Dental Hygienists Job description and requirements

If you’re looking for a career in which you get to help people, along with the flexibility of being able to move and travel, you may want to look into becoming a dental hygienist. People are always going to need to have their teeth taken care of, whether it is something as simple as a cleaning to root canals and even braces or veneers.

Becoming a dental hygienist will offer you the opportunity to work with people on a one-on-one basis, help them better care for their teeth, and the pay isn’t something to blink at. But what does a dental hygienist do? Well, the dental hygienist job description can actually be quite extensive.

One of the most important duties that a dental hygienist will perform, and as the job title implies, is that of cleaning a patient’s teeth. The dental hygienist will perform routine cleanings for patients and will also take the time to educate the patients in proper care and cleaning of their teeth in between cleaning.

The other tasks in the dental hygienist job description includes the removal of sutures from dental surgery, updating patient dental records – to include a record of medications – and performing X-rays of the patient’s mouth. They will also perform other in-office procedures such as the application of teeth whitening methods, and to polish fillings.

A dental hygienist is an intrinsic part of a dentist’s office. The assistance provided to the dentist by the dental hygienist is absolutely critical, as it allows the dentist to focus on some of the more severe cases, as well as any emergency surgeries that may come up during the regular work day.

As a dental hygienist, you can expect to work in a rather nice environment. Dental offices are generally very well-lit, calm, quiet work environments. There is no excessive standing or excessive sitting – it’s quite easy to strike a good balance. The dental hygienist will usually be required to wear “scrubs” to their job, which may require having to shop at a specialty store, but the uniform breathes well and is actually quite comfortable. You’ll also most likely be required to wear special shoes, though if you’re not, it’s recommended that you do purchase shoes with good arch support and that are comfortable, as some days may get busy and you’ll be on your feet more often than not.

At the present moment, the median salary for a dental hygienist working in the United States is approximately $63,000. This is the approximate income you can expect, though do not be surprised if you find some offices offering more, and there will, of course, be offices that offer less. There are also travel opportunities available as a dental hygienist, because you can take this job with you wherever you go – there will always be people in need of dental care around the country and the globe.

This dental hygienist job description does not include every last thing you can be expected to do at your job, but it does cover the important basics. If you enjoy working with people and have an interest in dentistry, becoming a dental hygienist could be the perfect fit job for you!

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