April is one of our favorite months. Why? Because it’s Oral Health Month! And to kick things off, we like to celebrate Dental Hygienists Week, which is the second week of April. At Milltown Family Dentistry, we love
our friendly, hardworking dental hygienists, and we couldn’t do our job without them.
We think it’s important for people to know just how much dental hygienists do, so we’d like to share a peek into their typical day.
Morning Prep
A dental hygienist starts a typical day by gathering up information about who it is they’re going to be seeing that day and what treatments those patients will need. They’ll review their patient charts and dental histories to make sure they have all the information they need to take care of the patient successfully. They’ll also have a brief meeting with the rest of the team to discuss goals and plans, and how everyone can help support each other.
Dental X-Rays
Once a patient comes in, the dental hygienist will take any necessary X-rays. Some patients have already gotten images taken recently, or may have had their current images sent over from another office. If that’s the case, they’ll skip this step.
Dental Cleaning
Now it’s time for the heart of the matter! After any X-rays have been taken, the dental hygienist will guide the patient to their treatment room and begin their teeth cleaning. They’ll use special tools to scrape away any plaque and tartar, and to polish teeth. Then, they’ll give their teeth a good flossing too! This is also the stage when a dental hygienist would also provide a fluoride treatment if that’s part of the patient’s treatment plan.
Hand-Off Between Dentist
When the cleaning is done and it’s time for the dentist to come in to examine the patient, the dental hygienist will convey whatever they found. They may also be the ones recording any relevant notes on the patient’s charts and in the patient’s files on the computer as the dentist takes a look.
Send-Off
Before a patient leaves, the dental hygienist will make sure that they understand any next steps they need to take to look after their oral health, whether that means going over proper flossing technique or helping them plan for any future treatments. If you happen to be visiting your dental office during the second week of April, be sure to wish your dental hygienist a happy Dental Hygienists Week! If you don’t happen to have your next appointment lined up, contact Milltown Family Dentistry today to set up a visit.
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