Where Does a Hygiene Hour Actually Go?

Dentists — have you ever wondered how a hygiene appointment actually fills an hour?

It's a fair question. And as a hygienist, I'll be the first to tell you: a lot of that time isn't going where you might think.

Ultrasonic instrumentation has changed the time equation significantly. In the hands of an experienced clinician using a Cavitron, instrumentation that once took 30+ minutes now takes 15. That's not cutting corners — that's a seasoned, skilled clinician equipped with the right technology.

I've been curious how other hygienists structure their appointments, so I started asking broader questions. I posted this in a national Facebook group comprised of over 16,000 hygienists. This particular poll netted 230 responses, and the results were eye-opening:

How much time are hygienists actually spending on instrumentation?

• 89% reported spending 30 minutes or less on instrumentation

Let that sink in.

If the clinical portion of the visit is taking half the appointment — or less — then where is the rest of the time going?

It’s going to tasks that don’t require a hygienist.

The limitation in hygiene isn’t time.
It’s how that time is being used.