Dental Practitioners

Our dental practitioners

To give our members the best oral health care, when you visit a Health Partners Dental practice, you will see one or more of our experienced dental practitioners. Our dental hygienists and oral health therapists work alongside our dentists to provide you with the best possible care and oral health.

What is the difference between a dental hygienist and an oral health therapist?

Dental hygienists and oral health therapists are both registered dental professionals. However, their roles and focus areas are different.

Dental hygienist

Dental hygienists work together with dentist to provide integrated oral health care. Dental hygienists focus on prevention and education to treat and prevent gum disease.

When you visit a Health Partners Dental hygienist, you can expect:

• Preventive care such as tooth cleaning and polishing, fissure sealants, temporary fillings and fluoride treatments
• Check your mouth for signs of gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis)
• X-rays and photos
• Oral cancer checks
• Custom mouthguards
• Teeth whitening
• Dental health education, including advice on cleaning, diet and lifestyle, pregnancy, newborn care and how to manage oral conditions
• Support and maintenance for dental implants, braces and retainers
• Advice on quitting smoking and vaping

Oral health therapist

In addition to fulfilling the role of a dental hygienist, our oral health therapists are specially trained to work independently to provide high quality dental care to children and teenagers under the age of 18 years.

This training allows them to provide:

• Dental examinations, diagnosis and treatment planning of gum disease
• Fillings, crowns and tooth removal