Meet Your Oral Health Care Team

There are many professionals on the health care team who help you take care of your oral health. Each member of the team has a unique and important role to play. This glossary will help you differentiate between each of these oral health professionals and better understand what they do.

Dental Hygienists...

• Form the sixth largest regulated health profession in Canada with 31,000 practitioners
• Are primary oral health care professionals who recommend and provide preventive and therapeutic clinical care, education, and health promotion to help improve the oral health of Canadians
• Collaborate with other health professionals, including dentists, denturists, physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors and massage therapists
• Practise in a variety of settings, including private practice, public health units, hospitals and long-term care facilities, educational institutions, dental industry, and even in the client’s home using mobile equipment
• Use innovative approaches to oral health care delivery to improve access to care, with many (6%) having established their own practice outside of a traditional dental office
• Are graduates of accredited programs offered by 34 colleges and universities across Canada