FYI

In today's competitive dental landscape, practice owners might focus on advanced technologies and expanded treatment offerings to grow their business. However, the most powerful resource for practice growth may already be in your office: your dental hygienists.
 

How they’re helping power preventive care and practice success

• Dental hygienists typically spend 45-60 minutes with each patient, creating unparalleled opportunities for relationship building. This extended interaction allows them to establish trust and rapport with anxious patients, gather comprehensive health information that may influence treatment planning and identify patient concerns that weren't mentioned during the dentist's examination.
• They’re early detection specialists. With their focused examination time, hygienists often serve as the first line of defense in identifying early signs of periodontal disease, suspicious oral lesions requiring further evaluation, changes in oral health that may signal systemic conditions and opportunities for preventive interventions.
• Beyond their clinical value, hygienists directly contribute to practice profitability by increasing case acceptance through personalized patient education, recommending appropriate preventive products and services, facilitating efficient scheduling and patient flow, and identifying additional treatment needs during maintenance visits.

Empowering your hygienists

Factors like limited autonomy, professional development barriers and operational constraints may contribute to high turnover of hygienists at practices. Here’s how you can support good hygienists and stay competitive in your industry:

Create opportunities for excellence

• Implement standardized, evidence-based hygiene protocols.
• Develop specialized service offerings (e.g., pediatric focus, geriatric care).
• Provide advanced instrumentation and technology training.

Enhance team integration

• Include hygienists in treatment planning discussions.
• Establish regular collaboration meetings between hygienists and dentists.
• Create systems for seamless patient hand-offs and information sharing.
• Develop joint patient education approaches.

Invest in professional development

• Budget for continuing education (CE) courses and advanced certifications.
• Create mentorship opportunities for new hygienists.
• Develop specialized roles based on individual interests and strengths.
• Recognize and reward skill advancement.

Provide resources for success

• Schedule realistically to allow comprehensive care.
• Provide appropriate support staff and resources.
• Implement efficient systems for patient flow and documentation.
• Update equipment and technology regularly.

Focus on recognition and compensation

• Develop performance-based incentive programs.
• Acknowledge hygienists' contributions to practice success.
• Create advancement opportunities within the practice.
• Consider alternative compensation models.

Investing in your dental hygiene team isn't just good for patients — it's a sound business strategy. Empowered hygienists deliver superior care, build stronger patient relationships and contribute significantly to practice success.