Career Insights

Things DHs Wish Their Patients Knew

Concorde Staff

Concorde Staff

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Updated October 12, 2017. The information contained in this blog is current and accurate as of this date.
dental hygienists

Most of us think we know all we need to know about maintaining our own good dental hygiene. So, why do we need to spend our hard-earned money on a dental hygienist? Well, dental hygienists, while probably not wanting to waste time telling us, know plenty of reasons why they know more about your dental health than you do.

Even the future dental hygienists who are training at Concorde still have a thing or two to learn. So, we thought we'd give a couple expert dental hygienists a little space here to tell the rest of us what they want us to know.

5 things dental hygienists wish their patients knew

Diane Osso, Dental Hygiene Program Director at Concorde's campus in Aurora, Colo., offered her two cents on the topic.

  1. (Dental hygienists) seem to care more about your oral health than you do.
  2. The high cost you complain about barely covers Occupational Safety and Health Administration-guided supplies and equipment.
  3. I went four years to get this degree (most patients think it is just a "tech" job with minimal college).
  4. Being a hygienist is hard work! Many ergonomic related issues with doing the job well. (Some patients feel it is an easy job).
  5. You DO need to brush twice daily and floss daily to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

5 more things dental hygienists wish their patients knew

Rochester Advanced Dentistry in Rochester, Mich. recently published a blog listing some of the top things dental hygienists wish their patients knew. They are:

  1. We know if you floss. When you're getting your teeth cleaned and the hygienist asks, "How often do you floss?" chances are they already have a pretty good idea. If a patient's gums bleed and they're jumpy or wince a lot, it's a pretty sure sign they don't floss.
  2. Soft teeth is not an excuse for getting cavities. Turns out, "soft teeth" actually is not a thing. Doesn't exist. The more likely cause of cavities is one of two things - diet and home care.
  3. Avoiding us only makes things worse. You might also have hated going to school as a child, but you knew if you didn't, there would be consequences. It's the same with your teeth.
  4. Kids do better without you. Kids today haven't had "old-school" dental experiences like most adults have. Therefore, they have little to nothing to fear. They only get more apprehensive if a parent is next to them holding their hand.
  5. We don't like to lecture you on flossing either. It is frustrating to dental hygienists as well when they have to constantly remind patients to floss. It turns out, the more you floss, the less dental work you need, the less often you need to visit the dentist.

Interested In How To Become a Dental Hygienist?

Click here to explore Concorde Dental Hygienist Programs near you!

Next Steps?

Interested in learning more about our Dental Hygiene program? We have a Concorde representative ready to talk about what matters most to you. Get answers about start dates, curriculum, financial aid, scholarships and more!

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.