Oral Health Therapy

With Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen at St Ives Smiles Dentistry

What Is an Oral Health Therapist?

Oral health therapy covers the preventive and hygiene side of dental care: check-ups, cleans, gum health maintenance, and children's visits. At St Ives Smiles Dentistry, Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen provides this care as the practice's AHPRA-registered oral health therapist.

An oral health therapist is an AHPRA-registered dental professional who provides preventive and hygiene-focused dental care. Her Dental Board of Australia registration sits in the Oral Health Therapist, General division. She works alongside Dr Jeremy Hockey and Dr Bentley Sacks as part of the practice's dental team, focusing on the checks, cleans, and ongoing care that keep a smile healthy between bigger treatments. You can read more about her background on Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen's team profile.

Ms Theresa Tran-NguyenOral Health Therapist

At a glance

Oral health therapist: Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen, registered with the Dental Board of Australia in the Oral Health Therapist, General division.
Check-ups and cleans: led by Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen alongside your dentist's exam.
Ongoing gum health maintenance: supportive visits following gum disease treatment.
Orthodontic maintenance: Dr Jeremy Hockey diagnoses, plans, and places brace and Invisalign treatment; Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen continues the ongoing maintenance visits.
Kids' check-ups: welcomed as part of the practice's general dentistry.

What Happens at a Check-up and Clean?

A check-up and clean combines an oral health assessment with a professional scale and polish, clearing plaque and tartar before they affect your gums. At St Ives Smiles Dentistry, Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen leads these preventive visits alongside your dentist's regular exam, catching early signs of decay or gum trouble before they become bigger problems. Full detail on what's included, how often to book, and current pricing lives on the Check Up & Clean page.

Who Looks After Your Ongoing Gum Health?

Ongoing gum health, once treatment has settled the disease itself, is looked after through supportive maintenance visits (sometimes called periodontal maintenance) rather than a single appointment. At St Ives Smiles Dentistry, Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen provides these maintenance visits, working from the plan your dentist sets after diagnosing and treating gum disease. According to the Australian Dental Association, non-surgical gum disease treatment is followed by ongoing supportive maintenance care as a standard next step, not an exception, so regular visits still matter once symptoms have settled. As the Australian Dental Association puts it, "STEP 4 is essential to ensure the gums remain healthy and disease does not return." Full detail on gum disease, its stages, and treatment steps lives on the Gum Disease Treatment page.

Children's Check-ups and Ongoing Orthodontic Maintenance

Children are welcomed for check-ups and preventive care at St Ives Smiles Dentistry, alongside Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen's work with adult patients. Orthodontic patients see her regularly too: Dr Jeremy Hockey diagnoses, plans, and places brace and Invisalign treatment, and Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen continues the ongoing maintenance visits once treatment is underway. That means the same familiar face looks after your family's cleans, gum health, and orthodontic check-ins, rather than passing you between different clinicians for each visit type. For paediatric-specific detail, see the Children's Dentistry page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is oral health therapy the same as seeing a dental hygienist?

If you've been searching for a dental hygienist appointment, you're in the right place. At St Ives Smiles Dentistry, this preventive and hygiene-focused care is provided by Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen, the practice's AHPRA-registered oral health therapist. You can book a check-up, clean, or gum health visit the same way as any other appointment, online or by phone.

Do I need a referral to see the oral health therapist?

No referral is needed. Appointments with Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen can be booked directly, including online, any time of day.

Does seeing the oral health therapist cost extra, or is it part of my regular visit?

A check-up with your dentist and a clean with the oral health therapist are billed as separate items, each with its own "from" price. See the Check Up & Clean page for current pricing.

Will I see the same oral health therapist for every gum maintenance visit?

Yes. Gum health maintenance visits at St Ives Smiles Dentistry are provided by Ms Theresa Tran-Nguyen, so your care stays consistent across appointments.

How do I book an appointment with the oral health therapist?

Appointments for check-ups, cleans, or gum maintenance visits can be booked online any time, or by calling the practice during opening hours.