(by Kathryn Gilliam, BA, BSDH, MAAOSH, HIAOMT) This has been a challenging and transformative year for dental hygienists. With new legislation in several states that expand the duties of dental assistants to include supragingival scaling, many dental hygienists are experiencing uncertainty, frustration, and concern about the future of our profession. These changes may feel like a threat, an encroachment on …
Ancient Tongue Diagnosis for the 21st Century Dental Hygienist
(by Kathryn Gilliam, BA, BSDH, MAAOSH, HIAOMT) The earliest known text entirely dedicated to tongue diagnosis is Ao Shi Shang Han Jin Jing Lu (Ao’s Record of the Golden Mirror of Cold Induced Disorders). This text was published with 36 color illustrations during the Tuan Dynasty (1271–1368).1 Tongue diagnosis is a principal practice in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and there is increasing …
The Many Benefits of Merging Dental and Electronic Health Records
(by Ann-Marie C. DePalma, CDA, RDH, MEd) Integrated electronic health records can bridge dentistry and medicine – enhancing care, coordination, and outcomes through global collaboration and standardized oral health data. I received an email several weeks ago from the FDI World Dental Federation that included a consensus statement on integrated electronic health records (EHRs.) Since I have an interest in …
The Hygiene Department: A Business Within the Business
(by Kathryn Gilliam, BA, BSDH, MAAOSH, HIAOMT) I never thought about the business of dentistry early in my dental hygiene career. I prided myself in caring deeply about my patients and delivering the utmost skilled care to each person I served. My production and profitability never entered my mind. The only way I measured my value as an employee was …
Are You Suffering from Burnout?
(by Katrina Sanders, RDH, BSDH, M.Ed, RF, FDSI ) In a world of long hours and grueling work, it’s no surprise that many hygienists are experiencing stress and strain. It was a cause for celebration! My sister-in-law had gone into labor, and she was preparing to deliver the much-anticipated first grandchild of the family. The whole family gathered in the …
5 Phrases Hygienists Need to Stop Saying to Patients
(by Katrina Sanders, RDH, BSDH, M.Ed, RF, FDSI ) Is sugarcoating decaying your clinical practice? It happens to the best of us: As we become comfortable in our clinical practice, we forget the ways in which our verbiage can dramatically alter the way our patients understand our recommendations. When I was in grade school, we used to play the Telephone …
Hygiene Expert Shares 5 Ways Your Dental Hygienist Can Save Your Life in New Book
(by Brandi Hooker Evans, RDH-ER, MHE, MAADH) Poor oral health often leads to poor overall health, and who better to explain this than an experienced registered dental hygienist and consultant? Brandi Hooker Evans, RDH, owns and operates Stellar Outcomes and Evans Dental with her husband, Eron Evans, DDS, and with almost 2 decades of experience as a clinician in private …