Dental hygienist jobs

Both clinical and health promotion obligations fall within the purview of dental hygienists, making their position within the dental healthcare team a very significant one.

As a dental hygienist, one of your primary responsibilities will be to instruct patients on how to properly care for their teeth and gums, as well as to encourage them to do so. In addition, you will administer preventative dental care procedures, as well as provide dietary and oral hygiene recommendations.

You have the option of working in a number of different environments, including conventional dentistry clinics, hospitals, independently, or within the community. Patients might vary in age from toddlers to senior citizens and have a wide array of requirements for dental treatment.

Responsibilities

To be successful in the field of dental hygiene, you will need to:

Patients of all ages should be given dental education and guidance on how to properly care for their teeth and maintain good oral hygiene.

collaborate closely with the rest of the dental team in order to diagnose, treat, and advise patients on how to avoid gum disease.

Utilize a wide variety of dental implements in order to clean, polish, and scale teeth.

Use therapies to slow down the process of deterioration.

Check that the dental equipment has been sterilized properly.

Make dental imprints as well as radiographs (x-rays), if possible.

provide the neighborhood anesthetic.

Use fissure sealants to prevent your teeth from tooth decay.

Put on some bandages as a stopgap measure to safeguard a chipped tooth or to replace a missing filling.

Encourage and show them how to wash their teeth and clean the spaces between their teeth.

sterilise dental equipment

Exhibit concern and compassion for patients, and place their needs at the forefront of treatment.

the gathering of individuals' medical and dental histories as well as the maintenance of their health records

adhere to a professional code of ethics and stay current on the latest changes within the industry in which you operate.

Dental hygienists have the ability to provide treatment to patients on their own or in accordance with a prescription or set of instructions given by a dentist. It is recommended that newly trained dental hygienists work under the supervision of a dentist for at least one year before providing treatment directly to patients. This may be done as part of a dental team at a dental office or on their own independently.

Salary

Beginning wages for dental hygienists employed by the National Health Service (NHS) are normally in the range of £24,907 to £30,615, which corresponds to band 5 of the pay rates established by the NHS Agenda for Change (AfC).

Earnings for dental hygienists that specialize might range anywhere from £31,365 to £37,890 per year (band 6). There is a possibility that experienced hygienists who are also responsible for training might make up to $44,503 per year (band 7).

There is often a wide variety of pricing for an hour's work, anything from £16.56 to £31.18.

Your level of experience, geographical area, the kind of company you work for (i.e. private or NHS), and whether or not you are directly hired by a practice or self-employed are all variables that might affect your salary.

The monetary amounts listed are just meant to serve as a reference point.

Time spent working

You can expect to put in a typical week of 37.5 hours, beginning at 8:30 am and ending at 5:00 pm. Depending on the needs of your business, you may sometimes be required to work in the evenings or on the weekends.

It is possible that if you work at a hospital, you may be required to work shifts or be on call on the weekends.

It's possible that flexibility may be asked of you if you work for a community dentistry service.

It is very uncommon for dental hygienists to split their time throughout the work week between a number of different locations, including several dental practices, hospitals, or community dentistry services.

What may be anticipated

You will be working with other dental professionals such as dentists, dental nurses, and dental therapists as part of a dental healthcare team.

Jobs may be found in cities, towns, and rural locations throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.

In order to prevent infectious illnesses from spreading, you are expected to wear protective eyewear, a face mask, and gloves when working with patients.

As a result of the repeated nature of some of the activity, one may have discomfort in the eyes, as well as in the neck and back.

Under typical circumstances, you won't be required to travel during the day or spend the night away from home. There are jobs available in other countries for dental hygienists who have prior work experience.

Qualifications

You are need to be registered with the General Dental Council in order to practice as a dental hygienist (GDC). In order to do this, you are required to get one of the GDC's recognized credentials, which are as follows:

Oral health science (which takes four years to complete at the University of Edinburgh), dental hygiene, or dental hygiene and treatment are all degrees that take three years to complete.

certificate of completion of advanced study in dental hygiene after two years (or 27 months if the course covers dental hygiene and therapy)

a foundational degree in oral health science that takes two years to complete.

All courses are full time. On the website of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT), you may find a list of courses that have been authorized by the GDC.

If you have finished an integrated degree or diploma in both dental hygiene and therapy, you will be able to work as both a dental hygienist and a dental therapist after you have been registered in either field.

In order to be eligible for a seat on a degree program, you will need five GCSEs, including English and mathematics, as well as three A-levels, at least one of which should be in biology or human biology. Candidates pursuing the foundation degree or certificate will often be required to have two A-levels under their belts.

There are several situations in which an A-level may be substituted for a certification in dental nursing that is nationally recognized.

Graduates with a grade point average of at least a "2:2" or above in a scientific or healthcare-related field are encouraged to apply to certain institutions. Because of this, it is important to verify with each specific school to determine the precise requirements.

Before being accepted into a training program in England and Wales, you will be required to pass an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (or equivalent check for Scotland). In order to enroll in some classes, you will also need to submit your body to a physical examination that will be performed by the occupational health service of the university. You are required to make a full disclosure of any difficulties that could have an impact on your fitness to practice when you apply for GDC registration.

All pre-registration dental hygienist students enrolled in an appropriate study at a level 5 or level 6 in England are entitled to receive a non-repayable financial assistance of at least £5,000 per year to assist with their educational expenses. Check out the NHS Learning Support Fund website for more information in its entirety.

Students in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland may get information on financial help for their education from the following organizations:

Student Awards Agency of Scotland (Scotland) (SAAS)

Student Awards and Financial Aid Services (Wales)

Skills

You'll need to make sure you have:

outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, in order to calmly and reassuringly explain treatments to patients and advise them on how to maintain their teeth and gums healthy.

talents in effective listening as well as motivation, in order to teach patients on how to keep their dental hygiene and food healthy.

the capacity to operate successfully both independently and cooperatively in a group setting

a kind nature and a keen interest in assisting other people

kind and considerate behavior while engaging with patients of all ages

excellent manual dexterity as well as self-assurance while operating dental equipment

excellent vision and stable hands are essential for doing dental procedures with precision.

the capacity to keep one's focus going strong for extended amounts of time

excellent abilities in writing communication for the purpose of completing and maintaining accurate patient records.

a persona that is warm and inviting while exuding self-assurance and professionalism, which will enable you to connect successfully with patients as well as coworkers.

Practice in the workplace

In most cases, you will be required to demonstrate that you are knowledgeable of the dental hygiene profession and the function that a dental hygienist plays in order to be accepted into a programme. If you want to acquire a feel for the work involved in becoming a dental hygienist, you can try calling a dental surgery in your area to see if you can work shadow a dental hygienist. It may also be beneficial to have experience working as a dental nurse.

You will get practical work experience via the combination of academic study and clinical practice that is included in the courses. This will prepare you for when you graduate and begin searching for a career.

Find out more information on the many types of work experience and internships that are currently offered.

Employers

Employers of dental hygienists often include the following:

The vast majority of certified dental hygienists find employment, either full or part time, in general dentistry clinics. These practices serve patients under the auspices of the NHS or on a private basis.

Community dentistry services are aimed at ensuring that dental treatment is available to all members of the community. You may be working in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, specialty health centers, and mobile clinics. In addition, you could be visiting patients in their homes or going to nursing and care facilities.

In dental hospitals, dental hygienists work as members of a wide variety of teams that cover all facets of dental care, ranging from orthodontics and children's dentistry to complex procedures and oral surgery.

workers of private businesses in industry may get dental treatment from their firms.

defense dental services are provided in several places within the United Kingdom as well as abroad with the British Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy.

Check for available positions at:

BDJ Jobs

Members of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT), including student members, are the only people who may access this website.

NHS Jobs

Recruitment for the NHS in Scotland

Additionally, specialized recruiting firms like DentalElite will post both full-time and part-time job openings on their websites.

Improvement of one's profession

After you have received your certification, you will need to continue enhancing your abilities and keeping your knowledge current. You are required to spend at least 75 hours over a period of five years participating in continuing professional development (CPD) activities that are pertinent to your practice in order to keep your registration with the GDC. This is an essential component of maintaining your registration with the GDC.

The following are examples of typical activities:

engagement in lectures and courses

attending seminars or training with a hands-on clinical component

participation in conferences, either as an attendee or a presenter

involvement in clinical audits or reviews conducted by peers

The BSDHT offers a number of continuing professional development activities in addition to an annual conference. Membership grants access to additional benefits, such as possibilities for networking via regional group study days and networks, as well as resources and assistance.

It is possible to pursue further education up to the level of a master's degree in a field that is connected to dental hygiene, such as dental public health. Search dental postgraduate courses.

Prospects for one's career

After completing the necessary training, you will begin working as a dental hygienist so that you may obtain experience in the field. If, on the other hand, you have a degree that combines dental hygiene and therapy, you may be eligible to work as a dental therapist. This is the case if you have an integrated degree.

The outlook for finding a job is positive, on average. Because of factors such as an aging population, for instance, oral health and other health issues are becoming an increasingly prevalent concern. This has resulted in an increased need for dental health specialists.

There are various chances to progress into a managerial job at a dental office after gaining sufficient experience. You will be responsible for the daily operations of the office in addition to providing assistance to the dentist in this job.

After obtaining further credentials and completing additional training, it is feasible to transition away from providing direct patient care and into the role of educating the next generation of dental hygiene or dental therapy students. There are other opportunities accessible in the research field.

You can also consider transitioning into a field that is linked to this one, such as orthodontic treatment, public health, or working as a health improvement practitioner.