the dirt on dental hygiene...get the facts!

​INDEPENDENT DENTAL HYGIENE

Dental Hygienists have been providing oral health services to Albertan's since 1951. The Profession has been self-regulating since 1990 and is also regulated currently under the Health Professions Act and the Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation.
​As of 2006 Dental Hygienists in Alberta were able to work without the supervision of a dentist, thus opening various opportunities for the provision of dental hygiene care to Albertan's. One such opportunity being that of Independent Dental Hygiene Offices.
​Dental Hygienists assess, diagnose (decay and gum disease) and treat oral health conditions. They also educate their patients on oral hygiene and how to prevent oral disease. Alberta Dental Hygienists with advanced education can administer local anesthetics as well as alternative needle free pain management and prescribe dental hygiene related medication.
Dental Hygienists can order, expose, develop and interpret dental x-rays to complete oral dental hygiene exams. They use delicate hand and power instruments to carry out skills such as scaling, root planing and re​moving surface deposits and staining.
Practice is governed by Alberta's Health Professions Act. Alberta's registered dental hygienists are professionals who always consider the well-being of their clients.
Their approach to practice includes:

• a dental hygiene process of care model
• a foundation of evidence-based knowledge and theory
• collaboration with clients, colleagues, and other health care professionals
• client-centered services to prevent and treat oral disease and promote wellness

Traditional dental has had the same look for a very long time and this new model is not only exciting for Dental Hygienists its fantastic for all dental patients! You now have more option to obtain dental care and thus will have access to price differences in clinic settings. 
Don't let the old traditions dictate the your oral health, choose what suits you best not what fear or tradition has forced you to choose in the past.