Dental Hygienists

Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.

Record and review patient medical histories.

Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.

Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.

Expose and develop x-ray film.

Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.

Maintain dental equipment and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments.

Feel lymph nodes under patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer.

Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.

Apply fluorides or other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.

Maintain patient recall system.

Administer local anesthetic agents.

Remove excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth.

Conduct dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.

Remove sutures and dressings.

Place and remove rubber dams, matrices, and temporary restorations.

Make impressions for study casts.