What is Oral Health Therapist (OHT)?

As Hayley, our Oral Health Therapist is commencing at Dentist Mandy in the New Year, we thought we would let you know what she does! So, what is an Oral Health Therapist and what do they do?

Oral health therapists are registered oral health clinicians who provide a range of dental treatments for both adults and kids. Often people mistake OHTs for hygienists however, the role is a combination of both dental hygienists and dental therapists. This means they are able to diagnose dental decay and gum disease, provide treatment (restorative and preventative) and educate holistically, across all demographics! Complex and invasive treatments such as root canals, adult crowns and adult extractions are out of their scope and will be left to the dentists! If you need motivation to improve your smile and hygiene or even to encourage your stubborn children to brush, they are the experts.

An oral health therapist will assess your oral health and cavity, determine the source of the problems and provide you with treatment, informative methods and advice to ensure your teeth and mouth stay healthy. OHTs will look into your lifestyle, dietary habits and current oral hygiene practices to assess if changes are required – after all eating healthy contributes not only to your oral health but your overall well being too! If you are concerned about incorrectly brushing or flossing, an OHT will be more than happy to help demonstrate the most effective way to reach those hard to reach spots!

Oral health therapist procedures include:

Routine examinations for children, adolescents and adults

Diagnosing decay, taking x-rays, scaling, polishing and fluoride applications

In-chair and take home whitening

Diagnosing and deep cleaning for gum disease

Filling decayed teeth and applying protective sealants

Extracting baby teeth and providing local anaesthetic

Maintenance of orthodontic treatment commenced by a dentist

Stabilising emergency dental incidents

Mouthguards & retainers

Oral health promotion in the community, child care and aged care facilities

Referral to specialists and dentists for complex cases

Should an OHT find any issues or any complex cases beyond their scope of practice, rest assured they will collaborate your treatment needs with a dentist or specialist. At Dentist Mandy, Hayley will be working alongside Dr Mandy & Dr Yasmin to ensure you receive the best treatment!