Generally speaking, I feel the average time needed for an adult prophy is 50-60 minutes. Depending on the patient’s homecare, some hygienist can do it in less time. However, it is my personal opinion that anything less than that infringes on the standard of care. Even if you complete scaling faster, you still need time for a thorough review of health history, to go over OHI, explain any treatment needs, build rapport, etc. Personally, I wouldn’t work in an office that gives me less than an hour per patient because I am there to do a service for the patient and I have to sleep at night knowing I did so. As far as pacing yourself, you can give OHI while scaling and keep the chit chat to a minimum, but the patients may notice that you are rushed. When appointment times are shortened, I wonder if the office really has the patient’s best interest in mind or are only concerned about the bottom line (money). As time goes by working in only 40 minutes, hopefully you can find your routine – it will just take time and practice to adjust. If you feel you aren’t providing the best patient care you can, it may be time to speak to whomever made this change and express your concerns. I must be honest that your concerns may go unheard. If you begin to dread going in to work because of the anxiety, it may be time to move on from that office. Good luck, I really hope everything works out for you!