Hello everyone!
My name is Jaime Kirby and I qualified from Kings’ College London in 2024 as a dental hygiene therapist. I am currently working as a dental hygienist at Distinctly Dental, two Saturdays a month from 8am-2pm. As a dental hygienist I play key role in helping patients maintain their oral health, prevent future dental problems, and feel confident about their smile.
In this blog post, I’ll walk you through what it’s like to be a dental hygienist, what a visit to the hygienist looks like and what you can expect in a visit. Whether you’re a new patient, returning for your regular cleaning or just curious about what happens behind the scenes, I hope this gives you a better understanding of how I work to keep your mouth healthy.
My role as a dental hygienist
Many people think that being a dental hygienist consists of just cleaning, while cleaning teeth is a big part of what I do, my role goes far beyond that. As a dental hygienist we assess the overall condition of your mouth, teeth, and gums, and communicate clearly our findings. We play a vital role in helping to prevent, detect and manage gum disease- also known as periodontal disease.
Our overall goal is to help empower you by giving you the tools and knowledge to protect your gums and teeth. One of the most important things to understand is that no two people are the same, and my job is making sure your dental care plan works for your unique needs.
My job isn’t just about gums and teeth but also about building your trust and listening to your concerns, making sure you feel comfortable whilst in the dental chair.
A patient journey: from check in to check out
What should you expect from the moment you arrive for your appointment?
When you arrive, you’ll be greeted by our friendly receptionist who will check you in.
Once in the dental chair you’ll be asked some questions to help build a full picture of your oral and overall health, this allows me to personalise oral health advice given at the end of the appointment.
Next, I will perform an oral health screening. During this assessment, plaque, bleeding, and build-up of tartar is recorded, along with carrying out measurements of the gums to assess for the presence of gum disease.
After this assessment, I’ll explain if and where there is inflammation and tartar, and if there is a presence of gum disease, then what treatment can be provided to help improve gum health.
The main event: cleaning
Using specialised tools, I’ll remove plaque and tartar build up from your teeth both below and above the gums. It is this build-up and the bacteria associated, that contributes to gum disease. Removing these deposits reduces bacteria and improves the health of the gums. Following scaling the teeth, polishing can be performed.
Polishing the teeth helps to remove stains and soft plaque deposits. Traditionally a gritty paste with a rubber cup and a handpiece is used at the end of the dental cleaning to make your teeth feel clean and smooth. A more advanced way to polish the teeth is by Airflow, this is a special combination of air, warm water, and fine powder. Together this aims to gently and effectively remove plaque and tough surface stains caused by tea, coffee, wine, and tobacco.
Airflow is a great preventative approach to cleaning your teeth in a way that is gentler and more thorough. At Distinctly Dental we aim to stay current with the latest best practices in patient care and now offer Airflow to all patients, at an additional fee of £40.
Oral hygiene education
Following the cleaning portion of the appointment I aim to personalise your oral health advice based on your specific needs as discussed. We will go through how your home care is affecting your gums and where to make improvements, whether this be demonstrating how to brush or showing you how to use floss, TePe brushes or other oral hygiene aids, or pinpointing areas in the mouth that need more focus.
As a dental hygienist my focus is on maintaining health of the teeth, but as for diagnosing dental decay or planning for restorative treatment in the mouth that is left to the dentist. Regular dental exams are important as they help to treat decay or other issues or concerns.
What you can expect
Whether it’s your first time or you’ve been seeing the hygienist for years, here is what you can expect:
- A thorough, gentle cleaning that removes build up and keeps your gums healthy.
- Open communication that is achieved by listening to your concerns, answering questions, and explaining treatment clearly.
- Education and prevention are at the heart of what we do, this is to ensure you are armed with the tools and knowledge to take better care of your smile at home.
So, when you come for your cleaning, you’ll know that your visit is more than just a routine appointment- it’s an important step towards lifelong oral health.
If you’re interested in booking a dental hygienist appointment with Distinctly Dental in Hatfield or would like to find out more, contact us today.
