Two dental visits a year are recommended for most patients. In a typical check-up, patients are seen by both a hygienist and a dentist. The hygienist cleans and polishes your teeth, talks to you about caring for your teeth and answers your questions. The dentist reviews the cleaning done by the hygienist, conducts an oral exam of your gums and teeth, diagnoses any oral health problems, orders X-rays (if appropriate) and make treatment recommendations. Check-ups are important not only for cleaning, but to find any problems early.