Duties of the Dental Hygienist as a member

of the dental team

Dr. Rama Bitar

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Responsibilities of dental hygienist

1. Preventive:

◦Methods employed to prevent oral disease and to promote health.

◦e.g., applying topical fluoride

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Responsibilities of dental hygienist

2. Therapeutic:

▫Methods employed to arrest or control oral disease

▫e.g., scaling and root planning of teeth

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Responsibilities of dental hygienist

3. Educational:

▫Methods employed in both preventive and therapeutic aspects of clinical dental hygiene care to explain concepts regarding oral disease and health.

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Five interrelated roles of the dental hygienist

1. Clinician:

•Works in:

▫clinical practice. ▫managed care programs.▫care facilities.

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•Responsibilities:  

▫Uses the dental hygiene process of care to prevent and control oral diseases to promote health.

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2. Educator:

•Works in:

▫Public health programs.▫Public school programs.▫Faculty in dental schools and dental

hygiene schools.

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•Responsibilities:

▫Applies educational theory and the teaching- learning process.

▫Designs instructional materials.

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3. Administrator or manager:

•Works in:

▫Educational institutions.▫Clinical practice.▫State dental health program

administration.

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•Responsibilities:

▫Motivates and evaluates staff. ▫Solves problems. ▫Makes decisions.▫Resolves conflicts.

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4. Advocate:

•Works as:

▫Lobbyist for legislative changes in health care

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•Responsibilities:

▫Influences legislators.▫Health agencies.▫Other organizations on existing health

problems and available resources to solve problems.

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5. Researcher:

•Works in:

▫Research institutions▫Institutions of professional education.

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Dental Hygiene actions

•They are behaviors of the dental hygienist aimed at assisting patients in meeting their eight human needs related to optimal oral wellness.

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Dental Hygiene’s eight human needs

1. Protection from health risks

o The dental hygienist must ask the patient questions about their general health and its influence on dental hygiene care.

o Consult the patient’s physician if necessary before dental treatment.

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2. Freedom from fear and stress

o It is the need to feel safe and to be free from emotional discomfort in the oral health care environment.

3. Freedom from pain

o It is the need to be exempt from physical discomfort in the head and neck area.

o If pain is apparent, the hygienist must provide pain control immediately.

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4. Wholesome facial image

o It is the need to feel satisfied with one’s oral and facial features and breath.

oThe hygienist must listen to the patient’s demands and doubts.

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5. Skin and mucous membrane integrity of the head and neck

o It is the need for an intact and functioning covering of the person’s head and neck area.

oAssessment of the oral cavity is necessary before treatment.

oExtraoral examination is required by the hygienist.

oAfter examination, treatment of any problem is done.

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6. Biologically sound and functional dentition

oThe hygienist documents existing conditions of the teeth.

o Including: restorations, deviations from normal, signs of caries, and missing teeth.

oA radiograph may asset in the evaluation.oDental treatment is provided later for the

conditions noticed by the hygienist during examination to provide sound dentition.

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7. Conceptualization and problem solving

oThis involves the need to understand ideas and abstractions to make sound judgments about one’s oral health

oHygienists must ask questions to have enough knowledge to: o recommend oral care to the patientoPerform preventive procedures

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8. Responsibility for oral health

oThe dental hygienist assesses the patient’s oral behaviors and suggests behaviors to the patient.

oMotivate patients to have positive oral health behaviors.

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Recommended reading

•Mosby’s dental hygieneConcepts, cases, and competenciesSusan J, Daniel; Sherry A. Harfst; Rebecca

S. Wilder

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