At most dental offices, the person cleaning your teeth is a dental hygienist, not the dentist. So what changes when you book a hygienist directly?
What a hygienist does
Registered dental hygienists are licensed oral health professionals who specialize in prevention and gum health. In Alberta they can assess your mouth, take and interpret X-rays, diagnose and treat gum disease, clean and polish, apply fluoride and sealants, whiten teeth, make sports and night guards, and screen for oral cancer.
What a dentist does
Dentists diagnose and treat dental disease: fillings, extractions, crowns, root canals, implants and emergencies. They also supervise hygiene care in a traditional office.
What changes at an independent clinic
- Fees. No dentist overhead means hygiene codes are billed in line with the Alberta fee guide.
- Time. A full hour with the same hygienist every visit.
- Hours. Independent clinics set their own schedule; ours is 9am to 9pm, seven days.
- Advice. With no restorative treatment to sell, recommendations are simpler.
What does not change
The training, the registration with the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta, the equipment, the infection control standards and the insurance codes are the same. Your plan does not care where the cleaning happens.
When you still need a dentist
If we find a cavity, crack or infection, we refer you to a dentist and send our X-rays. Many patients use us for hygiene and see a dentist only when treatment is needed. Read more on our independent hygienist page.