Job Role and Responsibilities

To provide specialist clinical care and preventative treatment without direct supervision to patients attending the specialist Dental Hospital services for secondary or tertiary care. To carry out dental treatment on these patients to a level of competence as directed by the Dental Act and its amendments.

Main contact is with hospital staff and patients. Patient groups as a priority are adults and children with special needs, including medically compromised patients, anxious patients and patients with challenging behaviour.

Carrying out the full range of treatments currently permitted under the General Dental Council regulations. Specific duties may only be undertaken if trained and competent to do so. Treatment may be carried out within hospital dental departments and wards or by domiciliary treatment visits, if necessary.

Treatment is provided following a prescribed course of treatment as directed by a registered dentist. Any combination of the following duties may be performed on a daily basis.

Permitted Duties Of The Dental Hygienist

• Education of patients on the causes and prevention of periodontal diseases and dental caries.
• Identification of risk factors for the dental diseases, including medical and social risk factors and the provision of appropriate counselling advice, including:
  • Medical history
  • Diet analysis and nutritional guidance
  • Advice in the use of fluoride agents
  • The benefits of smoking cessation and accessing cessation service
• Motivate patients to maintain a high standard of oral hygiene.
• Monitor patients’ progress using appropriate indices:
  • Bleeding and plaque indices
  • Detailed pocket charting
  • Mobility index
  • Furcation index
• Perform supra- and subgingival scaling of teeth including polishing, allowing removal of hard and soft deposits and stains.
• The provision of comprehensive specialist periodontal invasive root debridement therapy using Gracey area curettes and high-speed ultrasonic device.