Life as a dental hygienist in Ireland

Mia Coffey shares a day in her life as a dental hygienist in Ireland, the challenges she faces in her role and the need for increased patient awareness.

What challenges do you face in your job? 

One of the main challenges in my role as a hygienist is raising awareness about the importance of preventive care.

Many patients only seek dental treatment when they experience pain, rather than coming in for regular cleanings and check-ups. Patients come in with severe periodontal disease and require multiple sessions of non-surgical periodontal therapy, yet they only want a ‘quick clean’.

Navigating this situation on a regular basis can be a challenge as, although we can explain why we need to carry out this treatment, the patient may still decide against it.

Another challenging aspect of our career is that we work alone without any assistance. Although we adapt to this, if we have an extremely busy day it can be a challenge to do everything from set up, treatment and clean up to our notes. 

Why do you think it’s important to highlight the day-to-day role of hygienists? 

Hygienists play a crucial role in maintaining our patient’s oral health, but their work is often misunderstood or overlooked.

By highlighting what we do daily – providing professional cleanings, providing nonsurgical treatment for periodontal disease, educating patients on proper oral care, and detecting early signs of dental issues – we can help people appreciate the preventive side of dentistry and how it contributes to overall health. 

Do you feel there is a need for increased patient awareness of hygienists in Ireland, and why? 

Yes, definitely. Many people in Ireland still don’t realise that regular visits to a hygienist can help prevent serious dental issues. There is also a common misconception that a hygienist’s role is simply to clean teeth, but in reality we provide essential care that can impact both oral and general health.

Along with this, as there is not a large amount of hygienists that graduate from Ireland each year (approximately 20 students per year countrywide), a lot of the population have never been to the hygienist and may not even know what a hygienist is! Increasing awareness can encourage more people to take a proactive approach to their dental care.

The IDHA (Irish Dental Hygienist’s Association) strives to promote the study of oral health and provide opportunities for post-qualification education. Click here to join the community.

Read more from the National Dental Hygienist and Dental Therapist Day campaign:

• The rise of the NHS dental therapist: life at the coalface
• Military to community dentistry: a journey of adventure and resilience
• Why patient awareness is more important than ever
• Unlocking the power of therapy-led care
• From prevention to policy: the power of dental hygienists and therapists.

With thanks to our sponsor, NSK.

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