The dental hygienist as a co-therapist in the endodontic practice.

This paper explores the potential contributions to patients, the practice, the endodontist, and the dental hygienist that may be realized by the employment of one or more dental hygienists to serve as endodontic co-therapists in the delivery of endodontic treatment. An endodontic co-therapist is an individual who participates with the endodontist in the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of treatment much like the periodontal co-therapist relationship that exists between periodontists and dental hygienists. Dental hygienists are ideal individuals for this role because of their education in basic, clinical, and behavioral sciences. Suggestions are provided for which services could be delegated by the endodontist to the dental hygienist during each phase of care. Advantages of this contemporary approach to the delivery of endodontic treatment are also addressed.