They work closely with a dentist to give care that is tailored to your needs. The hygienist's main work is to professionally clean the patient's teeth. They are uniquely qualified to assist in the prevention and treatment of gum disease by scaling and polishing teeth, and developing home care plans with patients to maintain their oral health.
Cleaning teeth efficiently is a far more complex and skilled procedure than most people realise. Hygienists identify those areas where patients have difficulty in removing plaque and work with them to modify their tooth brushing technique to ensure effective cleaning.