent salary, job security, and the ability to work in a variety of settings and communities.