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Career Details : Dental Hygienists

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Description

Clean teeth and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. May educate patients on oral hygiene, take and develop x-rays, or apply fluoride or sealants.

Experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Education

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Tasks

  • Cleans calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
  • Provides clinical services and health education to improve and maintain oral health of school children.
  • Removes excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth.
  • Places and removes rubber dams, matrices, and temporary restorations.
  • Feels lymph nodes under patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer.
  • Examines gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
  • Administers local anesthetic agents.
  • Exposes and develops x-ray film.
  • Removes sutures and dressings.
  • Makes impressions for study casts.
  • Places, carves, and finishes amalgam restorations.
  • Feels and visually examines gums for sores and signs of disease.
  • Charts conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.
  • Conducts dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.
  • Applies fluorides and other cavity-preventing agents to arrest dental decay.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Job-Required Social Interaction
    • Consequence of Error
    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
    • Indoors

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