Dental hygienist
"The profession of dental hygienist requires listening and negotiation skills. People feel that oral care is a very personal matter. This means that clients must be encountered as individuals when motivating and caring for them."
- Hanna Lähteenmäki
- Entrepreneur and dental hygienist at LaHanna Oy. Also chairs the Finnish Federation of Dental Hygienists.
- Completed a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and a master’s degree in advanced clinical practice at Helsinki University of Applied Sciences and graduated as doctor of philosophy from the University of Helsinki.
- 23 years of work experience in the field.
Briefly explain what you do for a living.
I work as a dental hygienist, and my task is to promote my client’s oral health. I carry out oral health examinations, cleaning and whitening treatments as well as advise and support clients in matters related to independent oral care. Dental hygienists work in cooperation with dentists and perform some work stages in orthodontic and prosthetic treatments and surgical procedures.
How have you ended up in the profession of your choice?
I became interested in the field when I started working as a summer assistant at a dental clinic. Later on, I worked as a dental assistant for a while until I applied to study dental hygiene at a university of applied sciences.
Describe your typical working day or week.
My working day consists of client appointments. My clients are mainly adults, and I care for 6–8 clients per day. They may book an appointment due to, for example, dental scaling and polishing or whitening of teeth.
What kind of work environment or working hours do you have?
I work at a dental clinic, where the cleanliness and hygiene of the working environment are very important. I usually offer appointments on weekdays between 8 am and 4 pm.
What kind of competence or qualities are required in the profession?
The profession of dental hygienist requires listening and negotiation skills. People feel that oral care is a very personal matter. This means that clients must be encountered as individuals when motivating and caring for them. It is important that the work requiring precise fine motor skills is carried out without any issues.
What is the best thing about your profession?
Long-lasting client relationships are rewarding, as the effects of the measures taken by both the client and the dental hygienist can be best monitored in the long term.
What are the downsides of the profession or what seems challenging?
Sometimes taking care of work ergonomics is challenging. Oral hygienists’ working positions are rough on the upper body.
What would you tell a person considering the profession of a dental hygienist?
You can see the results of your work in oral health promotion. If you like customer service and using your hands, the profession of a dental hygienist could be a good option for you. You can work as an entrepreneur or in the private or public sector. There is currently a shortage of skilled professionals.
How do you see the future of your profession?
There will be plenty of work for dental hygienists in the coming years. We constantly strive to improve cooperation with dentists. The provision of training has been increased to alleviate labour shortage in the sector.