Dental Hygienist job description
A Dental Hygienist is a skilled oral health professional who supports patients in achieving and maintaining optimal oral health. They assist Dentists by conducting screenings, taking X-rays, and providing support during dental visits, ensuring comprehensive care and promoting overall dental well-being.
Use this Dental Hygienist job description template to find reliable employees for your dental office or clinic. Feel free to modify this template based on your unique needs and local legal requirements.
Dental Hygienist job responsibilities include:
- Conducting initial oral screenings
- Cleaning and helping protect patients’ teeth (e.g. removing plaque or applying fluoride)
- Educating patients of all ages on proper teeth care
Job brief
We are looking for a Dental Hygienist to help treat patients and promote good oral health practices.
What do Dental Hygienists do?
Dental Hygienist duties revolve around conducting initial patient screenings, cleaning teeth (e.g. removing plaque) and advising patients on oral health and preventative care. You’ll also help dentists decide treatments for teeth or gum diseases and handle dental emergencies.
Dental Hygienist skills
As a Dental Hygienist, you should be reliable and able to build trust with patients of all ages. You should have deep knowledge of relevant health and safety rules and a good eye for oral diseases and anomalies. If you also have a steady hand and great bedside manner, we’d like to meet you.
Responsibilities
- Ensure patients feel as comfortable as possible before their examination
- Sterilize dental instruments properly
- Conduct initial mouth screenings and check oral health history
- Identify conditions like gingivitis, caries or periodontitis
- Clean and help protect patients’ teeth (e.g. remove plaque or apply fluoride)
- Educate patients of all ages on proper teeth care (by demonstrating, for example, good brushing techniques)
- Give instructions to patients after operations or other dental procedures
- Take X-rays or dental impressions
- Assist dentists with selecting appropriate treatments for various diseases (including oral cancer)
- Maintain documentation and charts on each patient
- Monitor supplies
Requirements and skills
- Proven experience as Dental Hygienist or similar role
- In-depth knowledge of health and safety regulations in this profession (e.g. HIPAA)
- Experience in preparing and maintaining dental equipment
- Outstanding communication skills
- A patient and friendly personality
- Attention to detail
- Stamina to meet the physical demands of the job
- Diploma in Dental Hygiene; Master’s is a plus
- Valid licence to practice
Frequently asked questions
- What does a Dental Hygienist do?
- A Dental Hygienist examines patients for signs of oral diseases, such as gingivitis, and provides preventive care during the dental visit. They also educate patients about dental hygiene to help patients maintain good oral health.
- What are the duties and responsibilities of a Dental Hygienist?
- A Dental Hygienist supports Dentists during a patient’s dental visit, and they use a variety of tools to address a patient’s oral health concerns. For example, they may X-ray patients for signs that could indicate oral diseases or even administer preventive care with an air-polishing device in some cases if necessary.
- What makes a good Dental Hygienist?
- A good Dental Hygienist must have excellent communication skills since they work directly with patients and must be familiar with various dental instruments since they perform X-rays and other procedures on patients.
- Who does a Dental Hygienist work with?
- Dental Hygienists work directly with patients and are supervised by the Dentist in the office. This means a Dental Hygienist needs to have great communication skills to communicate with everyone in the office and build a strong professional relationship with other medical staff.