Dental hygienists are considered the "prevention specialists" of the dental team. Their educational and clinical training allows them to not only assist patients in the prevention of numerous dental afflictions, but also to actively treat periodontal disease, the #1 reason for adult loss. Classrom instruction emphasizes the basic sciences, as well as microbiology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, pain management, periodontics and radiography.
A dental hygiene graduate is eligible for licensure after successfully completing the following: graduating from an educational program accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, passing the written National Dental Hygiene Board examination, passing a state or regional clinical examination and passing an individual state's jurisprudence examination.
Although legal functions vary from state to state, some of the functions routinely performed by a dental hygienist include, but are not limited to:
In some states, dental hygienists with additional educational may provide other services, such as administering local anesthetics and nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia, placing and carving filling materials and providing additional periodontal procedures. Practice settings vary from state to state, but in many, a dental hygienist may work in the following:
- Private dental offices and dental clinics
- Federal, state and local health departments
- Hospitals and nursing homes
- School districts or departments of education
- Educational programs for dental, dental hygiene and dental assisting students
- Private businesses/industry
- Correctional facilities
- Health Maintenance Organizations
- Private/public centers for pediatric, geriatric or other individuals or groups with special needs
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