Registered Dental Hygienist

Job Description

Job Description

The primary duties of an RDH are organized by their workflow with patients:

 

Patient Assessment and Screening

• Reviewing Health History : Recording patient medical histories, noting allergies, chronic illnesses, and current medications.
• Vital Sign Checks : Taking blood pressure and pulse readings before initiating treatment.
• Oral Cancer Screening : Examining the head, neck, and lymph nodes, as well as visually inspecting the intraoral soft tissues for abnormalities.
• Periodontal Charting : Using dental probes to measure gum pocket depths and checking for signs of recession, bleeding, or gum disease.
• Exposing Radiographs : Operating dental machinery to take and develop routine or diagnostic X-rays.

Preventative and Therapeutic Clinical Care

• Dental Prophylaxis : Using specialized hand, power, or ultrasonic tools to remove plaque, tartar (calculus), and surface stains from teeth.
• Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy : Performing deep cleanings—known as scaling and root planing—to remove tartar from beneath the gumline and smooth the roots of the teeth.
• Applying Preventative Materials : Painting on cavity-preventing agents like topical fluoride and applying pit-and-fissure sealants to protect chewing surfaces.

Patient Education and Counseling

• Oral Hygiene Instruction : Demonstrating proper brushing and flossing techniques tailored to the individual patient’s anatomy.
• Nutritional Counseling : Advising patients on how diet and sugar consumption affect tooth decay and overall systemic health.
• Post-Operative Instructions : Explaining home-care directions after deep cleanings or other targeted oral procedures.

Documentation and Lab Work

• Treatment Charting : Keeping meticulous electronic records of existing conditions, decay, treatments performed, and future care plans. 
• Dental Impressions : Taking dental impressions of the teeth to create molds for study casts, custom whitening trays, or athletic mouthguards. 
• Instrument Sterilization : Sharpening, cleaning, and autoclaving dental instruments in compliance with strict infection control protocols.

Company Description

Quality focused Dental Office with cutting edge technology. Stressing Infection Control, HIPAA Compliance and Gentle, Caring Treatment of all patients.

Company Description

Quality focused Dental Office with cutting edge technology. Stressing Infection Control, HIPAA Compliance and Gentle, Caring Treatment of all patients.