As a dental hygienist in Ontario, I am licensed and registered with the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario. I am considered a primary healthcare professional and am entitled to work both as an Independent Dental Hygienist and as part of a team alongside dentists and other dental professionals, providing a full range of oral health care.
The scope of my practice as an Independent Dental Hygienist is to assess my client’s present condition in order to offer client-specific preventative and educational services aimed at promoting and maintaining good oral health.
The use of therapeutic methods helps my clients to control oral disease. By providing them with a tailored treatment plan which emphasizes client education, I empower my clients to take ownership of their oral health.
The major role of a dental hygienist is to remove excess plaque and calculus from around the teeth and gums, thus preventing the build-up of disease causing bacteria. In addition, dental hygienists perform examinations, make dental hygiene diagnoses, administer fluoride, place dental sealants, provide patient specific oral hygiene instructions, and take dental impressions for construction of study casts and mouth guards.
As part of a team in a dentist’s office, I can take intraoral radiographs and can place the restorative material after the dentist has removed the decayed portion of the tooth and prepped the tooth. In an orthodontic practice, I am qualified to select and size orthodontic bands for dental braces, insert wires selected by the orthodontist, remove the orthodontic appliances and place fixed retainers.
I believe in continual learning as part of my role as a health professional; I set yearly goals to build my skills and knowledge to better serve you. I love my role as a dental hygienist and look forward to helping my clients achieve health in their own mouths.
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