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 The
Dental Hygienist
Your dental hygienist is a health care professional who is qualified,
registered and licensed to provide quality preventive oral health
care. Dental hygienists play an important role in helping us to
maintain good oral health. They provide thorough oral care assessments
and treatments as well as offer valuable information and advice
on oral hygiene and its relation to one's general health.
Dental hygienists practice in private offices, hospitals, community
clinics, government run public health departments, long-term care
facilities, and serve as educators and researchers in universities
and colleges.
When you attend an appointment with a dental hygienist, she or
he will do the following:
- Discuss and review your medical and dental history
- Respect your privacy and protect your personal and medical/dental
information
- Practice according to the regulations, code of ethics and standards
of their profession
- Follow recommended infection control protocols
- Examine and assess the condition of your oral tissues, gums
and teeth
- Design and implement a personalized dental hygiene treatment
plan
- Refer you to your dentist for conditions that are not in the
dental hygiene scope of practice
- Teach you preventive measures in order to achieve optimum oral
health
- Help you understand the connection between oral health and
general health
- Provide oral care, dietary and safety suggestions for maintaining
healthy dentition
- Use safe and effective therapies including scaling (cleaning)
and fluoride, based on current and evidence based research
If you have concerns about your dental hygiene care you should
contact your provincial or state dental
hygiene association to have your questions answered.
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