The difference between a Hygienist and a Periodontist

2 Feb

Sarah Diederich our Periodontist at The Implant Centre, outlines the differences between a dental hygienist and a periodontist.

Many people often ask what the difference is between a hygienist and a periodontist. A hygienist is someone who's completed either a two-year diploma or a three-year degree course, which allows them to give patients oral hygiene advice, scale their teeth, and carry out routine cleaning of the tooth within the pocket. What we refer to as deep cleaning.
A periodontist is a qualified dentist who, after a few years of being in practice, will then undertake a master's degree. It's now a four-year course. Now they're able to diagnose, create a treatment plan, carry out more complex deep cleaning and possibly surgery if that's appropriate. I'd never see a hygienist less often than every three months if you're prone to gum disease, and unfortunately, if you've got that label of being susceptible, you're always going to be susceptible.
A good hygienist is worth their weight in gold.