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Dental hygienists
examine patients' teeth and gums, recording the presence of
diseases or abnormalities. They remove calculus, stains, and
plaque from teeth; take and develop dental x-rays' and apply
cavity-preventive agents such as fluorides and pit an
fissure sealants. Dental hygienists use hand and rotary
instruments and ultrasonic equipment to clean and polish
teeth, x-ray machines to take dental pictures, syringes with
needles to administer local anesthetics.
In some states, hygienists administer anesthetics; place and
carve filling materials, temporary fillings, and periodontal
dressings; remove sutures; perform root-planning as a
periodontal therapy; and smooth and polish metal
restorations. Although hygienists may not diagnose disease,
they can prepare clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests
for the dentist to interpret. Hygienists sometimes work
chair side wit the dentist during treatment.
Dental hygienists also help patients develop and maintain
good oral health. For example, they may explain the
relationship between diet and oral health, or the link
between oral health and such serious conditions as heart
disease and stroke. They also inform patients how to select
toothbrushes and show them how to brush and floss their
teeth.
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Dental hygienists
should work well with others and must have good manual
dexterity, because they use dental instruments within a
patient's mouth, with little room for error. High school
students interested in becoming a dental hygienist should
take courses in biology chemistry, and mathematics.
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Nature of Work 
