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Prerequisites, Job description, and duties

The prerequisites for any dental hygiene program is dependent on the school. Every school has different requirements but the general prerequisites are almost the same. Many programs require the completion of prerequisites with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Some courses that are needed are in almost every program are: Anatomy, Biology, Chemistry, and Sociology. [1]

In the dental office, the dentist and the dental hygienist work together to meet the oral health needs of patients. Since each country has its own specific regulations regarding their responsibilities, the range of services performed by hygienists varies. Some of the services provided by dental hygienists may include:

patient screening procedures; such as assessment of oral health conditions, review of the health history, oral cancer screening, head and neck inspection, dental charting and taking blood pressure and pulse taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays) removing calculus and plaque (hard and soft deposits) from all surfaces of the teeth applying preventive materials to the teeth (e.g., sealants and fluorides) teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health counseling patients about good nutrition and its impact on oral health making impressions of patients' teeth for study casts (models of teeth used by dentists to evaluate patient treatment needs) performing documentation and office management activities. [2]

1. https://www.bridgeport.edu/news/dental-hygienist-salary/

2. https://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/careers-in-dentistry/dental-team-careers/dental-hygienist