Some statistics argue that by 2016 the demand for dental hygienists will have increased by 30 percent. With such a significantly growing demand, ita��s important to understand just why dental hygienists have become such sought after professionals. At the core of the issue is the changing philosophy of dental health from treatment to prevention.
In a bygone era medicine had a less complete grasp on dental health, and people traditionally visited a dentist only when facing a problema��this has changed. Now we understand that most dental health problems are preventable, and that some problems affect much more than the quality of ones smile, they affect overall health. In other words, the most important question is no longer how to treat something like a cavity, but how to prevent it in the first place. This requires a much larger population of trained professionals to assume a role more dedicated to public education. It also allows further specialization for dentists who want to pursue specific complex operations and issues. While it is clear that dental hygienists are important to society, why exactly are they valuable in the workplace.
Dental hygienists are commonly in charge of looking over patient records, taking and reading x-rays, performing plaque removal, treating teeth with fluoride for cavity prevention, applying topicalA�anaesthetics, and maybe most importantly, educating patients. In essence, dental hygienists do a lot of work.
The importance of dental hygiene revolves around the modern doctrine of prevention. In a preventative world, therea��s not as much of a need for highly trained dentists, because all most people need is a good lecture now and then to keep oral health problems from occurring in the first place. While dental hygienistsA�aren’tA�taking the place of dentists, the profession has altered what it means to be a dentist, and pushed both professions intoA� a symbiotic relationship that benefits everybody. The most important thing, however, to know about dental hygienists, is that no matter where you go, theya��re probably going to be the ones working on your teeth.
Think you may be interested in this growing profession? Visit us at www.cadh.ca for more information!
