It’s time for you to go to the dentist but you fear to get a dental hygienist who is rough on your teeth and causes your gums to bleed. Yikes! Though there might be some blood during your dental appointment, there is no reason for you to worry or be extremely sore after a simple cleaning or check-up. Here is what you need to look for to ensure the dental hygienist working on your mouth is a great one.
1. Excellent Listening and Communication Skills
A dental hygienist should be an excellent listener and communicator. Why? You could be experiencing pain due to a dental issue. The hygienist needs to listen to your concerns, noting to take extra care when dealing with a sensitive area in your mouth. Your hygienist should be able to communicate with you so that you know what is happening and let you know how you can improve your oral hygiene.
Your dental hygienist is like a nurse at a hospital, soothing your nerves during dental treatments and making sure everything goes according to plan.
2. Technically Skilled
Your hygienist should be technically skilled in a variety of dental scenarios should they arise. The hygienist will need to be able to understand what to do in unexpected situations so they can take the next steps needed. Understanding the ins and outs of dentistry is a requirement achieved during dental school. You want to be sure your hygienist has proof of their technical achievements. Their certificate and degree documents state they have accomplished their program legally allowing them to work in their specific field of expertise.
3. Be a Team Player
The hygienist works with the dentist more than anyone else thus needs to have a team spirit about him/her. Since the hygienist will be helping the dentist during various treatments, he/she needs to work well together to accomplish the end goals. Many dental procedures require the work of two people so an aptitude for working in a team environment is essential.
Next time you are at the dentist, pay attention to how well your hygienist and dentist work together.
4. Detail Oriented
A dental hygienist needs to get into all your teeth’s nooks and crannies to complete a full cleaning. This requires a lot of attention to detail, ensuring everywhere in your mouth is taken care of with no negative particles left behind. After your dental cleaning, check your teeth in the mirror yourself and move your tongue along each tooth to make sure proper attention was given to each spot in your oral cavity.
Ouch! That hurt. You don’t want to have these words coming out of your mouth when getting a dental cleaning. The hygienist will need to pay extra attention to what they are doing to keep
