I want to spend a year taking my general ed credits then the next year take the one year dental-assisting program. After I finish, i want to work as a dental assistant while i finish my general ed to transfer and study dental hygiene to be a dentist. Is this a reasonable plan or are there any better ideas?

Although it seems an obvious requirement that those handling the nation’s food should have received food hygiene training it has only been a UK legal requirement since 1995. That is not to say that the importance of such training had not been officially recognised before, in fact following the Aberdeen Typhoid outbreak of 1964 the Milne Report recommended an improvement in the education of food handlers.

Again, following the Stanley Royd outbreak of salmonella food poisoning in 1984, which resulted in 355 patients of the hospital becoming ill and 19 dying, the Committee of Enquiry stressed the importance of food hygiene training. However the legal requirement for food hygiene training was not introduced until the introduction of the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995.

Strictly speaking, food hygiene training is not the only way of meeting the legal requirement, as food business operators have the choice of providing training OR instruction and supervision. What the regulation actually says is:

The proprietor of a food business shall ensure that food handlers engaged in the food business are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities.

This is a rather complicated way of saying that everyone working with food must know what they are doing and not put consumers at risk because of their ignorance. To ensure that food handlers have this degree of competence they can either be instructed AND supervised or trained OR receive food hygiene training. In practice local authorities would usually expect anyone running or managing a food business (including those working alone) to have successfully undertaken a food hygiene training course. In cases where a suitably trained supervisor is always on the premises, then other food handlers should have received basic instruction concerning food hygiene but do not have to have completed food hygiene training course themselves.

The nature of food hygiene training has changed since the early courses were introduced by organisation such as the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. In those days there were three levels of food hygiene training: Level 1 was known as Basic Food Hygiene and was a one day course, typically of 6 hours duration, followed by a 30 question multiple choice test. A pass-mark was 20/30. This course was aimed particularly at food handlers dealing with unwrapped foods, in all the food sectors.

The Level 2 food hygiene training course was known as Intermediate Food Hygiene and was a 3-day course for supervisors. The Level 3 course was called Advanced Food Hygiene and was a 5-day course aimed at proprietors, managers and those who wished to become accredited to train others in Basic Food Hygiene.

In recent years the content of the food hygiene training courses has become less generic and now each course is specific to a particular food sector, either catering, retailing or manufacturing.

Current food hygiene training courses now start at a new Level 1 of Food Safety Awareness for either Catering, Retailing or Manufacturing. This is a briefer course than the old Level 1 Basic Food Hygiene Course.

There are Level 2 Awards for Food Safety in Catering, Retailing and Manufacturing, with Level 3 Awards for Food Safety Supervision in Catering, Retailing and Manufacturing.

The Level 4 food hygiene training courses are known as the Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering and the Award in Food Safety Management for Manufacturing. In addition to these courses there are courses specifically designed to train managers and owners to implement and operate HACCP based food safety systems.

So, after perhaps a slow start in the development of food hygiene training there are now courses suitable for the staff and management of all types of food business, hopefully leading to more awareness of the requirements necessary to ensure safe food.

The term food hygiene has been defined, by Codex Alimentarius (an international organisation for the development of food standards and guidelines) as “all conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain.”

As will be seen from this definition the term “food hygiene” encompasses a wide range of measures that can be applied from the growth of food products and the raising of food animals, through harvesting and slaughter, processing, delivery, storage and final sale. However, for many, food hygiene will be equated with cleanliness; the cleanliness of food premises and food handlers.

Whilst the cleanliness of those who handle food and their equipment and surroundings is essential for good food hygiene to occur it is only one of the measures necessary if food is to be safely prepared.

Of equal or perhaps even more importance in maintaining good standards of food hygiene is the avoidance of cross-contamination and good temperature control. Cross-contamination is the passing of food poisoning bacteria from contaminated, usually raw food to ready-to-eat food. Such cross-contamination can occur in three ways, direct contact of e.g. raw meat with ready-to-eat food, the drip of raw food juices such as blood onto a ready-to-eat food and the use of unwashed hands or equipment to handle both raw food and ready-to-eat food.

Good temperature control is essential if satisfactory standards of food hygiene are to be achieved. In most investigations that occur following the outbreak of a food-borne disease a failure in temperature control is identified as one of causes of the event. Foods which are suitable media for the growth of pathogenic (disease producing) bacteria - mainly moist high protein foods such as meat, eggs and dairy products - must be kept either cold or hot. They should not be allowed to languish in the danger zone between 5°C - 63°C for any longer than absolutely necessary.

This means that good food hygiene practices will include the correct storage of cold food at 5°C or below and hot food at 63°C or above. Good food hygiene will also require that food is properly cooked and if not used straightaway that it is cooled quickly to 5°C and if reheated later that this is done quickly to a good temperature.

As far as cooking and reheating temperatures are concerned for potentially contaminated foods, like raw meat and poultry, the usual recommendations in food hygiene textbooks is 75°C for 30 seconds.

Besides cleanliness, temperature control and the avoidance of cross contamination food hygiene measures will also include a safe supply of water for food preparation and cleaning, pest control and the proper training of staff in the principles of food hygiene.

The modern approach to food hygiene puts considerable emphasis on food safety management systems, which are designed to provide assurance that the correct food hygiene practices are always in place. The internationally accepted HACCP approach is now incorporated as a mandatory requirement in Food Hygiene Regulations across the globe. HACCP stands for “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point” and is a system that establishes the stages in the food business that is absolutely essential (critical) for food safety and seeks to control and monitor them. Such critical controls might include thorough cooking of food, avoidance of cross-contamination and adequate refrigeration of perishable items etc.

So food hygiene really is a wide discipline and its implementation requires commitment and investment in time and money by those who carry the responsibility of providing and preparing food for consumption by the public.

Everyone loves a winning smile. It’s a symbol of success as well as physically appealing to look at. This probably explains North America’s fixation with brushing, flossing, whitening and gargling; everyone aspires to those shiny pearly whites.

Chances are this isn’t going to change anytime soon. In light of the current recession, job security is at the top of everyone’s priority list. If you’re looking for job security, look no further than a career in dental hygiene.

Becoming A Dental Hygienist

Canada has a wealth of options for the post-secondary student looking to pursue a career in dental hygiene. From the University of British Columbia to Dalhousie University, schools across the country offer programs in dental hygiene.

To pursue a degree in dental hygiene, students generally must have the following secondary school credits or International Baccalaureate / Advanced Placement (IB/AP) equivalents in order to qualify for an admission to first year:

English 11, English 12, A Grade 11 language course, Biology 11, Biology 12, Chemistry 11, Chemistry 12, Principles of Mathematics 11, Social Studies 11 or First Nations Studies 12, One other approved provincially examinable Grade 12 course.

What To Expect

Dental hygienists are registered and certified health professionals trained to maintain your oral integrity. Specializing in the prevention of oral health problems and mouth diseases, dental hygienists work with individual clients or communities to prevent tooth, gum and mouth diseases and injuries that can affect a patient’s overall health.

One of the interesting aspects of being a dental hygienist is the range of the patient base. Dental hygiene services are provided to people of all ages, ranging from parents in pre-natal classes to the elderly in long-term health care centres. A typical workday could involve assessment, planning, implementing and evaluating health care data and include:

Teaching an elementary class about oral health care, Counseling a family about oral health, Providing fluoride treatments to patients during a dental visit, Administering local anesthetic for dental hygiene or dental treatment, Teaching long-term care staff about mouth care for their clients, Working with nurses to prevent sports and playground injuries, Screening seniors for signs of oral cancer, Performing head, neck and oral examinations, Applying pit and fissure sealants to teeth, Reviewing literature and conducting research, Scaling, root-planning, and so on.

Preventive health care is another part of a dental hygienist’s profession. Many dental hygienists deliver health promotion programs in their community to parent and special needs groups; schools, day cares and long-term seniors’ care facilities. These programs usually include tobacco cessation advocacy, sports/mouth guard clinics and baby care seminars.

Practicing Dental Hygiene in Canada

In order to practice dental hygiene in Canada, registered dental hygienists (RDHs) must complete a recognized dental program, and be registered or licensed with the appropriate provincial or territorial regulatory authorities.

Clinical vs. Community Practice

Dental hygienists have the option of working in both community and clinical practices.

Clinical Practice

In clinical practice, dental hygienists most often work with general practitioner dentists or specialty practice dentists. They work directly with patients to prevent and treat gum disease and tooth decay. They are trained to:

Assess tooth and gum health, Prepare individualized dental hygiene treatment plans, refer patients to a dentist for dental treatment.

The role of the clinical dental hygienist is not solely limited to looking after the cosmetic appearance of teeth and gums, but also perform complex services like scaling and root planning to treat gum infections.

Some Canadian provinces allow dental hygienists to own their own dental hygiene practice. For example, RDHs can practice independently in British Columbia, Ontario and some American states. Increasingly, as more provincial/territorial legislation allows dental hygienists to open their own clinical practice, entrepreneurial skills are becoming more important for dental hygienists.

Community Practice

Dental hygienists working in community practices varies in scope. They may work with individuals on a one-to-one basis, or deal with entire communities. Dental hygienists may perform health surveys for a community and work with other health professionals to design a health program for those communities.

They often evaluating the effectiveness of current health care procedures and programs while identifying the need for ones. A dental hygienist will work with a variety of health professionals and community members including nurses, speech pathologists, injury prevention coordinators, dentists, physicians and dietitians.

Community members may include school principals, teachers, parents, coaches, day care providers, health advocates, government departments, and administrators of other health promotion programs in the community.

Some dental hygienists choose to specialize in health programs for new Canadians, cancer (oncology) patients, expectant moms or homeless teens. Community health practice offers much variety to a dental hygiene career.

There are many interesting and exciting career opportunities for dental hygienists. Dental hygienists may find themselves with a variety of roles and responsibilities to choose from. These include roles as: Clinicians, Educators, Administrators, Researchers.

Depending on whether they choose to work in a clinical or community practice, dental hygienists may practice in a variety of environments such as: Private dental practices, Public health and community health centres, Professional dental hygiene associations and regulatory bodies, Homecare and outreach programs, Universities and community colleges, Government (policy and planning, lobbying), Industry (insurance and dental supply companies), Consulting, Research.

Salary

The median hourly wage of Canadian dental hygienists with less than one year of experience is roughly C$ 31.16, according to PayScale.

Is Dental Hygiene Right For You?

Dental hygiene is a profession that offers job security as well as a wealth of different job opportunities. Graduates of post-secondary degree institutions have the option of working in either clinical or community practices, and with a wide range of clients.

The multitude of available roles leaves room career diversity for dental hygienists to hone their various skills. If this sounds appealing, than dental hygiene may just be the career to put a smile on your face.

Acne is very common among teens and young adults, sometimes persisting into adulthood. There are quite a few personal hygiene product on the market that can help your acne condition. The single most common hygiene product is without a doubt soap.

1. Soaps

Washing your face is very important to both acne prevention and treatment. But many soaps can irritate your skin, especially the more delicate skin on your face, or skin weakened by preexisting acne. But there are many soaps available that will not irritate your skin, and may have acne-fighting ingredients.

2. Facial Cleansers

Facial cleansers are hygiene products that are specially designed to clean excess oils and dirt from your face and pores, without irritating your skin when used as directed. Excessive use can lead to over-drying and irritation, which can worsen acne; read and follow the directions on the product you are using. Generally, using these hygiene products no more than once or twice a day is recommended.

3. Choosing a Facial Cleanser

There are various formulations of facial cleansers out there: some for dry skin, some for oily skin, or normal skin. There are products available for those trying to clear out their existing acne, and products for those who are just doing preventative maintenance.

Those with oily skin types should use hygiene products that rinse completely away, carrying away the excess oils. There are both bar soaps and facial cleansers available specifically for oily skin.

Dry skin types should wash with a hygiene product that is both gentle and provides some degree of moisturization. Be careful not to over-moisturize though, as this can lead to excessively oily skin. Again, both facial cleansers and body soaps are available for dry skin.

If your skin is particularly sensitive, you will probably wish to avoid hygiene products with scents, scrubbing agents, grit, or beads, defoliating products, and strong cleansing agents. You should be extra gentle in both hygiene product selection and application. There are many acne hygiene products available that are specifically formulated for sensitive skins. Be choosy when selecting one for you and your skin.

Most people that have normal skin can use just about any hygiene product and not cause harm. But gentle soaps or facial cleansers are always recommended, and don’t overdo the washing. Too much washing can damage your skin and leave it susceptible to acne.

In all cases, oil-free acne hygiene products are highly recommended. Oily cleansers can clog your pores and lead to blackhead and pimple formation.

4. Using Acne Hygiene Products

Regardless of which products you do choose to use, be careful. Usually, you will wish to perform a test application (this goes double for those of you with sensitive skin) on a small, non-prominent area, while following the directions for application times. Wait overnight, and see if the product caused an adverse reaction. Trust us, you do not want to find out the cleanser you used causes severe irritation after you apply it to your entire face or body! Everyones skin is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. And be sure not to overdo it. If the directions say once per day, use the acne hygiene product once per day. Using it twice a day will not make you get better twice as fast; it may actually cause damage or aggravate your acne.