FAQ

Studies have shown that up to 75% of adults in the United States and estimated 13-20% of Canadians experience some level of dental fear or anxiety, often stemming from past traumatic experiences or fear of judgment from dental professionals.  If so, you are definately not alone!

At our clinic, the front staff and our hygienists go out of their way to ENSURE you are treated with RESPECT, EMPATHY and COMPASSION. We provide much longer appointment times in order to provide quality care to our clients to address their needs and goals.  Our clinic room is large and roomy enough for the whole family to come in!  Mom and/or Dad in the room is a MUST. Every child should feel safe!
Yes, you can schedule directly with a dental hygienist for routine cleanings and preventive care without needing to see a dentist first.  Dental Hygienists in Alberta have independent practice and can have their own practices since Dec 2006. Many do mobile services to help those living in nursing homes and homebound clients. Others, have opened storefront clinics.  

Hygienists provide essential services such as preventive oral health care like dental cleanings, dental hygiene exams, and other treatments, as well as oral hygiene education. We recommend visiting your hygienist as per their recommendation and your dentist at least once a year for best oral health benefits.  
Yes, a dental hygienist can definitively diagnose cavities within our dental hygiene scope of practice in Alberta. While many early cavities are hard to diagnose and differences exist between providers on treatment strategies, we find it best for your oral health to have a dentist check up at least once a year.  Some cavities are seen visually and others through dental X-rays. If your hygienist suspects or diagnose a cavity they will refer you to a dentist for further evaluation and treatment.
1 in 6 Canadians report avoiding dental care due to financial concerns, with costs being a significant barrier to accessing essential preventive services. So, if you've ever found yourself putting off much-needed care because of the expense, you're certainly not alone. The struggle is real, but there's hope on the horizon.

Canada is now rolling out the Canadian Dental Care Plan for those that do not have any access to dental insurance. We have also FROZEN our fees for 2024.  Our fees are lower than the Alberta Dental fee guide. We also accept ALL government funded dental insurance programs such as AISH, Veteran's Affairs DVA, LOW INCOME, CHILD HEALTH BENEFIT and NIHB as examples. We also provide payment plans for those who wish to pay monthly.
YES!  dental hygienists in Alberta who have taken the presribers course have the authority to prescribe antibiotics. At Holistic Dental Hygiene, Corinne, one of the clinic owners, is able to prescriber antibiotics, antifungals or antivirals as required.
A dental hygienist plays a vital role in oral health care and typically performs the following tasks:
  1. Oral Exams: Dental hygienists often perform oral examinations to assess the overall health of the gums and teeth, as well as screen for signs of oral diseases such as gingivitis or periodontitis.
  2. Dental X-rays: Dental hygienists take dental X-rays to help diagnose oral health conditions that are not visible during a visual exam, such as dental decay between the teeth.
  3. Professional Dental Hygiene Therapy "cleanings": They conduct thorough removal of plaque biofilms, tartar (calculus), and external stains. This helps prevent cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues.
  4. Educating Clients: They provide education and guidance to clients on proper oral hygiene practices, including brushing techniques, flossing, and the importance of diet, and recommending re-care interval based on what is best for each clients oral health.
  5. Applying Preventive Treatments: This may include treatments to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities, as well as dental sealants to protect the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
  6. Health Promotion: They evaluate the health of the gums and may refer to other health care professionals as required such as Naturopathic physicians, Myofacial therapists, Dentists and others.
Overall, dental hygienists are essential members of the dental care team, focusing on preventive care and helping clients maintain optimal oral and overall health.
The duration of a dental hygiene appointment can vary depending on several factors, including the specific procedures being performed and the individual's oral health needs. However, a typical dental hygiene appointment usually lasts between 30 minutes for children to 1 hour  for adults at a dentist office.  At our dental hygiene practice we do not feel this amount of time is adequate to provide care.  At our clinic, we required 2 hours for New Clients and 90 minutes for Adult Re-Care appointments. We allow 1 hour for child care (6-12 years) and 90 minutes for youth care (13-19).

At a New Client appointment, the dental hygienist will conduct complete new client exam including oral cancer screening and periodontal measurements around the gums, dental X-Rays, and preventive hygiene therapy. This involves removing plaque, tartar (calculus), and stains. We will discuss your oral health status and provide education on proper oral hygiene practices with product recommendations for home care.

For clients with more complex oral health issues or those requiring additional treatments such as advanced periodontal "gum" disease will require more than 1 appointment. Conversely, clients with good oral health who only require routine cleanings may have shorter appointments.

It's important for individuals to attend regular dental hygiene appointments as recommended by their hygienist to maintain optimal oral health and prevent dental disease.

The main differences between a dentist and a dental hygienist lie in their overlapping roles, responsibilities, and level of education:
  1. Dentist:
    • Dentists are licensed healthcare professionals who have completed a doctoral degree in dentistry (Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine).
    • They diagnose, treat, and manage overall oral health care needs, including performing dental procedures such as fillings, extractions, root canals, and crowns.
    • Dentists are trained to address a wide range of oral health issues, from routine cleanings and exams to complex dental surgeries.
    • They may specialize in various fields such as orthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, or pediatric dentistry.
    • Dentists see patients for care.
  2. Dental Hygienist:
    • Dental hygienists are also licensed oral health professionals, but they typically hold an associate degree or diploma in dental hygiene.
    • They focus primarily on oral health promotion and preventive dental care.  
    • Dental hygienists help maintain or improve oral health by assessing the client's oral tissues, removing plaque, tartar (calculus), and stains, and they provide education on proper oral hygiene practices to clients and providing recommendations for care. Finally, they monitor your oral health condition over time.
    • Dental hygienists refer to other health care professionals as required.
    • Dental hygienists play a crucial role in helping clients maintain good oral health and preventing dental problems.
    • Hygienists see you as a client and work to help you achieve YOUR oral health goals.
In summary, dentists are responsible for treating dental disease, including performing dental procedures.   While dental hygienists primarily focus on preventive care and educating clients on oral hygiene practices. Both are essential members of the dental care team, working together to ensure clients achieve and maintain optimal oral health.





In Canada dental hygienists are authorized to perform dental fillings with taking a special restorative course.  These hygienists work in a dentist office in placing fillings after the dentist has removed the decay.   Dental fillings are considered restorative dental procedures that involve the placement of materials such as composite resin or amalgam to repair teeth damaged by decay or trauma.  While there are some restorative hygienists hired by a dentist, these procedures are usually performed by dentist's themselves.

While dental hygienists focus primarily on preventive dental care, Marissa and Corinne have taken the Atraumatic Restorative Therapy (ART) module for removing decay by hand instruments only and then placing a glass ionomer fillling.  There are only certain classes of decay that can utilize this procedure. ART fillings are beneficial to those clients that cannot get to a dentist clinic, such as seniors living in long-term care.
Yes, dental hygienists can often remove brown stains from teeth during professional dental cleanings. These stains, which can result from various factors such as food, beverages, tobacco use, or poor oral hygiene, are typically located on the surface of the teeth and can be effectively removed through scaling and polishing techniques performed by a hygienist.

During a dental cleaning, the hygienist will use specialized tools to gently remove plaque, tartar (calculus), and surface stains from the teeth. This process involves scaling to remove hardened deposits and air polishing to remove surface stains helping to restore a brighter, cleaner appearance to the teeth.

It's important to note that while dental cleanings can effectively remove many types of surface stains, certain types of discoloration, such as intrinsic staining caused by factors like tooth trauma, medication use, or natural aging, may require additional treatments or interventions. If you have concerns about brown stains on your teeth, it's advisable to have a consult for an evaluation and personalized treatment recommendations.





Yes, dental hygienists play a crucial role in helping to manage gum disease known as Periodontal disease. They can provide valuable assistance in the prevention, treatment, and maintenance of gum disease through several means. In addition to dental hygiene therapy there are several treatments and products that may help to control the bacterial in your mouth to decrease pocket depths and help gums to heal and reattach back to tooth.
  1. Microbiological testing is helpful and a simple test to see if the bacteria in your mouth are normal or destructive to tissues.
  2. Salivary Diagnostics are helpful in finding out the type and number of periodontal pathogens and re-evalution to see if there is improvement and decrease of these species that cause this disease. One of these tests is My Perio Path.
  3. Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy is the use of lasers to decomtaminate peridontal pockets by lowering bacterial numbers to help the gums heal and reattach back to the tooth.
  4. Antibiotic therapy may be helpful to kill and lower harmful bacterial species.
  5. Increased hygiene treatments are most likely required as studies indicated that the bacteria re-populate in periodontal pockets back to high numbers in 12 weeks. This is why, it is recommended having maintanence care every 3 months, in order to try to control this disease.
While hygienists play a significant role in managing gum disease, it's essential to note that more advanced cases or those that are NOT responding to treatment may need a referral to a periodontist (a specialist in treating gum disease). If you have concerns about gum disease or are experiencing symptoms such as bleeding gums or persistent bad breath, it's important to seek professional dental care for evaluation and treatment.





While we can give you an estimated best guess, unfortunately we don't really know how much scaling time you will need until we assess and start to remove the tartar from your teeth.  Some individuals, have little tartar build up and some have very heavy buildup that could be due to years of neglect or not being able to afford dental care.

We can give you an estimate that would be pretty close to actual cost. Alot of times, we discount our fees in order to keep you within the estimate we gave you. Some individuals have advancing gum disease in which they require 4 x appointments with freezing in order to remove the buildup and help the tissues to respond and heal. Therefore, prices can vary alot from person to person.

For most new client adults for a 2-hour appointment including an exam and x-rays with hygiene and laser therapy most are around $550. For a 1-hour child appointment usually are around $200.  For recare hygiene only appointments the cost is usually $350 for a 90-minute appointment.  We do respect your right of choice, if you wanted just 3 units of scaling the cost is $210 for 45-minutes of time.
Overall, paying for preventive dental care is a wise investment in long-term oral health, overall well-being, and financial savings. It helps individuals maintain healthy smiles, detect issues early, prevent costly treatments, and enjoy the benefits of a confident and pain-free oral condition. 

Imagine a world where your health is not just about treating symptoms, but about addressing the root cause of disease to achieve true healing and vitality. This is the promise of the holistic whole-body approach – a paradigm shift that views the body as an interconnected system where physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being are all intertwined. Unlike conventional medicine, which often focuses solely on alleviating symptoms, holistic health practitioners delve deeper, seeking to understand the underlying imbalances that contribute to illness. By considering factors such as nutrition, lifestyle, stress levels, and environmental influences, this approach aims to restore balance and harmony to the body, paving the way for long-lasting health and wellness. So, if you're tired of merely masking symptoms and ready to embark on a journey toward holistic healing, the whole-body approach offers a path to uncovering the root cause of disease and reclaiming your vitality from within.