Mia Coffey shares a day in her life as a dental hygienist in Eire, the challenges she faces in her function and the necessity for elevated affected person consciousness.
What challenges do you face in your job?
One of many most important challenges in my function as a hygienist is elevating consciousness in regards to the significance of preventive care.
Many sufferers solely search dental remedy once they expertise ache, relatively than coming in for normal cleanings and check-ups. Sufferers are available with extreme periodontal illness and require a number of classes of non-surgical periodontal remedy, but they solely need a ‘quick clean’.
Navigating this case regularly generally is a problem as, though we are able to clarify why we have to perform this remedy, the affected person should resolve towards it.
One other difficult side of our profession is that we work alone with none help. Though we adapt to this, if we’ve got a particularly busy day it may be a problem to do the whole lot from arrange, remedy and clear as much as our notes.
Why do you suppose it’s vital to focus on the day-to-day function of hygienists?
Hygienists play a vital function in sustaining our affected person’s oral well being, however their work is commonly misunderstood or ignored.
By highlighting what we do each day – offering skilled cleanings, offering nonsurgical remedy for periodontal illness, educating sufferers on correct oral care, and detecting early indicators of dental points – we will help folks respect the preventive aspect of dentistry and the way it contributes to general well being.
Do you are feeling there’s a want for elevated affected person consciousness of hygienists in Eire, and why?
Sure, positively. Many individuals in Eire nonetheless don’t realise that common visits to a hygienist will help stop severe dental points. There’s additionally a standard false impression {that a} hygienist’s function is solely to scrub enamel, however in actuality we offer important care that may affect each oral and common well being.
Together with this, as there may be not a considerable amount of hygienists that graduate from Eire every year (roughly 20 college students per 12 months countrywide), lots of the inhabitants have by no means been to the hygienist and should not even know what a hygienist is! Rising consciousness can encourage extra folks to take a proactive strategy to their dental care.
The IDHA (Irish Dental Hygienist’s Affiliation) strives to advertise the examine of oral well being and supply alternatives for post-qualification training. Click on right here to hitch the neighborhood.
Learn extra from the Nationwide Dental Hygienist and Dental Therapist Day marketing campaign:
The rise of the NHS dental therapist: life on the coalface
Army to neighborhood dentistry: a journey of journey and resilience
Why affected person consciousness is extra vital than ever
Unlocking the facility of therapy-led care
From prevention to coverage: the facility of dental hygienists and therapists.
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