How To Become A Dental Hygienist

Hi, I am Brian Halvorsen and I'm a dentist. I've been in the practice for over 35 years and I've written a book about my principles on holistic dentistry. The book is called Great Teeth For Life.

This video is about the dental team. Hygienist, dental therapist and dental nurse, who also can be called dental assistant. Modern dentistry is about teamwork.

To become a dental hygienist, you first of all need to be a qualified dental nurse. Now, unlike the dental nurse, the hygienist does actually need to go to a dental school, where they do a specific course to become a dental hygienist. Because they are actually practitioners in their own right, they may work within the supervision of the dental practice, but in fact have a very responsible role in preventing tooth decay and gum disease.

Most of us know hygienists from the point of view of cleaning our teeth. But their role is far, far more than that. Over the last twenty years we have moved from being a dental hygienist, also to a dental therapist who is almost halfway housed between a dental hygienist and being a dentist.

In a sense, they have and can do small filling and can actually do dental procedures on behalf of the dentist. This creates an environment where there is a team and specializations within the practice of dentistry. And I fully appreciate that this is actually a great benefit to our dental patients.

I hope this explains the teamwork in dentistry. And if you are interested, please apply, initially, to your dentist for advice. .