A day in the life of a student of dental hygiene

As a student of dental hygiene you probably already have experience performing the tasks common to the profession. There are tools to master, procedures to learn, and a long vocabulary list of scientific and industry specific words and phrases that will give you the experience and knowledge you need to be successful in the field. But what is it actually like to do the job? This article hopes to inform you about what a day in the life of a dental hygienist is really like, and like most days, it begins in the morning.

A dental hygienist commonly arrives to work 30-45 minutes before the first patient is scheduled. Their morning activities include stocking patient rooms, touching base with the staff, and looking over patient charts in advance to be prepared for any unusual situations, and to know whoa��s coming in (it is common to build professional relationships with patients who frequently choose your practice). Once everything is in order, it is time to open.

The daily work of a dental hygienist can be quite varied. Patients to be scheduled for routine checkups, need x rays, teeth cleaning, require sealants, or review and possible update of their personal oral health routines, etc.. This may allow dental hygienists, or require them, to request help from other staff members from time to time–which probably would have been discussed during the staff meeting prior to opening.

A crucial element of the job is friendliness. You must be comfortable, and hopefully love talking to patients and helping them through the process. Many people are uncomfortable around dental personnel and need someone who is friendly and confident to help them feel secure. Talking to people about what youa��re doing every step of the way, joking, discussing current events, and keeping individuals engaged can be effective ways to help calm people down and build a strong patients/provider relationship. Once youa��ve performed your duties, the patient may be required to see the dentist, who can reinforce your recommendations, along with any of his/her own, thereby using a team approach to treat clients. After each and every patient, dental hygienists sanitise the room and prepare it for the next patient.

Most days follow a similar pattern but also contain an enjoyable amount of variety. Whether youa��re a current student seeking a glimpse of the profession, or a prospective student interested in the field, this is how an average day in the life of a dental hygienist looks. So, if youa��re interested in the field and this sounds like fun to you, dona��t hesitate to contact CADH as we still have a few spots left in our Oct. 22 session!

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