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Key to Your Overall
Physical Health
Your oral health is key to your
overall physical health and your dental hygienist is your expert for
preventive oral health care.
Your dental
hygienist will work with you to determine your care and will help you
maintain good oral health.
Your dental
hygienist will develop with you a range of personalized care. She or he
will:
- Update your medical and dental history
- Assess the condition of your teeth and gums, and
discuss your oral health with you
- Provide a dental hygiene treatment plan that considers
disease prevention a priority in achieving optimal health
- Assist you or your caregiver in ways to maintain your
oral health
- Explain how dental hygiene care can help you maintain a
healthy mouth and body
- Obtain your permission to provide treatment
- Provide dental hygiene therapies that are safe and
effective and have current evidence-based research to support their use;
this may include the scaling of teeth and the removal of stains
- Respect your confidentiality and privacy
- Practice standard infection control including the
wearing of gloves, mask and eye protection, and the use of sterile
instruments
- Refer you to another health care practitioner if she or
he observes a condition she or he cannot treat
Finally, you may choose to receive dental hygiene care in a variety
of settings, including your residence, if it is physically difficult for
you to attend a traditional practice setting. There are dental hygienists
who make “house calls”.
Care Payment
Options
Depending on the setting in which you
receive dental hygiene treatment, the fees and method of payment will vary
and you may wish to clarify the process prior to the appointment.
- If the dental hygienist works on her or his own, this
discussion should occur at the time the appointment is set. Be aware
that fees may be dependant on several factors including time and travel
if the treatment is to occur in your residence.
- If the dental hygienist practices in a dental office,
the dentist traditionally sets the fees and you should address the fee
structure with the dentist or office manager.
- If you have a dental insurance policy, you should
contact your insurance carrier to determine if they will pay for direct
dental hygiene care.
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