Job description of a dental hygienist (professional standard)

Job description of a dental hygienist [name of organization, enterprise, etc.]

This job description has been developed and approved in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and other regulations governing labor relations in the Russian Federation.

Dental hygienist: what he does and what he treats

The oral cavity is an exceptional ecosystem for the vital activity of microflora, which can cause diseases of the teeth and surrounding tissues. One of the main reasons influencing the composition of microflora is the hygienic condition of the oral cavity. Mineral deposits and soft plaque are an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. There are many medical specialties in dentistry, but only a specialist hygienist can clean your teeth perfectly and restore your smile’s attractiveness.

Pros of the profession

Most future students choose a specialty not only based on their own desires and passions, but also considering what advantages it can provide in the future. And this is the right approach.

So, let's look at the advantages of the profession:

1. Demand.
2. Minimum training period.
3. Decent salary.
4. Flexible work schedule.

These are just the main positive aspects of being a dental hygienist. There is always a demand in the labor market for dentists of all specializations. At the same time, the field of preventive medicine is now actively developing. The need for hygienists will only increase in the near future. And the higher the need, the higher the wages. In addition, this is a great chance to quickly gain a profession. The training period is minimal.

What is a dental hygienist?

A dental hygienist is a specialist with a higher or secondary specialized education who has received the specialization “Preventive Dentistry” or “Dental Hygienist”. This is a doctor who professionally knows all aspects of proper oral care.

Responsibilities within the competence of a dental hygienist:

• preventive examination, assessment of the condition of the oral cavity;
• primary diagnosis of periodontal and dental diseases;
• drawing up an individual oral care program;
• providing assistance in selecting dental hygiene products;
• teaching patients how to care for orthodontic and orthopedic systems;
• choice of technology and removal of dental plaque;
• polishing minor defects (irregularities) of fillings;
• strengthening enamel with special pastes;
• explanation of the rules for brushing teeth;
• Providing consulting assistance in their specialization to dentists of other profiles.

General provisions

1.1. A dental hygienist is a specialist.

1.2. A person with a secondary medical education in the specialty “Preventive Dentistry” is appointed to the position of dental hygienist.

1.3. A dental hygienist is appointed and dismissed by the chief physician (director) of the institution.

1.4. The dental hygienist must know:

— laws, government regulations and other regulatory legal acts that determine the development of healthcare and relate to the provision of dental care to the population;

— principles of medical examination of the population;

— principles of medical ethics and deontology;

— principles of organizing preventive dental care for children and adults;

— methods and means of preventing dental diseases;

— basics of epidemiology, etiology and pathogenesis, diagnosis and general principles of treatment of major dental diseases;

— indices for recording the intensity of caries and periodontal diseases, the hygienic state of the oral cavity;

— methods and means of individual and professional oral hygiene, features and organization of teaching oral hygiene to children in organized children's groups;

— methods of dental education of the population;

— safety regulations, industrial sanitation and fire protection;

- [fill in what you need].

1.5. During the absence of a dental hygienist (vacation, illness, etc.), his duties are performed by a person appointed in the prescribed manner.

1.6. [Enter as appropriate].

What is dental professional hygiene

C
This is a set of measures aimed at preventing caries and treating inflammatory diseases of the periodontal soft tissues. It is not always possible to completely remove layers on your own at home. They are present not only on the visible surface of the segments, but also form in the subgingival part of the crown and between the teeth. Therefore, it is impossible to remove them from hard-to-reach areas with a simple brush.

When performing work, a dental hygienist uses special dental instruments (mirrors, hooks, brushes, tweezers) and modern technologies. The most popular methods are the crushing of mineral deposits with an ultrasonic scanner and the air-abrasive method of removing soft, hard deposits using sandblasting equipment.

Where to go to work after studying

This is exactly the area in which, having received a diploma, a young specialist is guaranteed not to be left without work. It has become fashionable to take care of your teeth; it is becoming a habit among people. After all, a beautiful smile is a sign of health and prosperity. In addition, it is much easier and cheaper to avoid a disease than to later treat its consequences and suffer from toothache. The demand for the services of qualified dental hygienists is growing rapidly.

The choice of place for future work is quite wide. Graduates of educational institutions are welcome both in public medical institutions and in private clinics. Dental offices are increasingly opening in schools and holiday camps, nursing homes and health resorts.

Stages of hygienic teeth cleaning

Using innovative technologies, the dental hygienist achieves maximum results without causing pain to the patient. The procedure is carried out in several stages:

• Anesthesia with local anesthetics. Used for increased tooth sensitivity or at the request of the patient.
• Examination of the oral cavity, drawing up a teeth cleaning program.
• Removing hard plaque using an ultrasonic unit. High-frequency sound waves create vibrations that reach the border of the stone and the enamel. The impact breaks the deposit into small fragments. The natural tissues of the tooth are not harmed.
• Cleaning remaining plaque with a jet of water containing fine powder, supplied under high pressure from the nozzle of the sandblaster nozzle. The procedure not only removes plaque, but also polishes the surface of the segments in a row and returns them to their natural color.
• Polishing with special pastes. Teeth polished with an abrasive preparation are less susceptible to the formation of deposits, which prevents the development of caries.
• At the end of the procedure, the dental hygienist performs remineralization with a special drug that reduces the sensitivity of the cervical area of ​​the units to irritants.

Career prospects

Now that we have found out who a dental hygienist is and what he treats, we can talk about the prospects for the profession. After completing his studies and receiving a diploma, the young specialist has the opportunity to choose in what format to conduct his activities. A preventive dentist can conduct his own practice in a separate office, or work in conjunction with a specialized doctor, helping and assisting him.

A good doctor quickly acquires a regular clientele. Satisfied patients recommend it to their relatives, friends and acquaintances. Such a specialist will never be left without work. The wider the client base, the more the employer values ​​you, which means there is every chance of achieving increased wages and the best possible working conditions.

In the future, having fully studied all the nuances of the profession, you can open your own office to work for yourself. At the initial stage, this will require significant investments of finance, effort and time, but with well-organized work it promises a good income in the future.

In addition, having acquired a knowledge base and practice in the field of preventive medicine, you can enter a university to obtain a narrower and highly paid specialization. In this case, the time spent on training to become a dental hygienist will not be wasted. When entering a higher education institution, the diploma you already have is taken into account - studies will be carried out according to an accelerated program.

When to see a dental hygienist

The World Dental Organization recommends professional hygiene with a hygienist twice a year. This preventive measure makes it possible to prevent inflammation of hard tissues at the stage of stain formation.

You need to make an appointment with a hygienist in the following cases:

• An independently made decision for the purpose of prevention.
• When calcareous deposits and bacterial plaque are detected on the teeth.
• If you smoke a lot, drink coffee, tea: to remove pigment from the enamel and give it a natural color.
• Before prosthetics, in order to adequately select the shade of the crowns.
• If you have braces in your mouth (in this case, you should visit the dental hygienist every 3 months).
• By referral from a dentist before treatment of caries and its complications.
• Before implantation of artificial roots, in order to reduce the risk of infection.
• Before any invasive interventions in the oral cavity.

Description and characteristics of the profession

A dental hygienist is a medical specialist who can work both independently and assist dentists (orthodontists, periodontists, surgeons, etc.). The main goal of his work is the prevention of diseases of the oral cavity and teeth.

The dental hygienist must:

• have a good understanding of the anatomy and physiological processes of the body as a whole;
• carry out preventive measures aimed at maintaining oral health;
• instruct patients on hygiene procedures;
• perform diagnostic and treatment procedures provided for by the specialty;
• master first aid techniques in case of critical situations (an allergic reaction in a patient, a sharp drop in blood pressure, etc.);
• know the causes and symptoms of dental pathologies;
• work with the latest technical equipment and instruments;
• understand the mechanism of action and effect of prescribed drugs.

Benefits of visiting a dental hygienist

Professional dental hygiene identifies and eliminates:

• putrid odor from the mouth;
• foci of inflammation in the periodontium;
• identify hidden, initial caries, pulpitis, periodontitis;
• improve the condition of the gums;
• eliminate enamel demineralization;
• remove pigmented plaque;
• eliminate rocky, soft layers;
• reduce bleeding gums and tooth sensitivity to external irritants.

You can carry out high-quality professional oral hygiene in dentistry on Otradnoye. We employ highly qualified dental hygienists who perform the full range of services within the competence of this profession. We work on original imported equipment, with certified products that have passed quality tests. Make an appointment with the clinic by calling 8 (499) 202 1000, or fill out the form on the website, we will call you back.

Specialties, universities and Unified State Exam subjects

Medical colleges and universities prepare dental hygienists:

• colleges - specialty 02/31/06 “Preventive Dentistry”;
• universities - specialty 05/31/03 “Dentistry”.

Education at the college is conducted only on the basis of 11 classes. Preparation period – 1 year 10 months. Admission is based on a certificate competition.

To become a university student, you will need Unified State Examination results in the Russian language, mathematics, biology and chemistry or physics. Studying at the university will take 5 years, another two years will be spent on residency.

You can only get an education in colleges and universities on a full-time basis.

There are faculties of dentistry in all multidisciplinary medical universities and in specialized Russian universities that train medical workers. For example, in Moscow it is:

1. Moscow State Medical and Dental University named after. A.I. Evdokimov.
2. First Moscow State Medical University named after. THEM. Sechenov.
3. Peoples' Friendship University of Russia.
4. Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov and many others.

When deciding where it is better to get an education as a dental hygienist, you should take into account the indisputable fact: graduates of higher educational institutions are more willingly hired for well-paid vacancies in private medical centers and clinics.

Where to get training

In addition to higher education, there are a number of short-term training on the market, usually lasting from a week to a year.
The Interregional Academy of Additional Professional Education (MADPO) provides training in the specialization “Hygiene and Sanitation” and issues diplomas and certificates.

The Medical University of Innovation and Development invites you to take distance courses for retraining or advanced training in the field of “Hygienist” to receive a diploma or state certificate. Training lasts from 16 to 2700 hours, depending on the program and your level of training.

The Institute of Professional Education "IPO" invites you to take distance courses in the direction of "Food Hygiene" (there are options 256, 512 and 1024 academic hours) to receive a diploma or state-issued certificate. We have trained more than 8,000 graduates from almost 200 cities. You can undergo external training and receive interest-free installments.