DentalHygieneCareer

MorganBinkley

EnglishIIIHonors
Mrs.Kopp
February26,2014

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MorganBinkley
Mrs.Kopp
EnglishIII
26February2015
DentalHygienistCareer
Adiverserangeofmedicalcareersexistintodayssociety.Dentalhygieneranksasone
ofthetopmedicalprofessionstoday.Dentalhygienistsworkcloselywithdentiststoprovidethe
publicwithoptimumoralhealthcare.Hygienistsprovideavarietyofpreventativeservicesto
patients.Theyscale,flossandpolishteeth,conductxrays,evaluatepatientsoveralloralhealth
intheirmouthandteachpeoplehowtocarefortheirteethtopreventanykindoftoothdecay
(Geshelin).Thesehygieneservicesprovidepatientseducationandskillforthemtomaintaina
healthyteethandgums.Dentalhygieneoffersadynamicandchallengingcareerwhichoffers
teamwork,personalgrowthandfulfillment,extraordinarybenefits,andcommonlyviewedasan
excellentlongtermcareeroption.
Thehistoryofdentalhygienebeginsaroundthe1800s.Inthebeginning,some
professionalsactuallyadvisedagainstbrushingandcleaningteethonaregularbasis.For
example,in1728,PierreFauchard,knownasthefatherofModernDentistry,statedinhis
publishment,LeChirurgienDentiste(TheSurgicalDentist),hepreferredandencouragedthe
cleaningofteethwithatoothpickoraspongeandamixtureofwaterorbrandy,ratherthan
brushingteethwithtoothpaste(TimelineofDentalHygiene).Changesfortheprofessionbegan
happeninginthenineteenthcentury.In1845,TheAmericanJournalofDentalScience,
prescribesbrushingandcleaningtheteethwithflosssilktwoorthreetimesperday.This

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publicationcreatedthefirstknownreferencetopreventativedentalhygieneinanAmerican
journal.Theserecommendationscontinuetoday.Also,researchonthecauseoftoothdecay
beganduringtheseyears.In1882,WilloughbyD.Millerdeterminedmicroorganismscause
dentaldecay(TimelineofDentalHygiene).Thisdiscoveryprovidedasignificantstepforward
inthehygienefieldandstartedthegrowthofthedentalhygieneprofession.
Intheearlytwentiethcentury,dentistsbeganencouragingpatientstopracticepreventive
dentalcareandbecomeproactivewithotherdentalproblems.Forexample,ThaddeusP.
Hyatt,knownastheFatherofPreventativeDentistry,startedrecommendingthisin1903
(ADHA).Hyattalsobecameanearlyadvocatefortheacceptanceofdentalhygienistsinthe
dentalfield.AwellknowndentistnamedDr.AlfredFonestookHyattsadvice.Mr.Fones
establishedthefirstDentalHygieneschoolinBridgeport,Connecticut.IreneNewman,who
workedasDr.Fonesapprentice,becamethefirstlicenseddentalhygienistandthefirstclassof
dentalhygienistsgraduatedin1914.Thisfirstclassconsistedoftwentysevenwomenandthey
beganworkingwithchildreninpublicschoolsystem(TimelineofDentalHygiene).Inthe
publicschoolshygienisteducatedchildrenonproperdentalcareandperformedaveryinformal
dentalchecks.Dentalhygienistsbegandoingworkinhospitalsduring1915.NewHaven,
Connecticutbecamethehomeofthefirsthospitaltoemploydentalhygienists.Overtime,the
workofadentalhygienisttransferredandservicesmovedintothedentaloffice.
ThehygienefieldgrewrapidlyacrosstheUnitedStates.InSeptemberof1923,the
AmericanDentalHygienistAssociationbecameorganizedanditconsistedoffortysixmembers.
By1926,thirtystatesacrossAmericahadlicenseddentalhygienistsandsentthemoutintothe
workplace.Atthistime,forfemaleworkers,thecareerprovidedasalarybetween2025dollars

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perweek,whichmostpeopleconsideredafairsalary.Thecareercontinuedtoprogressin1935
whenobtainingahighschooldegreebecamestronglyrecommendedfordentalhygienist.By
1956,everystateinAmericahadlicenseddentalhygienistsandtheAmericanDentalHygienist
Associationadoptedthetermlicenseddentalhygienistastheofficialcredentialofthe
profession(TimelineofDentalHygiene).Anearlycommoncriticismtotheprofessionwasthat
onlywomencouldpursueitasacareer.Manypeopleviewedthisbylawasunfairbecauseitdid
notprovideequalopportunity.Thenin1965,JackOriograduatedfromtheUniversityofNew
Mexicoandbecamethefirstmaledentalhygienist(TimelineofDentalHygiene).Alsoin
1965,representativesfromtheAmericanDentalAssociationchangedthebylawstoallowmento
workasdentalhygienists.
Asthecareerofdentalhygieneevolved,thetoolstheyuseddailyalsoadvanced.For
example,theveryfirsttoothbrushwascreatedfromastickwithafrayedendwhichyourubbed
overtheteethandcommonlyreferredtoasthechewstick.Chinainventedthefirstbristle
toothbrush,similartowhatweusetodayin1498.Thebristlesconsistedofstiff,coarsehairs
takenfromthebackofahog'sneckandattachedtohandlesmadeofboneorbamboo.In1938,
DupontdeNemoursintroducednylonbristles(Stevens).DoctorWest'sMiracleToothbrush
becamethefirstevernylonbristledtoothbrushinAmericanhistory.Afterthefirsttoothbrush
madewithnyloncamealong,thefirsttoothpastecontainingfluoridegotintroducedtothe
market.Soonaftertheseinventions,Americansbecameinfluencedbythedisciplinedhygiene
habitsofsoldiersfromWorldWarII(Stevens).Theybecameincreasinglyconcernedwiththe
practiceofgoodoralhygieneandquicklyadoptedthenylontoothbrushintotheireverydaylives.

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Theprofessionofdentalhygienegrewquicklyduringthe19thcenturyanditstill
continuestogrowtoday.Arecentstudyshowsthefieldcurrentlyexpectstogrowby33
percentbytheyear2022(DentalHygienistsSummary).Ongoingresearchlinkingoralhealth
andgeneralhealthwillcontinuetospurthedemandforpreventativedentalservices,providedby
thesetrainedprofessionals.Asdentalpracticesexpand,dentistswillneedtohiremore
hygieniststoperformroutinedentalcare.Inaddition,asthelargebabyboompopulationages
andpeoplekeepmoreoftheiroriginalteeththanpreviousgenerationsdid,theneedtomaintain
andtreattheseteethwillcontinuetodrivethedemandfordentalcare(DentalHygienists
Summary).Federalhealthlegislationexpectstoexpandthenumberofpatientswhohaveaccess
tohealthinsurance.Peoplewithneworexpandeddentalinsurancecoveragewillbecomemore
likelytovisitadentistthaninthepastyears(DentalHygienistsSummary).Asaresult,the
demandforalldentalservices,includingthoseperformedbyhygienists,willcontinueto
increase.
Anypersonsinterestedinenteringthefieldofdentalhygienemustcompletetwoyearsof
collegetoearnanassociatesdegreeandtheseprogramsaremostlyofferedatcommunity
colleges.ABachelor'sdegreeindentalhygienecanbeobtainedhowever,muchlesscommon.
Amaster'sdegreewouldberequiredforresearch,teaching,orclinicalpracticeinpublicor
schoolhealthprograms(DentalHygienistsSummary).Highschoolstudentswhohavean
interestinpursuingthiscareershouldtakeclassesinmath,chemistry,andbiology(Young).
Havingthesecoursesduringhighschoolwillhelpduringcollegelearningbecausemostofthe
coursesneededinvolvethesesubjects.Expandingknowledgeearlywillmaketheadvanced
educationmoreenjoyableformoststudents.Entrancerequirementsforthedentalhygiene

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programsvarybasedontheschoolsomeschoolsrequirestudentstocompleteoneyearof
collegebeforebeginningthedentalhygieneprogram.Mostschoolsofferlaboratory,clinical,
andclassroominstructionfortheirstudents.Aspartoftheircurriculum,studentsstudy
anatomy,physiology,nutrition,radiography,andperiodontology,whichdefinesthestudyof
gumdisease(DentalHygienistsSummary).Eventhoughtherequirementstogetalicensevary
bystatealldentalhygienistsintheUnitedStatestakethesamewrittenexam.Eachstatealso
givesaclinicalexamandmoststatesrequireanotherexampertainingtothepracticeofdental
hygienewithintheirstate.
Uponenteringtheprofessionalworkforce,hygienistsworktoprovidearangeof
necessarypreventiveservices,includingscalingandpolishingteethandteachingpatientshowto
maintaingoodoralhealth.Also,theyexamineteethforanytypeofdecayandlookforsignsof
gumdisease.Duringaroutinecleaning,hygieniststakeanddevelopxraystheninterpretthem
forthedentist,whomakesthediagnosisforthepatient(Geshelin).Whentakingxrays,they
followstrictprocedurestoprotectthemselvesandpatientsfromtheradiationinthexray.In
additiontocleaningteethdentalhygienistsalsokeeptrackofpatientcareandtreatmentplans
giventopatientsbydentists.Forexample,adentalhygienistshowsthepatienthowtoproperly
brushandflosstheirteethtopreventfuturetoothdecayandgumdiseases(Darby,2).While
treatingpatients,dentalhygienistswearsafetyglasses,surgicalmasks,andglovestoprotect
themselvesandpatientsfrominfectiousdiseases(Darby,3).Thesesafetyprecautionsmayseem
smallbutcaneliminatemanyhealthrisksforboththepatientandhygienist.Duringanormal
workweekmosthygienistsworkfourdaysoutoftheweek,whichequalsouttoaboutthirtytwo
hoursandmorethanhalfofhygienistsworkparttime(DentalHygienistsSummary).

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Sometimesdentistshirehygieniststoworkafewdaysaweekandsomostdentistsemploy
multiplehygieniststoworkwiththemthroughouttheweek.Anotherimportantfactorthat
makesasuccessfuldentalhygienistdependsontheirpersonalityandpeopleskills.Accordingto
CrystalYoung,adentalhygienistfortwentyfiveyears,saysInanewhirewelookforateam
player,someonewhoshowscompassionandisdriven.Whileadentalhygienistsjobconsistsof
caringforapatientsteeth,theyalsoestablishrelationshipswithpatients.Successfulqualities
foundinadentalhygienistarecompassion,beingagoodlistenerandconfidenceintheir
abilities.Also,theabilitytohandledifferentpersonalitiescanallowadentalhygienisttomake
betterrelationshipswiththeirpatients(Young).Theserelationshipsmakethecareermore
enjoyableandallowforeverydaytobringsomethingnewforthem.
Alargepartofthedailyworkofdentalhygienistsconsistsoftakinganddeveloping
xrays.Xrayspenetratethebodyinordertoformanimageonfilm.Theseimageshelp
hygienistslookforthingssuchascavities,bonedamageandunemergedteeth.Thenumerous
typesofdentalxrays,showdifferentanglesorareasofapatientsmouth.Thefirsttypesof
xrayiscalledabitewing,thisshowsthecrownportionsofthetopandbottomteeth.Thistype
ofxraygetstakenbythepatientbitingdownonapaperliketab(Fotek).Aperiapicalxray,
showsoneortwoparticularteethfromcrowntorootandcommonlyonlytakenifthedental
hygienistthinkstherecouldbeaproblemwithaparticulartooth.Dentalhygienistsalsoconduct
palatalorocclusalxray,itcapturesallofthetopandbottomteethinonepicturewhilethefilm
takingtheimagerestsinthebitingsurfaceofthepatientsteeth.Alesscommontypeofxray
requiresaspecialmachinethatrotatesaroundthepatientshead,commonlyreferredtoas
panoramicxray.Thisxraycapturesallofthejawsandteethinoneshot,andcommonlyused

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fordentalimplants,detectingwisdomteeth,andfindingjawproblems(Fotek).Apanoramic
xraydoesnotshowthingslikecavitiesasclearlyunlessthetoothdecayhasbecomeverydeep.
Dentalhygienistsworkhardfortheirpatientsandrecieveagreatamountoffinancial
compensationfortheirwork.ThemedianannualsalaryfordentalhygienistsinMayof2012
was70,210dollarsannually.Sincethisisamediansalary,itmeanshalfofhygienistsmadeless
thanthisnumberandhalfmademore.Thetoptenpercentofhygienistsworkingin2012
receivedanannualsalaryofmorethan96,000dollars.Thelowesttenpercentearnedlessthan
47,000dollarsintheyear2012(DentalHygienistsSummary).Thesalaryadentalhygienist
normallydependsonwhatstatetheyworkinandtheamountofexperiencetheyhave.Also,it
candependontheindividualdentalofficeinwhichtheywork.Somehygienistreceivebenefits
suchasvacationtime,sickleave,andcontributionstoaretirementfund(DentalHygienists
Summary).Thesekindsofbenefitsmayonlygetofferedtofulltimeemployeesandgreatlyvary
byemployer.
Althoughmostdentalhygienistsworkindentistoffices,somehygienistschoosetowork
inanorthodonticpractice.Itislesscommonfordentalhygieniststogointothisfieldbutthe
demandcontinuestogrowsteadily.Theworkdonebyahygienistinanorthodonticpractice
consistsofsimilaranddifferenttaskstotheonesperformedinadentaloffice.Dentalhygienists
inanorthodonticpracticeperformtaskssuchaspatienteducationontoothmovementsciences,
preorthodontictherapies,clinicalinterventionstomaintainhealthduringorthodontictherapy,
andpostorthodonticconsiderations(DentalHygienistsSummary).Also,somedentalhygienists
choosetogointotheresearchareaoftheprofession.Withintheresearchfield,theystudythe
differentdiseasesandresearcheshowtocurethem.Theyalsoresearchwhatkindofbacterias

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causetoothdecay.Whentheydiscoverthesethings,theycreatepreventativeandcuring
productstouseonpatients
Thisresearchdonebysomehygienistsincludeswaystocureandpreventcommongum
diseasessuchasgingivitis.Althoughamildgumdisease,gingivitiscausesthegumstoturn
fromapinkcolortoapainfulredcolor,duetoinflammationinthegums.Itcanalsocause
swellingandmakethegumsbleedeasily.Smokingearnsthenumberonespotonthelistof
causesofthisgumdisease,anditcanalsopreventsuccessfultreatmentofthedisease.Some
medicationcanalsocausegingivitis,hundredsofprescriptionandoverthecountermedications
canreducetheflowofsaliva,whichhasaprotectiveeffectonthemouth.Withoutenough
saliva,themouthbecomesvulnerabletoinfectionssuchasgumdisease(Periodontal(Gum)
Disease).Eventhoughitconsistsofmanycausesandsideeffectsgingivitis,canreversewith
dailybrushingandflossing,andregularcleaningbyadentistordentalhygienist.
Anothercommonbutmoreseveregumdiseaseisperiodontitisthisadvancedlevelof
gingivitiscausesthegumtopullawayfromtheteethandformspacesorpocketswhich
eventuallybecomeinfected.Thebody'simmunesystemdoesattempttofightthebacteriaoff,
butnormallytheplaquecontinuestogrowandspreaddownbelowthegumline(Periodontal
(Gum)Disease).Ifleftuntreated,thebones,gumsandtissuemaybecomedislocatedand
requireextraction.Inadditiontothisthebonesandtissuethatholdteethinplacemaybeginto
breakdownduetothebodysnaturalresponsetotheinfectionandalsoneedremoval
(Periodontal(Gum)Disease).Thecausesofthisconsistofverysimilarcausesofgingivitis.
Peoplewhosmokefrequentlyformanyyearshaveahigherriskofgettingperiodontitisinstead

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ofthemildergingivitis.Thetreatmentofperiodontitisvariesbasedonwhatthedentistand
dentalhygienistrecommendasthebestplanfortreatment.
Sometimesifinflammationdoesnotgoawaywithdeepcleaningsandmedicationsthe
onlywaytotreatthemissurgery.Acommonsurgeryusedbydentalprofessionalsisflap
surgery.Adentistmayperformflapsurgerytoremovetartardepositsindeeppocketsorto
reducetheperiodontalpocketandmakeiteasierforthepatient,dentist,andhygienisttokeepthe
areacleanandhealthy.Thisparticularsurgeryinvolvesliftingthegumsbackandremovingthe
tartar.Thegumsarethenmovedbackinplacesothatthetissuefitssecurelyaroundthetooth
again(Periodontal(Gum)Disease).Aftersurgery,thegumswillhealandfitmoretightly
aroundthetooth.Thissometimesresultsintheteethappearinglonger.Oncesurgeryis
complete,thedentalhygienistbecomesresponsibleformakingsurethearearemainscleanand
healthy.
Inadditiontohavingflapsurgery,somedentistsandhygienistsmaysuggestforapatient
tohaveaboneortissuegraft.Theseproceduresperformedhelpregenerategumandbonetissue
losttoperiodontitisdisease.Whenabonegraftbecomesnecessary,naturalorsyntheticboneis
placedintheareaofboneloss,whichpromotesbonegrowth.Aguidedtissueregenerationora
tissuegraftcanbeperformedwithbonegrafting.Thisprocedurerequiresasmallpieceof
meshlikematerialgettinginsertedbetweentheboneandgumtissue(Periodontal(Gum)
Disease).Thiskeepsgumtissuefromgrowingintotheareawheretheboneshouldgo,
allowingtheboneandconnectivetissuetoregrowproperly.Incaseswhereasubstantial
amountofgumtissuehasdeteriorated,asofttissuegraftcanoftenprovideasolution.Asoft
tissuegraftconsistsoftissuegettingtakenfromanotherpartofthepatientsmouthandplaced

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overanyexposedtoothroots(Periodontal(Gum)Disease).Eachofthesecasesdifferandthe
outcomemaydifferforeachpatient.However,withproperathomecarebythepatientandin
officecarefromthehygienisttheoddsofsuccessgreatlyincrease.
Pursuingacareerindentalhygieneconsistsofnumerousbenefitsitunfortunatelydoes
comewithafewnegatives.AnissuewhichcommonlyreceivesattentioninNorthCarolinais
dentistscanlegallyhaveonlytwohygienistsworkingforthem.Thiscanmakethefieldmore
competitiveandpreventwellqualifiedhygienistsfromreceivingjobs.Thismeansifless
dentistsenterthefieldthenitmakesthefieldofdentalhygienemuchmorecompetitive.Dental
hygieniststayinthefieldlongerhavefacedphysicalchallengessuchasneckpainfromleaning
overpeopleallday.Also,theyfacehandandfingernumbnessfromholdingatoothbrush
everydaywhiletheywork(Young).Anothercommoncomplaintabouttheprofessiontalks
aboutthelackofcareervariety.Whilesomedegreesleadtomultiplecareerpaths,ajobasa
dentalhygienistsstaysthesameforthemostpartnomatterwhereonechoosestoliveorwork.
Inadditiontoalackofcareerpaths,somehygienistsclaimthejobcanbecomesomewhat
repetitive.Dentalhygienistshaveaspecificroleinadentistofficeandessentiallyrepeatthe
sametasksdaily(Blunck).Workmayvaryslightlydependingonthepatient,butthejob
essentiallyconsistsofcleaningteetheveryday.
Theprofessionofdentalhygienehascontinuedtogrowrapidlyovertheyearsandholds
steadyasoneofthetopmedicalprofessionsinAmerica.Eventhoughthisprofessionbegan
abroad,jobsexistforhygienistsnotonlyineverystate,butaroundtheworld.Individuals
interestedinthisdocumentedacademicallychallengingandpersonallyrewardingmedicalcareer
canenjoyadiverseworkdayworkinginateamenvironmentandwithachangingclientele.In

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thelongterm,thiscareerallowsforadvancementintheprofessionandprovidesasubstantial
salaryanddependablecareer.

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WorksCited

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Geshelin,Hanna."DentalHygiene:CareersToSmileAbout."CareerWorld29.2(2000):12.
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"Periodontal(Gum)Disease:Causes,Symptoms,andTreatments."Periodontal(Gum)Disease:

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Causes,Symptoms,andTreatments,NationalInstituteofDentalandCraniofacial
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Stevens,Tracy."WhoInventedtheToothbrushandWhenWasItInvented?"WhoInventedthe
ToothbrushandWhenWasIt?(EverydayMysteries:FunScienceFactsfromtheLibrary
ofCongress).LibraryofCongress.Web.1February.2015.
<http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/tooth.html>.

"TimelineofDentalHygiene."SindecuseMuseum.UniversityofMichigan,Web.3February.
2015.
<http://www.dent.umich.edu/aboutschool/sindecusemuseum/timelinedentalhygiene>.

Young,Crystal.PersonalInterview.14February2015