Dental Hygiene FAQ
Dental Hygiene FAQ
What Does a Dental Hygienist Do?
The duties of the Dental Hygienist include comprehensive patient care with specifics to include:
- oral prophylaxis (cleaning)
- exposing, processing and mounting radiographs
- collecting and evaluating medical history information
- performing head and neck examinations
- periodontal assessment and therapy
- applying agents for the prevention of decay
- applying desensitizing and antimicrobial agents
- administering local anesthesia and nitrous oxide analgesia
Where do Dental Hygienists work?
Dental Hygiene employment opportunities include:
- general practice and specialty dental offices
- federal, state, county, and city health clinics
- hospitals
- long-term care facilities
- industrial clinics
- the armed services
- research institutions
- educational settings
What kind of education does a Dental Hygienist need?
Ozarks Technical Community College offers an Associate of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene. Upon satisfactory completion, graduates are eligible to take the National Board Examination and practical examinations required for licensure in Missouri and other states.