Skills Required to Be a Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists perform a variety of tasks related to dental care. Due to the extensive training required to practice dentistry, dentists' hourly pay makes it inefficient for them to attend to less technical aspects of care, like cleaning teeth. Hygienists tend to these tasks, allowing dentists to see more patients and reducing the cost to individual patients. Certain skills and educational training help prepare dental hygienists for their work.
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Education Requirements
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To practice dental hygienics, post-secondary education is required. Though some institutions offer a four-year bachelor's degree, a two-year associate degree or even a certificate from an accredited institution normally is sufficient. Some establishments offer a master's program, though this is generally more for access into administrative or instructor positions than as a way to augment the work itself. A high-school diploma or graduate equivalency degree is required to pursue any of these options.
Nature of Work
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An aptitude for acquiring knowledge of biology is essential to becoming a dental hygienist. Sterile procedures, use of sterilizing equipment like autoclaves and antiseptics and safe use of medical tools and equipment is central to this. In addition to the requisite knowledge, dental hygienists must have a steady hand and strong close-range vision. Interpersonal skills also are useful as close patient contact and education on dental hygiene is a significant part of the work.
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Licensure
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Dental hygienists are typically licensed on a state level. Licensing authorities require that the applicant substantiate claims of completing a course via an accredited institution. Individuals seeking a license from another state may be allowed to obtain a license based on their having held a license from the previous state, or states may recognize licensure from other states in an arrangement called "reciprocity."
Variability of Services
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Some dental hygienists may perform procedures besides cleaning teeth. Depending on their training and the authority granted by their particular state's licensing, hygienists may remove sutures, shape fillings, take radiographs, administer local anesthesia via syringe, polish metal dental appliances or apply fissure sealants and flouride treatments. Even when such procedures are allowable by state license, the dentist's discretion and the individual hygienist's level of knowledge will be taken into consideration.
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References
- Photo Credit dentist 09 image by Dragan Bombek from Fotolia.com
