If you’re trying to become the best version of your professional self, you must find ways to continue to better yourself. This includes learning new techniques, gaining more knowledge about the field, and always reflecting on the work that you do. At rdhu, we want to help you improve by providing you with tips to becoming a great hygienist by performing quality assurance dental hygiene. Read our guide to learn more about what this means and how it will benefit you.
What is quality assurance?
Before we get too into what it takes to become a great hygienist, let’s explore what exactly quality assurance in dental hygiene means. First of all, quality assurance is the assessment of the quality of patient care. This includes making necessary changes to patient care plans and procedures that are necessary to ensure proper treatment and disease prevention.
Now that we understand quality assurance, it’s time to see how it applies to improving as a dental hygienist.
Prevent disease through education
One of the main things you’re tasked with as a dental hygienist is educating patients who come into the office where you work. This includes everything from the proper technique in brushing and flossing their teeth to addressing individual concerns patients have with their teeth. It’s important that you understand the significance of the education you’re providing patients with as these are the practices that they’ll put into place until the next time they visit the office. You need to have a strong understanding of proper technique and why it’s important.
Chart documentation
Chances are good that there are a lot of patients who come through the office where you work. This makes it incredibly difficult to remember unique details about each one as you likely see them only twice a year. Charting patient information is a critical aspect of providing quality care and continuing to improve it over time. This is how you can monitor the progression of teeth as they come in for young patients, changes in bite and wear on teeth in older patients, and much more. Keep detailed records of each patient so you can continue to help them keep their teeth healthy and strong.
Attention to detail
Keep in mind that no matter how often your patients look in the mirror at their teeth, they’ll never get the same view of their mouth that you get. It’s your responsibility to pay close attention to the most minuscule details of their mouths so you can catch infection or decay before either becomes a major issue.
Expertise
It’s common for patients to not pay any attention to their teeth until there’s a problem. This could be a broken tooth, a painful abscess, or any number of issues that draw their attention to their mouth. When this happens, they’re going to come to you for answers. You need to be able to provide answers as to the problem they’re having and how it will be addressed.
Sign up for courses
Take your practice of quality assurance in dental hygiene to the next level so you can be the best you can be as a hygienist. Sign up for courses with rdhu today and get the best continuing education courses for your career. You’ll continue to learn more about the practical side of your job as well as the medical theory that goes with it. Feel free to give us a call at 289-337-5277 or toll-free at 1-855-295-7348 with any questions you have about what we have to offer. You can also send your inquiries via our online contact form.
