When you come in for dental exams and cleanings, you will normally first be seen by a hygienist. During this process, the hygienist will clean your teeth using a variety of different deep cleaning tools. They will also take a few different images of your teeth, which could be used to identify decay. Once the cleaning and images are done, a dentist will take a closer look at your teeth to see if further work is necessary. They could recommend crowns or other procedures if there is evident decay.