Dental hygienists are an important addition to the dental care team. They help ensure that patients know how to perform oral care and are skilled in removing stains, tartar and plaque from your teeth to keep them healthy. They also document the care they give patients and the treatment plans patients receive. Dental hygienists also assist in completing x-rays so that dentists can examine the teeth and jaw to identify problems. Not only do they perform these tasks, but they also counsel patients on how to properly floss and brush their teeth. They will give recommend that patients take care of their teeth, because if one does not take care of their teeth it may affect their health. The impact on their health can be significant with dangerous consequences. If an individual does not properly take care for their teeth then it can lead to cavities, gingivitis and periodontal disease. Ever wonder what qualifies a dental hygienist to do everything they are tasked to do? Let’s take a look at what education and credentialing a dental hygienist has to undertake.
Education and Qualifications of a Dental Hygienist
A Dental Hygienist have to take multiple science related classes and pass various exams. General science classes include chemistry, biology and anatomy. Additional classes they take are english and psychology. Communication courses are also integral in developing skills as a dental hygienist. This is important since hygienists communicate with a lot of patients and other health care providers on the team.
After completing all the general requirement courses, then they will officially apply into a dental hygienist program. These programs have many applicants and are very competitive to get into. It is always recommended that interested applicants apply to more than one program to increase their chances of being admitted into a program. Most dental hygienist programs require applicants to have a high grade point average of 3.0 or higher to qualify for their program. Once they are admitted into the program, courses will include more concentrated dental classes with working areas in the laboratory and clinics. These learning opportunities provide a developing dental hygienist time to learn how to use the different types of equipments. They also learn how to collect patient dental data and plot it on graphical teeth chart. Learning to effectively communicate with patients and other colleagues is a skillset that is very valuable to further develop during this phase in the program. Dental hygiene programs usually takes 3 or more years to complete. With the approval of a Dental Hygiene Program Director, one can apply for the National Board Examination and the Council on Interstate on Testing examination and other state or regional exams. Once a they pass these exams, they can become a licensed dental hygienist and practice.
Understanding what your dental hygienist went through to gain their education and credentials is important to knowing their qualifications. Rest assure that all dental hygienists working at California Dental Group are qualified to perform the tasks they are assigned. To schedule an appointment for teeth cleaning and check up, call us at 800-407-0161. Don’t wait until you have a toothache to do so!
