HealthcareISCO 2261
Dental hygienist
Dental hygienists work in cleaning and polishing teeth, supra- and sub-gingival scaling of the teeth, application of prophylactic materials to the teeth, collecting data, administering comprehensive advice on oral hygiene and the care of the mouth, according to patients` needs under the supervision of dental practitioners following her/his directions.
Check yourself in a minute: dental hygienist
Rate 5 of the 30 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
respond to changing situations in health care
use e-health and mobile health technologies
remove calculus, plaque and stains
empathise with the healthcare user
apply antibacterial substance to teeth
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (30)
respond to changing situations in health carerespond to changing situations in health careCope with pressure and respond appropriately and in time to unexpected and rapidly changing situations in healthcare.promote health and safety policies in health servicespromote health and safety policies in health servicesPromote adherence to local, regional, national and EU Health and Safety legislation, policies, guidelines and protocols.use e-health and mobile health technologiesuse e-health and mobile health technologiesUse mobile health technologies and e-health (online applications and services) in order to enhance the provided healthcare.remove calculus, plaque and stainsremove calculus, plaque and stainsRemove calculus, plaque, and stains from all surfaces of the teeth according to the dentist`s directions and under the dentist`s supervision.empathise with the healthcare userempathise with the healthcare userUnderstand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence...apply antibacterial substance to teethapply antibacterial substance to teethApply preventive and prophylactic substances, such as sealants and fluoride, to the teeth according to the dentist`s directions and under the dentist` supervision.polish dental restorationspolish dental restorationsMaintain metal, gold and amalgam dental restorations by polishing in order to mitigate the effects of surface corrosion and maintain the esthetic appearance of the restoration according to the dentist...deal with emergency care situationsdeal with emergency care situationsAssess the signs and be well-prepared for a situation that poses an immediate threat to a person's health, security, property or environment.provide health educationprovide health educationProvide evidence based strategies to promote healthy living, disease prevention and management.deal with patients' anxietydeal with patients' anxietyRecognise and handle the fears of patients undergoing a dental treatment.communicate in healthcarecommunicate in healthcareCommunicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.counsel on nutrition and its impact on oral healthcounsel on nutrition and its impact on oral healthCounsel patients about good nutrition and its impact on oral health.perform dental chartingperform dental chartingCreate a dental chart of the patient`s mouth in order to provide information on tooth decay, cavities, missing teeth, the depths of gum pockets, abnormalities in teeth such as rotations, erosion or ab...educate on oral healthcare and disease preventioneducate on oral healthcare and disease preventionEducate patients on improving oral healthcare and preventing dental diseases, promoting brushing, flossing, and all other aspects of dental care according to the dentist`s directions and under the den...perform dental hygiene interventionsperform dental hygiene interventionsIntervene in dental hygiene to eliminate and control local etiologic factors, in order to prevent caries, periodontal diseases and other oral conditions, or control them when they occur according to t...comply with legislation related to health carecomply with legislation related to health careComply with the regional and national health legislation which regulates relations between suppliers, payers, vendors of the healthcare industry and patients, and the delivery of healthcare services.listen activelylisten activelyGive attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of cus...work in a multicultural environment in health carework in a multicultural environment in health careInteract, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.promote inclusionpromote inclusionPromote and respect diversity, and advocate for equal treatment of genders, ethnicities and minority groups in organisations in order to prevent discrimination and ensure inclusion and a positive envi...interact with healthcare usersinteract with healthcare usersCommunicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguarding confidentiality.follow dentists' instructionsfollow dentists' instructionsWork directly with dentists by following their detailed instuctions.manage infection control in the facilitymanage infection control in the facilityImplement a set of measures to prevent and control infections, formulating and establishing health and safety procedures and policies.ensure safety of healthcare usersensure safety of healthcare usersMake sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person's needs, abilities or the prevailing condit...apply organisational techniquesapply organisational techniquesEmploy a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the set goals set such as detailed planning of personnel's schedules. Use these resources efficiently and s...develop a collaborative therapeutic relationshipdevelop a collaborative therapeutic relationshipDevelop a mutually collaborative therapeutic relationship during treatment, fostering and gaining healthcare users' trust and cooperation.apply context specific clinical competencesapply context specific clinical competencesApply professional and evidence based assessment, goal setting, delivery of intervention and evaluation of clients, taking into account the developmental and contextual history of the clients, within ...work in multidisciplinary health teamswork in multidisciplinary health teamsParticipate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.perform dental radiographsperform dental radiographsTake and develop dental radiographs or x-rays for patients, by properly positioning the patient and film/image receptor to take intra- and extra-oral radiographs, applying all regulations for patient ...accept own accountabilityaccept own accountabilityAccept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.evaluate clinical outcomes of dental hygiene interventionsevaluate clinical outcomes of dental hygiene interventionsEvaluate the outcome of a dental hygiene intervention using indices, instruments, examination techniques, and feedback from the patient and others in order to improve patient health according to the d...
Optional (4) — show
inform policy makers on health-related challengesinform policy makers on health-related challengesProvide useful information related to health care professions to ensure policy decisions are made in the benefit of communities.keep records for dental prostheseskeep records for dental prosthesesMake the required records for the laboratory fabrication of dental prostheses and appliances.use technical equipment for sterilisationuse technical equipment for sterilisationWork with technical equipment and machinery such as steam sterilisers to clean and disinfect equipment and devices.use foreign languages in patient careuse foreign languages in patient careCommunicate in foreign languages with healthcare users, their carers, or services providers. Use foreign languages to faciliate patient care according to the needs of the patient.
Related Occupations
Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a dental hygienist do?
Dental hygienists work in cleaning and polishing teeth, supra- and sub-gingival scaling of the teeth, application of prophylactic materials to the teeth, collecting data, administering comprehensive advice on oral hygiene and the care of the mouth, according to patients` needs under the supervision of dental practitioners following her/his directions.
What skills does a dental hygienist need?
A dental hygienist needs 30 essential skills, including respond to changing situations in health care, promote health and safety policies in health services, use e-health and mobile health technologies, remove calculus, plaque and stains, empathise with the healthcare user.
Will AI replace dental hygienist jobs?
The AI disruption score for dental hygienist is 14/100 (very low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: keep records for dental prostheses, comply with legislation related to health care, perform dental charting. Most resilient: empathise with the healthcare user, deal with emergency care situations, develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship.
AI Replacement Risk
14/ 100
Very Low Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
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