In short, a dental hygienist takes care of the total health of your teeth. This involves the treatment and prevention of certain oral diseases. These licensed health professionals have qualified to perform certain procedures. A patient will generally see a dental hygienist before they see the actual dentist. Through the initial care of the patient, the dental hygienist makes it possible for the dentist to concentrate more fully on the more serious procedures. They make it possible for the patient to receive the most effective and efficient care possible.
Procedures Performed by Dental Hygienists
Just about every Colorado Springs dentistry will have a dental hygienist, depending on the size of the practice, they may have more than one. They will be the first person to treat you when you visit the dentist. You may already be familiar with what they do. If you are not, here are a list of some of the procedures they perform:
1. Take and develop X-rays
2. Scaling, remove plaque build-up, tarter
3. Remove hard to remove teeth stains
4. Dental assessments
5. Apply fluorides and sealants to teeth
6. Periodontal diagnosis and care
7. Educating patients about their oral health
8. Create tooth impressions
9. Administrative duties
10. Cleaning & preparing tooth for root canals
Where to Find Dental Hygienists
Currently, Colorado is the only state for which a licensed dental hygienist is able to operate an independent practice without being supervised by a dentist. This excludes any state institutions. While a good number of these professionals work in various private dental practices, others prefer to work in other areas of the field. You will find them throughout various public health agencies and community clinics. This is because there are many low-income families who would never be able to afford the expense of visiting a traditional Colorado Springs dentistry. They are also teachers. Which means you will find them at public schools, churches or community centers. Their responsibility would be to educate attendees about oral health. This is important because it will teach them how to care for their teeth properly and help decrease the amount of time they spend at the dentist. Institutions that care for special needs patients will often have a dental hygienist. They help people maintain their oral health effectively.
The Colorado Springs dentistry of Lehman Drive Dental treats all of their patients with loving care. To make an appointment and find out more about their practice visit website.
