Acting as a team, the dentist and the hygienist work together to deliver a higher level of preventive care and to maintain optimal dental and general health.
The emphasis on a good oral hygiene is a very important part of our preventive care.
At the check up and clean visits, the hygienist will carry out a specialised periodontal (gum) examination, take diagnostic x-rays, clean the teeth and apply fluoride while the dentist will carry out a comprehensive examination and treat any problems found.
|Kimiko Alvarez-Batac completed her Bachelor of Oral Health degree at the University of Newcastle, qualifying her as both a Dental Hygienist and Dental Therapist.
She takes great care and focus in ensuring that every patient feels comfortable in the dental environment and strives to provide the best treatment for her patients.
Kim is experienced in providing preventative dentistry procedures such as scaling and deep cleaning of teeth, taking Radiographs and scanning for oral lesions and cancer, looking for potential problems, charting, providing injections, performing fluoride treatments, fissure sealants, teeth whitening as well as performing restorative treatments and extractions on children and young patients up to the age of 18.
Above all, Kim is passionate about empowering her patients on how to look after their oral health at home. It is of utmost importance to her that patients come out of the treatment room educated on how to look after their teeth and gums by showing them current and evidence-based oral care techniques.
Continuing education is a very important aspect of being an Oral Health Therapist, and she is constantly updating herself through research and attending continuing education seminars.
The hygienist’s role includes:
- Oral hygiene instructions which are personalised to your needs so that you will know the best way to look after your mouth.
- Dental education for patients so that they have a better understanding of their problems.
- Dietary advice in relation to tooth decay.
- Re-mineralization advice on how to stop or prevent tooth decay if required.
- Removal of plaque and calculus (tartar) above and below the gum.
- Advanced gum treatment under local anaesthetic or inhalational analgesia.
- Screening of the oral environment and taking x-rays.
- Teeth whitening
- Fissure sealing.