What Is Oral Health Promotion?

Do you take pride in the health and appearance of your teeth? You could pursue a career in helping other people do the same. Oral health promotion is all about preventing oral diseases and supporting dentists.

An oral health specialist plays a crucial role in helping patients eat and speak without any discomfort or pain. They do so by providing patients with the knowledge and tools to prevent oral health diseases before they occur – and by treating/managing diseases that are already present.

What is Oral Health Promotion

It’s kind of like ‘Slip, slop, slap,’ only for teeth. But try as the dental profession might, it’s easier to get Australians to slip on a shirt, slap on the sunscreen and slap on a hat than it is to brush their teeth regularly. A lot of it is about associations. Through consistent and, sometimes, dramatic advertising we’ve come to associate the beach – and the outdoors generally – with skin cancer. Oral Health Promotion simply isn’t prominent enough.

Oral Health Care refers to caring for your teeth on a daily basis and ensuring you follow good dental hygiene. Is it too hard to follow a good dental plan? Well, no. The first step in achieving good dental care is developing and then following a daily oral health routine.

Why is this important? Well, people with bad teeth – be they bent, broken, or discoloured - can be self-conscious. Smiles become carefully orchestrated curls of the lips rather than uninhibited grins, at least in everyday life.

Tips For Good Oral Health

Proper dental care need not be a daunting or intimidating prospect. Following the right dental regime regularly goes a long way toward having healthy oral health. You can maintain good teeth hygiene by following some simple steps:

• Brush twice a day

• Brush thoroughly, floss regularly and rinse daily

• Massage your gums lightly with clean fingers to stimulate increased blood flow

• Eat a balanced diet and limit snacking and drinks that can impact dental health

• Talk to a dentist and understand your own oral health needs

• Use toothpaste and mouth rinses that contain fluoride

• Stop using tobacco products if you are

What Kind of Oral Health Promotion Jobs Are There?

You might immediately think of a Dental Assistant. This is indeed a common and rewarding career path for those interested in oral health promotion. However, getting qualified in this field can also prepare you to work as:

• A Treatment Coordinator (discussing and arranging options with patients)

• A Dental Receptionist (booking appointments, liaising with patients, and admin duties)

• An Oral Health Advisor (educating individuals and/or community groups about oral health)

• A Dental Sterilisation Nurse (maintaining equipment and reprocessing instruments).

If you choose to work as a Dental Assistant, you’ll be responsible for keeping patients comfortable and informed while helping dentists perform various procedures. Other common duties for a dental assistant include:

• Preparing the chair/treatment area between appointments

• Preparing and reprocessing dental equipment/instruments

• Ordering and managing the practice’s stock of dental supplies

• Developing X-rays

• Recording information and taking dictation from the dentist

How Do I Get a Job in Oral Health Promotion?

You don’t technically need a formal qualification to get an entry-level position as a dental assistant. However, completing an oral health course can help improve your chances of finding a satisfying and well-paid job in this field. We recommend studying the HLT35021 Certificate III in Dental Assisting. You can follow this up with the HLT45021 Certificate IV in Dental Assisting, to progress your skillset even further.

What Skills Do I Need to Work in Oral Health Promotion?

Working as a Dental Assistant can make for a fascinating and rewarding career, as you’ll provide vital support to dentists while bringing a smile to people’s faces – often literally. However, this field isn’t suitable for everyone.

Before committing to this career path, consider if you possess these essential attributes:

• Strong communication skills

• Great team player

• Ability to multi-task

• Solid organisational skills

• Natural charisma for building rapport with co-workers and patients.

Why Work in Oral Health Promotion?

Many dental practices provide a wonderful working environment where you get to team up with other hard-working people – including dentists and dental hygienists who you’ll be able to learn a lot. Medical clinics are also dynamic workplaces where every day brings fresh faces and new challenges.

In addition to being an emotionally rewarding job, dental assistants also enjoy reasonable job security, good earning potential (average salary of $49,864 according to PayScale), and opportunities for growth (e.g. progressing towards a dental hygienist or dental office manager role).

Would you like to help people have healthy smiles by taking your dental health knowledge to the next level? Our range of Dental courses would be of great help! Call us on 1300 616 197 and speak to our advisors for more information.

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