Occupation Profile for Dental Hygienists
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.
Signficant Points
- A degree from an accredited dental hygiene school and a State license are required for this job.
- Dental hygienists rank among the fastest growing occupations.
- Job prospects are expected to remain excellent.
- More than half work part time, and flexible scheduling is a distinctive feature of this job.
Tasks
- Core — Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
- Core — Apply fluorides and other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.
- Core — Expose and develop x-ray film.
- Core — Feel lymph nodes under patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer.
- Core — Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
Activities
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.