As a Dental hygienists you remove soft and hard deposits from teeth, teach patients how to practice good oral hygiene, and provide other preventive dental care. You also examine patients’ teeth and gums, recording the presence of diseases or abnormalities. Dental hygienists use an assortment of different tools to complete their tasks. You use x-ray machines to take dental pictures, and sometimes develop the film. You may use models of teeth to explain oral hygiene, perform root planning as a periodontal therapy, or apply cavity-preventative agents such as fluorides and pit and fissure sealants.

In some States, hygienists are allowed to administer anesthetics, while in others they administer local anesthetics using syringes. Some States also allow hygienists to place and carve filling materials, temporary fillings, and periodontal dressings; remove sutures; and smooth and polish metal restorations.

Dental Hygienists also help patients develop and maintain good oral health. For example, they may explain the relationship between diet and oral health or inform patients how to select toothbrushes and show them how to brush and floss their teeth.

Hygienists sometimes make a diagnosis and other times may prepare clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests for the dentist to interpret. Hygienists sometimes work chair side with the dentist during treatment.

Salary

College degrees mean more money and for Dental Hygienists that’s also the case Dental Hygienists earn an average of $72,000 per year.

Job Outlook

Get a degree work in a high demand occupation, demand is expected to grow 30%over year through 2016, so this is an excellent career with strong demand.

Education

Get a college degree work smarter; to be a hygienist you will need a college degree.   31% of all people working in this profession hold a Bachelor’s degree, 1% hold a Masters degree, 65% hold an associate Degree   Online degrees are not an option however you can find schools near you using online college tools.