Both are dental professionals that have undergone extensive training before they may be registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Association (AHPRA). Both are required to complete a minimum 3 year bachelor course at University. Subjects, skills and training usually cover oral medicine, dental medicine, pharmacology, dental materials, periodontics, risk factors, aetiology of disease, orthodontics, geriatric dentistry, special needs dentistry, oral health promotion and education, dental public health, preventive dentistry, dental radiography, temporary restorations, local anaesthesia and clinical practice to encompass examinations, diagnosis and treatment planning.
In simple terms, dental hygienists and oral health therapists are focussed on the provision of oral hygiene via cleaning and education covering disease prevention, dietary advice, impacts of smoking and clinical procedures.
At Paladin Dental our highly skilled staff use the EMS Airflow system which helps make our oral health care regime more comfortable and thorough, so that you can expect to leave with a glistening smile and a more healthy environment for your teeth and gums.
What is the difference between a dental hygienist and an oral health therapist?
The role of the dental hygienist
Dental hygienists are able to provide treatments around the health of the bone and the oral tissues to manage disease such as dental caries, gingivitis and active periodontitis. These dental professionals may also administer examinations, local anaesthetics and teeth whitening. Dental hygienists may also be qualified to collect images via radiography and/or digital instruments and take impressions and provide temporary restorations and undertake orthodontic procedures.
The role of the oral hygiene therapist (OHT)
Oral hygiene therapists are qualified to undertake all of the duties of a dental hygienist plus the provision of restorations and teeth extractions for children usually up to the age of 18.
The best dental treatment need not be from a dentist
At Paladin Dental, patient care begins with education which can be longer lasting with the right advice and maintenance routines. We want you and your children to have lasting oral health and to be confident with your best smile possible. It can all begin with regular and effective preventive dentistry regimes and procedures from our oral hygienist or oral hygiene therapist.
Why can’t I have my dentist take care of all my needs?
If so desired, you can. As good as our dentists are, they mostly need to focus on providing the more complex and advanced services as there is only so much of them to go around. Be assured that our team works collaboratively to ensure that we deliver a level of quality and thoroughness in dental treatment that consistently gets us five star ratings. Besides which, all of our dental treatments are supported with professionals that have undergone extensive training and exhibit enormous passion for providing the best dental treatments they can. So even though we have the greatest confidence in our team all procedures are overseen by our dentists at some stage of the process. If you haven’t met them already, we’d love to see you at our Northcote dental clinic opposite the carpark accessed via Arthurton Road or Mitchell Street, Northcote.
