What's the different between a Dentist & a Dental Hygienist?!
Question:
What's the different between a Dentist & a Dental Hygienist?
Answers:
As a dentist myself I can tell you that there are several differences. First off your dentist is a doctor, I went to four years of undergrad then 4 years of dental school. A dentist treats and diagnoses dental problems, we read x-rays, place fillings, extraction, root canals etc. We are also allowed to write prescriptions for medications (ex: narcotic pain medication and antibiotics), give injections/administer anesthesia, and if you have additional training post dental school then you may perform oral surgery. A dental hygienist is the person who takes x-rays, cleans teeth and assists the dentist during procedures etc. Henry C's answer is correct, it is relatively the same as the difference between a doctor and nurse. Although the dentist is the doctor and makes all the decisions, the dental hygienist is an extremely important person in ANY dental practice.