A career as a dental hygienist offers a wide range of challenges. In the dental office, the dentist and the dental hygienist work together to meet the oral health needs of patients and working with people is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this career.  Dental hygienists perform a variety of services including patient screening, taking x-rays, removing plaque from teeth, applying sealants and fluorides, and educating/counseling patients about good oral hygiene and nutrition.

Delegated Duties for Dental Hygienists

Dental Hygiene Programs in Minnesota

MN SALARY INFORMATION

Collaborative Practice Authorization for DENTAL HYGIENISTS in Community Settings

Extending preventive dental care to people in need may be accomplished using appropriately qualified dental hygienists who have entered a legal “collaborative agreement” with a licensed dentist. While this type of practice cannot meet the comprehensive dental needs of a community, it does offer a cost-effective and efficient way to increase access to care and prevent dental problems in the first place.

A Collaborative Agreement template is available HERE.

To learn what is required of dentists and dental hygienists who wish to enter collaborative practice, visit the Normandale Community College “Minnesota 21^st Century Dental Team” website. The site contains numerous resources, including a set of five Collaborative Dental Hygiene Practice “Coffee Talks” videos that describe topics such as legal liability, use of mobile/portable dental equipment and billing for dental hygiene services.

The Minnesota Board of Dentistry has reviewed the template, which is meant to provide guidance, for accuracy. The content of the collaborative agreement must align with applicable laws and rules and be based on the agreement between practitioners.  The Minnesota law governing this type of practice is found HERE, under Subd.1a. Collaborative practice authorization for dental hygienists in community settings.