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Dental Hygienist



Duties and Tasks
Quick Facts
Work Conditions
Personal Requirements
Related Industries
Labour Market
Related Jobs
Earnings
Related Courses
Further Information
State Specific Information

Maintaining a patient's oral hygiene
Maintaining a patient's oral hygiene


Dental hygienists provide preventive oral health care under the supervision of a dentist. 

Fact Sheet

Duties and Tasks

Dental hygienists may perform the following tasks:

  • educate and counsel children and adults on dental health, plaque control, oral hygiene and nutrition
  • remove deposits and stains from teeth by scaling and root planing
  • assist in the prevention and control of dental caries (decay) and gum disease
  • select and use appropriate fluoride treatments and polish tooth restorations
  • expose and process dental X-rays
  • make impressions of patients' mouths for the construction of study casts and mouth guards
  • select and size orthodontic bands (braces), and remove orthodontic wires and attachments
  • apply and remove periodontal packs
  • instruct patients on how to look after their teeth and mouth after operations.

Info Icon Quick Facts

Learning Area Biology  
Work Demand Including full use of hands/fingers  
Including good vision for detail  
Including mainly indoor work  
Including reading or writing  
Work Field Health and Community Services  
Work Interest Helping or Advising  
Skill Level Para Professional Jobs  
Quick Facts

Work Conditions

Dental hygienists work in a team led by a practising dentist.

Personal Requirements

  • good hand-eye coordination
  • able to perform precise and detailed work
  • good communication skills
  • interested in health care work
  • able to work as part of a team.

Related Industries

Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing
Medical and Other Health Care Services

Labour Market

Information

Australian JobOutlook for Dental Therapists and Technicians and Hygienists

Vacancies

Australian JobSearch for Dental Therapists and Technicians and Hygienists (ALL AUSTRALIA)
Work Opportunities websites

Related Jobs

Dental Assistant
Dental Therapist
Dentist

Earnings


Income of persons working full-time, 2006
Dental Associate Professionals

Income per Week Number Share (%)
$1000 or more 1,518 46.5
$400 - $599 332 10.2
$600 - $799 539 16.5
$800 - $999 687 21.1
Less than $400 186 5.7


Copyright 2007 education.au

This information is based on the 2006 census conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.


Earnings of persons working full-time and part-time, 2006
Dental Associate Professionals

Employment Status Weekly Income ($)
Full-time 1,104
Part-time 703


Copyright 2007 education.au

This information is based on the Employee Earnings, Benefits and Trade Union Membership survey conducting annually by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

How Much?

Related Courses

New South Wales / ACT
Queensland
South Australia
Victoria
Western Australia

See State Specific Information below for further education and training options.

Further Information

Australian Dental Association (Federal Office)
Australian Dental Association (QLD)
Centre for Oral Health Strategy NSW
Dental Board of South Australia
Dental Board of Western Australia
Dental Hygienists' Association of Australia Inc (National Office)
Dental Practice Board of Victoria
Department of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, Curtin University of Technology
Department of Health and Community Services
Department of Health and Human Services (TAS)
Human Resource Management, ACT Health
Human Resources, Dental Health Services Victoria
Queensland Health Career Factsheets

State Specific Information

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

Preparing to take an impression of a patient's teeth
Preparing to take an impression of a patient's teeth

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