Career as a Dental Hygienist by Institute For Career Research

Author:Institute For Career Research [Institute For Career Research]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Institute For Career Research
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Personal Qualifications

Dental hygienists need to be excellent communicators. A big part of their job is educating their patients, children as well as adults, about home care and maintenance of their teeth, conveying information in terms that the patients can understand and be willing to follow. Their communications skills also come into play as they work on their patients explaining what they are doing while they are doing it, in ways that are comforting and able to ease the patient’s concerns and fears.

Dental hygienists must also be skilled listeners, able to hear and react immediately when a patient indicates discomfort. In order to communicate in this manner dental hygienists should have a high level of compassion for their patients. They are dealing with people who may be afraid and could also be in severe pain.

Being able to reassure patients that the procedures are going well should be born out of the dental hygienist’s self confidence. Because of the importance of the healthcare being provided, the intimacy of the experience, and the precision required, the hygienist must continually reassure the patient.

This is also a profession that demands a high level of organizational skills. Dental hygienists handle a large assortment of tools and, since they tend to work individually without any assistance, they need to keep their equipment in good order and ready for use. Related to this skill is the requirement that guidelines set out by the state governing boards and professional associations are strictly adhered to.

Dental hygienists make a point of the physical demands of their work, as well as the intellectual, social, and emotional aspects. They must be good at working with their hands, with a considerable amount of dexterity, and good hand and eye coordination. Dental hygienists generally work in tight quarters on a small part of the body, using very precise tools and instruments. Physical stamina and flexibility are a must, given that you will spend a large percent of your time bending over patients as you work on their mouths.

Other important personal qualifications include a positive disposition that lends itself to interacting on good terms with a small group of coworkers in a relatively confined environment, given that dental practices are rarely in large office suites.

A love of science is also an important trait. Dental hygienists need to understand detailed information about the biology and chemistry of the human body and also know the science behind the materials they use.

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