As defined in The Dental Hygienists Act, the practice of dental hygiene is the promotion of oral health through oral health education and the assessment and treatment of the teeth and adjacent tissues using preventative and therapeutic means.

A dental hygienist is a regulated primary oral health care professional who specializes in services related to clinical therapy, oral health education, and health promotion. Dental hygiene is a health profession involving theory and evidence-based practice, drawing upon the biomedical, social, and behavioural sciences, and the body of dental hygiene knowledge.

The practice of dental hygiene involves collaboration with clients, other health professionals, and society to achieve and maintain optimal oral health, an integral part of well-being. A client is an individual, family, group, organization, or community accessing the professional services of a dental hygienist. As a registrant of a self-regulating profession, a dental hygienist must practice safely, ethically, and effectively for the promotion of the oral health and well-being of the public of Manitoba, according to the Practice Standards of the College of Dental Hygienists of Manitoba.