Brushing | Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental History | Dental Hygiene | Teeth
Have you ever wondered how you can trust your dentist and their staff? Or perhaps you’ve considered a change of careers and pondered the dental field — or you’ve got a teenager to encourage who wants to become a dentist. Often overlooked and undervalued, those in the dental field have as much — and sometimes more — education behind their profession as those in the general health fields. Whether you’re curious what kind of training your dental hygienist has received or what it takes to become an oral surgeon, look no further.
Dental Assistant
Dental assistants often act as an extra set of hands around the office. You might encounter a dental assistant cleaning and sterilizing tools, taking X-rays, explaining post-treatment instructions or performing other duties that help dentists and hygienists more smoothly transition from patient to patient.
The education and licensing requirements for dental assistants vary by state. In New Jersey, dental assistants without any formal education are limited in their duties — they may not be allowed to perform more advanced tasks and might only be doing behind-the-scenes prep work around the office.
Registered dental assistants in New Jersey have at least a high school diploma and are accredited through a state-issued exam. Registered dental assistants also must have completed either an apprenticeship or a certified training program. Assistants who take X-rays must have completed a course and passed an additional exam. Continuing education is required every two years.
Oral Hygienist
Oral hygienists can perform all the duties of an assistant, but they are also trusted to work one-on-one with patients. Oral or dental hygienists may perform cleanings, do routine exams, prep and administer anesthesia before a treatment and even apply decay-preventing treatments.
Licensure and education requirements are left up to each individual state. In New Jersey, dental hygienists have at least an associate’s degree, though some hold bachelor’s degrees in the field. All oral hygienists in New Jersey must complete both a written and a practical exam. If administering anesthesia, they must have additional education and take another written exam. Dental hygienists are required by the state to complete at least 20 continuing education credits every two years to maintain their license, with an additional four hours in anesthesiology education to maintain that certification.
Brushing | Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Benefits | Dental History | Dental Hygiene | General Dentistry | Oral Health | Wellness
How you look as you age is determined by a number of factors largely out of your control — genetics, environmental exposure to hazards and toxins and underlying health issues, to name a few. Along with maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there are a few things you can do to ensure you age like a fine wine, rather than an organic banana relegated to the bottom drawer of the fridge. One of those things is making sure your teeth and gums are well taken care of.
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Brushing | Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Benefits | Dental Hygiene | Oral Health | Teeth | Toothpaste | Uncategorized | Wellness
Can you remember how you learned to brush your teeth? If you’re lucky, your mom or dad taught you and guided you on proper form and oversaw the task until you were old enough to do it by yourself. But not everyone had that kind of experience, so perhaps the task of teaching you how to brush your teeth was left to others in your life, or worse, you had to figure it out on your own.
Whether you’re a millennial in need of a “life skill” reminder or someone who is genuinely curious about the most efficient and effective way to take care of your smile, there’s no embarrassment in admitting you need to brush up on your home dental care skills.
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Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Benefits | Teeth Whitening
When you think of celebrities, there’s probably many enviable traits you can list off: great abs, amazing hair, killer legs. There’s one characteristic you can easily steal from your favorite Hollywood A-Lister: their smile. While getting a great smile isn’t exactly effortless — after all, treatments like teeth whitening and Invisalign take time and care — it’s a lot less work than hitting the gym for eight hours a day in pursuit of a celebrity body that’s been photoshopped to the moon and back.
While Hollywood performers are in the business of looking good, there are some winning grins that stand heads above the rest. Here are five of the best smiles in Hollywood that you can emulate with a little help from your dentist.
Cosmetic Dentistry | Teeth Whitening
The push toward natural care and hygiene products isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Wanting to be an informed patient and consumer is fabulous: it means you’re proactive about your health and want to know what’s going on. Too much of a good thing, however, can be problematic. Not everything “all natural” is good for you — poison ivy, after all, is all natural, organic and grows freely but it’s definitely not going to make a list of top home remedies.
Some natural teeth whitening options are harmless but ineffective, some provide a temporary quick fix and others are downright harmful to your mouth, your teeth and your smile. Since tooth damage is costly — both financially and time-wise — to fix, here’s five things to consider before trying the new “all natural” tooth whitening quick-fix of the hour.
Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Fear | Teeth Whitening
Sensitive teeth and gums make dental care a chore rather than a much-needed chance for self-care. When your pearly whites are looking less than bright, it’s time for you to get into the office for a teeth whitening procedure. The old adage of “beauty is pain” shouldn’t apply to keeping your smile in tip-top shape; however, those with sensitive teeth may view pain as an essential part of dentistry. Teeth whitening doesn’t need to hurt, though. Painless dentistry can make the treatment not just tolerable, but manageable.
Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Benefits | Oral Health
Thanksgiving is one of the few times a year where the whole, extended family can clear their busy schedules and come together to catch up over a delicious meal. While it’s alway the hope that the turkey you’ve worked so hard to prep takes center stage this holiday season, your family is also looking to you to see how you’ve changed. One of the best ways to make Thanksgiving a memorable affair in the very best of ways is ensuring your smile is bright and radiant.
Braces & Invisalign | Cosmetic Dentistry
Your smile speaks volumes without you ever having to say the word. By presenting your best to the world, you’re broadcasting the message that you’re capable, confident and successful in all that you do.
If a crooked smile has you hiding your teeth, your self-confidence doesn’t come across with the same impact — and the traditional remedy of braces can make you even more hesitant to smile than before. Invisalign can correct your asymmetrical smile and spare you a tin grin in the process.
Children | Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Benefits
Oh school days, school days, those simple Golden Rule days. While we may have rosy memories of being the same age as our children are right now, peer pressure is a big thing for kids of all ages. The right jacket, the right shoes, the right friends — it all makes a huge difference to how successful your child can be within their peer group.
Chasing evolving fashion trends can be tricky, but there’s one thing that is always in style and makes a huge difference to how your child (and your family) is perceived: a bright, white smile.
Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Benefits
Don’t you just love a blog title that tells you almost nothing about what you’ll find inside, excepting that it’ll absolutely definitely be dramatic? Fortunately for you, this isn’t one of those websites and I really do have a super easy way to make your professional and social life dramatically better in just an hour.
