A dental office requires people who take care of routine activities that are in some cases over and above what a customer service personnel would do and something below what a dentist would do. They are essential personnel in any successful dental office and they play an important role as a right-hander to the dentist.

So who is a dental hygienist?
A dental hygienist is probably a junior to the dentist in terms of qualification and experience. But they closely work with the dentist by organizing dental examinations for the patients, providing them with certain oral care procedures like filling, sealants, etc, and educating them on dental hygiene practices.
A well qualified dental hygienist is an asset to the dentist in many ways. Here are few qualities to look for in the best dental hygienist.

Best Qualities to look for in a Dental Hygienist
(1) Educational Qualification – Some countries mandate that Dental Hygienists also are dentists by qualification. In some countries however an educational qualification equivalent to graduation in dentist science that is lesser in qualification than a dentist pursued in a dental or equivalent dental technical college or university is necessary. Either way, they are technically experienced in the relevant field. Some countries mandate they pass license examinations which may be national and local.

(2) Soft Skills – The next important requirement any patient or the dentist looks in a dental hygienist are their softer skills like communication, patient-friendly approach, kid-friendly approach, people skills, patience, compassion and passion for their profession. They are expected to be extremely polite when handling patients. They are seen as someone who can provide patients with the required patient education on dental hygiene and practices. As part of this exercise, they may be routinely explaining the patients the need to maintain proper oral hygiene, proper brushing and flossing techniques and the importance of dental visits at recommended intervals.

(3) Multitasking Ability – The dental hygienists is expected to multitask in a dental office. They are at times attending to patients and doing some dental treatments like filling, sealant applying etc., as per the direction of the dentist. Sometimes they are handling the patient queries and explaining the nuances of oral hygiene as part of patient education. Sometimes they are fetching the record of the patients and sometimes they are tending to dental x-rays and interpreting them along with the dentist. Dynamism at workplace defines the role of a Dental Hygienist.

(4) Offering Proper Dental Procedures – As they are also required to do some mundane dental procedures like cleaning, scraping, filling, applying of sealants, etc., they are expected to offer a gentle touch while they do their job.

The Dental Hygienists at Oris Dental Centre are well qualified in their domain. They possess all the qualities as discussed above and we are proud of the fact that they have been more than a helping hand at our dental office in making our patients happy. Call us and schedule an appointment with us to find out what our experienced and gentle hands can offer.

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