Answer: A typical day in a dental office is seven to eight hours of patient time, and an hour break for lunch. When the patient schedule is complete, the staff still has some things to do. A final disinfecting is done, including washing the floor. All equipment is inspected and readied for the sterilizer.
Most hygienists' daily duties include removing plaque from and polishing a patient's teeth during a routine checkup, screening patients, reviewing a patient's oral health history and teaching appropriate brushing and flossing techniques. They also use X-ray machines to take pictures of the teeth and develop the film for the dentist's analysis.
