Dental Hygiene in Belfast

A good dental hygiene regime involves team work, combining regular visits to a dental hygienist with a stringent and effective tooth cleaning routine at home. Your hygienist does much more than just clean your teeth. They can also provide you with personalised oral hygiene advice to carry out at home, and can identify and treat early signs of gingivitis (gum disease).

Tracy Doole

Kerry Greer

Naomi Hylands

Niamh Adair

Our hygienists, Tracy, Kerry, Naomi and Niamh, are highly skilled and very passionate about good dental hygiene. They will professionally clean your teeth using the latest pastes and polishes, which will remove any plaque or tartar that has built up on the teeth. Most patients will experience some plaque and tartar that cannot be removed by brushing or flossing alone, which is why it is important to maintain regular dental hygiene appointments.

Our hygienists are passionate about educating patients on good home hygiene routines and will take the time to discuss the best oral hygiene methods for you, including correct brushing and flossing techniques. By maintaining regular appointments and following advice, you will be well on the way to achieving a healthy smile.

If you have a bridge, denture, orthodontic treatment or a dental implant you will have specific hygiene needs that our hygienists will be able to help you with. Tracy, Kerry, Naomi and Niamh also provide children's hygiene appointments; showing children how to properly brush their teeth, giving dietary advice and helping those with braces maintain good oral hygiene.

You don't have to be a member of the practice or visit the dentist first to book a hygienist appointment. Contact the practice today for an appointment 028 9047 1070.

SPECIALIST PERIODONTIST

Wendy Turner

Wendy joined the Sandown Dental team in 2019 and has provided specialist dental care for patients with a wide range of conditions.

She worked as a Consultant and Clinical Academic at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry for 25 years before moving back to Northern Ireland to take up the position as Head for the School of Dentistry at Queen’s University Belfast. Wendy continues to help and support our team in an advisory role.

Khaleda Zaheer

Khaleda graduated from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2018. Khaleda is a full-time specialist trainee studying a Master’s in Clinical Dentistry in Periodontology at Guy's Hospital, King’s College London, which is an accredited specialist training program by the European Federation of Periodontology.

Prior to embarking on the specialist training pathway, Khaleda had gained vast experience in several specialities as a Senior House Officer including Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontic and Paediatric Dentistry. She has extensively published research in peer-reviewed journals including the International Dental Journal and British Dental Journal.

Khaleda will be running a monthly periodontal clinic at Sandown Dental & Implant Clinic for internal and external referral patients. She will be offering a wide range of treatments, including surgical and non-surgical periodontal therapies.

Direct Access Patients

There are a number of reasons why you may choose to see a dental hygienist via direct access. Your own dental practice may not have a hygienist or they may not be able to offer you an appointment that suits you. You may have a dental implant and require regular appointments with a hygienist who is experienced in the cleaning and maintenance of implants. Or you may have a special occasion coming up and you would like Air Polish treatment to brighten your smile.

At Sandown, our hygienists are permitted to treat patients under direct access, without a referral from their own dentist.

Your initial hour-long direct access appointment will include a comprehensive periodontal (gum) assessment, a treatment plan for your periodontal treatment needs, a thorough, professional clean of your teeth and gums and tailored oral hygiene advice.

Our hygienists use Air Polish, an innovative technique that removes plaque and staining, caused by certain food and drink such as tea and coffee. It brightens and restores your smile while thoroughly removing dental plaque and is a more comfortable and gentler alternative to traditional scale and polish.

Our hygienists cannot provide the same comprehensive examination as your dentist, so you should continue to see your dentist as usual.

Initial direct access appointment £160 (1 hour).

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