Hygienist

A dental hygienist is a member of the dental team who is specially trained to help you with your oral health.

Their main role is to keep your mouth healthy and to help you do the same by showing you how to look after your teeth properly. One of their key jobs is professionally cleaning your teeth, which is also called a scale and polish. This involves carefully removing the hard material called tartar that builds up on your teeth – even if you brush your teeth regularly. Tartar can contribute to tooth decay so having it removed is a very important part of looking after your mouth.

Some hygienists are also qualified to take X-rays, apply fluoride varnishes to help protect teeth against decay, or to carry out tooth whitening.