A Day In The Life Of A Dental Hygienist
TLDRThe video offers an insightful look into the daily routine of a dental hygienist. It begins with the hygienist's arrival and preparation, including changing into scrubs and turning on equipment. The focus then shifts to patient care, detailing the process of reviewing schedules, preparing the dental room, and performing dental cleanings. The hygienist emphasizes the importance of sterilization and efficiency, showcasing the quick turnover between patients. The video also highlights the teamwork and camaraderie among dental office staff, who assist each other to ensure a smooth workflow. By the day's end, the hygienist completes progress notes, sterilizes instruments, and prepares the room for the next day, underlining the meticulous nature of dental hygiene work.
Takeaways
- 👣 Start of the day: A dental hygienist's day begins with arriving early, changing into scrubs, and turning on equipment.
- 📅 Schedule review: Before patients arrive, the hygienist reviews the day's schedule, noting specific patient needs like x-rays and fluoride treatments.
- 🧼 Hand hygiene: Washing hands and applying lotion is a crucial step before starting work and is repeated throughout the day.
- 🛋️ Room preparation: Setting up the dental chair, handpieces, and ensuring the sterilization room is ready are part of the initial setup.
- 💧 Water line maintenance: Running clean water through the air water syringe and ultrasonic handpiece to prepare for patient care.
- 🧖♀️ Personal readiness: The hygienist puts hair up, washes hands, and wears loops (magnification glasses with a headlight) before seeing patients.
- 📝 Progress notes: Documenting patient care and updating records is an ongoing task that may sometimes be completed at the end of the day.
- 🔄 Instrument sterilization: Used instruments are placed in an ultrasonic bath and then autoclaved for sterilization between patients.
- 🧹 Room turnover: Cleaning and disinfecting the room, as well as replacing disposables, is done swiftly between patients to maintain a tight schedule.
- 🤝 Teamwork: A supportive work environment where colleagues help each other contributes to efficiency and a smoother workflow.
- 🔚 End of day tasks: Completing progress notes, sterilizing instruments for the next day, and ensuring all equipment is properly turned off and stored.
Q & A
What is the first thing a dental hygienist does when they arrive at the office?
-The first thing a dental hygienist does when they arrive at the office is to change their shoes, especially if they have been wearing boots outside.
What does a dental hygienist do before their first patient arrives?
-Before the first patient arrives, a dental hygienist turns on the computers, TVs, x-ray machines, the compressor, and clocks themselves in. They also review their schedule for the day, prepare their room, and ensure everything in the sterilization room is ready.
How does a dental hygienist prepare their room for a patient?
-A dental hygienist prepares their room by placing hand pieces on the unit, filling the unit's water bottle, running the lines to ensure a clean flow of water, and completing finishing touches such as setting the headrest cover.
What is the purpose of reviewing the patient's schedule before the day starts?
-Reviewing the patient's schedule helps the dental hygienist to take notes on who needs x-rays, who needs fluoride, what type of cleaning each patient is getting, and also to refresh on everyone's name.
What does a dental hygienist do after seating their first patient?
-After seating their first patient, a dental hygienist begins the dental cleaning process and continues without much rest until their last patient of the day.
How does a dental hygienist maintain hygiene and cleanliness between patients?
-A dental hygienist maintains hygiene and cleanliness by putting instruments into the ultrasonic, wiping down everything with disinfectant, setting up everything with new barrier tape and disposables, and ensuring all progress notes are completed.
What is the role of a dental hygiene assistant?
-A dental hygiene assistant helps the dental hygienist with various tasks such as preparing patient trays, emptying the autoclave, and sorting instruments, which can contribute to the efficiency of the dental hygienist's work.
How does a dental hygienist ensure the sterilization room is ready for the day?
-A dental hygienist ensures the sterilization room is ready by filling up the ultrasonic bath with solution, making sure patient trays are prepared, and sorting any instruments that need to be sorted.
What are the variables that can affect a dental hygienist's day?
-Variables that can affect a dental hygienist's day include the size of the dental office, appointment times, the presence of a dental hygiene assistant, and other unique aspects of the work environment.
Why does a dental hygienist wear loops?
-A dental hygienist wears loops, which are magnification glasses with a headlight, to better inspect and treat the patient's teeth and gums during dental procedures.
What is the final step a dental hygienist takes before leaving for the day?
-The final step a dental hygienist takes before leaving for the day is to ensure all progress notes are finished, bag and place instruments into the autoclave, clean the suction traps, and prepare the room for the next day.
Outlines
😀 Morning Routine and Preparation
The video begins with the dental hygienist's morning routine, starting with entering the office and changing into work attire. The speaker emphasizes the variability of a dental hygienist's day, depending on factors like office size and appointment schedules. The initial tasks include turning on various equipment, reviewing the day's schedule, and preparing the treatment room. The hygienist also discusses personal hygiene practices, such as hand washing and room setup, including the use of handpieces and ensuring a clean water supply. The preparation for the first patient involves setting up the sterilization room and donning personal protective equipment like magnification glasses and a headlight.
🏥 Patient Treatment and Room Turnover
The dental hygienist describes the continuous workflow of treating patients, which includes performing dental cleanings, taking x-rays, and applying fluoride. After each patient, the hygienist quickly cleans and prepares the room for the next appointment, a skill honed from previous experience as a dental assistant. The process involves sterilizing instruments, disinfecting surfaces, and replacing disposable items. The speaker also mentions the importance of teamwork and mutual assistance among colleagues to manage end-of-day tasks efficiently. The video concludes with the hygienist's end-of-day routine, which includes completing progress notes, cleaning the suction traps, and ensuring all equipment is ready for the next day.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Dental Hygienist
💡Variables
💡In-Office Laundry Service
💡X-rays
💡Fluoride
💡Handpieces
💡Ultrasonic Bath
💡Autoclave
💡Progress Notes
💡Barrier Tape
💡Magnification Loops
Highlights
The dental hygienist's day starts with changing into professional attire, emphasizing the importance of personal presentation in the workplace.
The hygienist turns on various equipment such as computers, TVs, x-ray machines, and the compressor, showcasing the preparatory tasks involved in setting up for the day.
Reviewing the schedule and patient needs, including x-rays and fluoride treatments, demonstrates attention to detail and patient care.
Hand hygiene and the use of lotion are highlighted, underlining the importance of maintaining cleanliness and skin health in a dental setting.
Room preparation includes setting up handpieces and ensuring water lines are clean, reflecting the meticulous nature of dental hygiene work.
The hygienist's role in sterilization room setup, including the ultrasonic bath and autoclave, is crucial for infection control.
Personal protective equipment, such as hair ties and magnification glasses with a headlight, are essential for the hygienist's work.
The continuous workflow from the first to the last patient of the day without breaks illustrates the demanding pace of a dental hygienist's job.
A video on routine dental cleanings is mentioned, providing educational resources for viewers interested in the procedure.
Efficiency in room turnover, learned from previous experience as a dental assistant, is key to managing a busy schedule.
Differences between a dental hygienist and a dental assistant are discussed, offering insights into various roles within dental care.
Sterilization and disinfection protocols are strictly followed, ensuring patient safety and adhering to healthcare standards.
The hygienist's quick cleanup process between patients is a testament to their ability to maintain a high standard of care without compromising on speed.
End-of-day tasks include completing progress notes, sterilizing instruments, and preparing the room for the next day, highlighting the hygienist's responsibility and commitment.
Collaboration and mutual support among co-workers are emphasized as essential for managing the workload and maintaining a positive work environment.
The video concludes with a reminder of the imperfections in daily work life, adding a relatable and human touch to the presentation.
The hygienist encourages viewers to subscribe for more content, fostering engagement and community around dental health topics.
Transcripts
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