Hygienists examine patients' teeth and gums, recording the presence of diseases or abnormalities.
Dental hygienists use hand and rotary instruments to clean teeth, x-ray machines to take dental pictures and syringes with needles to administer local anesthetics. An associate degree is sufficient for practice in a private dental office. A bachelors or masters degree is usually required for research, teaching or clinical practice in public or school health programs. To qualify for licensure, a candidate must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene school and pass both a written and clinical examination. The American Dental Association Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations administers the written examination that is approved by all states.