When thinking about the rigor of being a dental hygienist, many do not consider the challenges and stress of the job, or the time put into it. Being a dental hygienist comes with a lot of work and challenges that the average person is not aware of. An everyday challenge that a dental hygienist is faced with is the small time-frame they are given for an appointment, when they have a lot to do in that little of time. Technological advances happen every day and dental hygienists are expected to keep up with them, mostly by constantly taking classes and courses. The advancements in technology produce new approaches to treatment and prevention. But, the combination of all of these factors has shaped the field of dentistry and created dental hygiene that was once a dream.
Most dental hygienists have anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour for an appointment. As a patient, this might seem like more than enough time to clean teeth. But, it is almost always a struggle to perform the job a dental hygienist is expected to do in that time-frame, at a good quality. Dentalproductsreport.com says: “Working against the clock, day in and day out, isn’t as easy as it seems as not everything is in our control” (Kara Vavrosky, RDH). Dental hygienists are given very small windows of time for the amount of work that they are entrusted. As soon as the patient sits in the chair until the time they leave their appointment, the hygienist is working vigorously. It begins with going over medical history, taking vitals, and screening for abnormalities such as oral cancer. Then, they clean, polish and floss teeth, followed by educating the patient on oral health at home. When the dentist comes in, the dental hygienist assists with the exam while charting notes, and when the appointment is finished, the hygienists disinfects the room and repeats this process for the next patient. This process is crucial, because if a dental hygienist was to skip a step, such as screening for abnormalities, and a patient was unaware that they had oral cancer until they came back in six months or a year. Therefore, the amount of time that a dental hygienist is given to perform his/her tasks is not always what is needed.
Furthermore, dental hygienists are often discredited for the work they do. It is a common misconception that to become a dental hygienist, it only takes two years of school. But, to begin classes to get a license to be a dental hygienist, a person has to do many prerequisite courses, which produce a total of three or four years of school. When a dental hygienist gets their license, they have to continue taking courses their entire career to keep it. Along with taking courses throughout their career they also have to pass their boards and other tests continuously. The average salary of a dental hygienist is 72,000 dollars, which divides into about 35 dollars an hour. This compares to the salary of a dentist which is about 172,000 dollars. It is visible that a dental hygienist does a lot of work for a much lower salary.
Technology advances more every day. When a new treatment comes out, or a new device is created, a dental hygienist has to become familiar with it for the best interest of their patients. Some newer advancements in technology are the Indentifi 3000, dental lasers, and ozone therapy. The Indentifi 3000 is the size of an electric toothbrush that uses multiple wavelengths of light to detect oral cancers earlier and more accurately. According to rdhmag.com: “Oral cancer is on the rise in the young adult population and is directly related to the steady increase in HPV” (Keverly Sugden, RDH, BASDH). Dental lasers are used in periodontal therapy. They are very effective in treating soft tissues and detecting dental caries. Ozone therapy is the newest advancement. In this treatment, dental hygienists use high concentrations of ozone to kill bacteria in the mouth. Ozone therapy is used widely in Europe with success and has been used successfully in the United States. It eliminates bacteria in the mouth by activating the immune system against infectious diseases.
To continue, there is an organic treatment that replaces oral and IV sedation by giving the patient black-out glasses and playing NeuroAcoustic software, which causes the brain to become deeply relaxed. This system is known as the NuCalm system and it has no side effects or recovery time attached to it. “Dentistry is gradually shifting from symptom treatment to prevention” (Keverly Sugden, RDH, BASDH). Technology is beginning to eliminate many diseases. As more treatments and tools become available in the field of dentistry, more diseases and sicknesses disappear. All of these treatments and technologies are not even a start on recent developments and there is always the promise that more will be created.
Being a dental hygienist entails more than most people are aware of. There is a substantial amount of work that someone puts into earning their license, and that work follows them throughout their career. Dental hygienists perform extraordinary work that is beyond just cleaning teeth. With advancements in technology, the field of dentistry is improving daily. Dental hygiene is one of the most important things in a person’s life, and dental hygienists hold a large amount of credit for it. Without dental hygienists, a dentist’s job would be a lot harder. Dental hygienists are discredited for their hard work, constant adaptation to new technologies and procedures, and their ability to work in small time-frames. But, with all this being said, being a dental hygienist is an excellent field to work in when a person is willing to go beyond average.