{"product_id":"hygienist-oht-role-manual-2026","title":"Hygienist \/ OHT Role Manual 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Complete Reference Guide for the Dental Hygienist and Oral Health Therapist Role in an Australian Dental Practice\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003eA skilled hygienist or OHT who builds strong patient relationships, maintains an efficient recall system, and delivers exceptional preventive care is directly responsible for patient retention, the health of the appointment book, and a significant portion of the practice's recurring revenue. Most practices underinvest in defining what excellent performance in this role actually looks like — and then wonder why results are inconsistent.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eHygienist \/ OHT Role Manual 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e is the complete reference guide for the dental hygienist and oral health therapist role in an Australian dental practice. Covering scope of practice, daily responsibilities, periodontal assessment protocol, patient communication and recall, and KPIs — this manual sets clear expectations from day one and gives the hygienist or OHT a single, comprehensive reference for everything the role requires.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003eThe manual is structured across 5 parts:\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePart 1 — The Role and Why It Matters\u003c\/strong\u003e A clear explanation of the hygienist and OHT role as the practice's prevention engine — and the direct link between a well-managed hygiene column and patient retention, appointment book health, and recurring revenue. Includes a plain-language comparison of the hygienist and OHT roles — qualification, scope of practice, and the key difference (OHT scope includes restorative treatment on children under 25 in most states). Covers the critical compliance requirement: scope of practice for hygienists and OHTs varies by state and territory and is defined by the individual's AHPRA registration conditions. The PM must hold a current copy of each clinician's AHPRA registration certificate and review it for conditions before allowing them to practise.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePart 2 — Daily Responsibilities\u003c\/strong\u003e A complete daily workflow checklist covering every stage of the hygiene day — before the first patient (surgery setup, schedule review, medical history flags, radiograph pre-loading), during each appointment (medical history update, periodontal assessment, clinical documentation, personalised OHI, dentist referral for findings, recall pre-booking), at the end of each appointment (notes, ADA item numbers, recall interval, infection control reset), and end of session (all notes completed, sterilisation initiated, clinical concerns communicated to the dentist). The standard is clear: no clinical notes carried over to the following day.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePart 3 — Periodontal Assessment Protocol\u003c\/strong\u003e The practice's expected standard for consistent, accurate periodontal assessment — with a clear table covering assessment frequency and minimum documentation requirements for four patient types: new patients (full chart at first appointment), healthy adult recall patients (full chart annually, BPE at intermediate appointments), patients with gingivitis or early periodontitis (full chart every 6 months), and periodontal maintenance patients (full chart every 3–6 months). Includes the most powerful patient communication insight in hygiene: showing a patient their BOP trend over time — reducing from 40% to 15% over 12 months — is more motivating than any amount of verbal instruction.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePart 4 — Patient Communication and Recall\u003c\/strong\u003e The recall pre-booking conversation script for use at the end of every appointment — including the response to patient hesitation — with a target of 80% of patients leaving with a future appointment booked. Covers personalised oral hygiene instruction: one or two specific, actionable recommendations based on today's findings, not a generic brush-and-floss reminder, with documentation of the specific OHI given so the next appointment can build on it. Includes the scripted approach for communicating clinical concerns to patients without overstepping scope — warm, clear, and always referring findings to the dentist.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePart 5 — KPIs and Performance Standards\u003c\/strong\u003e Six measurable KPIs for the hygiene role with targets and the reason each matters: recall pre-booking rate (80%+), patient reappointment rate (75%+), BOP reduction rate for patients with active gingivitis (tracked for improvement), radiograph compliance rate (80%+), ADA item number accuracy (100%), and clinical notes completed same session (100%). Includes a monthly hygiene review framework covering column utilisation rate, pre-booking rate, active patient count, clinical incidents, and CPD status.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWho this is for:\u003c\/strong\u003e Practice Managers onboarding a new hygienist or OHT and wanting a complete, professional reference manual that sets clear expectations from day one. Practice Owners who want consistent performance from their hygiene column and a documented standard to manage against. Hygienists and OHTs who want a clear picture of what excellent performance in the role looks like — and how it will be measured.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e📄 Format: 6-page editable Microsoft Word document (.docx) — complete the practice-specific fields with your practice name, hygienist\/OHT name, AHPRA registration number, and supervising clinician. Designed to be provided to the hygienist or OHT at the start of employment and reviewed annually.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e⬇️ Instant digital download — available immediately after purchase\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"my-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words\"\u003e🦷 Built for Australian dental practices — references AHPRA registration requirements, state-specific scope of practice rules, ADA item numbers, and HICAPS claiming standards\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Resolve Dental Consultancy","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53878373155180,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0988\/9657\/6876\/files\/lifestyle_xray_radiography_da.png?v=1780298355","url":"https:\/\/www.resolvedentalconsultancy.com.au\/products\/hygienist-oht-role-manual-2026","provider":"Resolve Dental Consultancy","version":"1.0","type":"link"}