The removal of a standardized clinical competency examination raises an important question: Is academic evaluation alone sufficient to ensure readiness for independent clinical practice?
How are you keeping up with digital dentistry? Dr. Aisling Whitaker, CEO of DentalHive, shares the importance of staying informed as technology evolves and how you can do this even if you are working in a practice that has not yet adopted the technology. Subscribe to Oral Health’s weekly e-newsletter to have the latest episode delivered … Read more
Dental hygienists, here is your weekly reminder from Dr. James Younger, CEO and Founder of TempStars, to think about your career holistically. Your hourly rate and compensation matter, but so does your sense of belonging, being respected, opportunities for CE and much more. Consider all of these aspects when deciding where you would like to … Read more
To my students, past and present: your questions, challenges, and successes have shaped me as an educator and continue to remind me of the privilege of teaching in this profession. “Sweetie, make sure you choose a career that you love, because adults spend a lot of time at work.” – R. Pawelczyk, my dad This simple … Read more
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the average career span of a dental hygienist is 16 years;1 however, anecdotal evidence suggests it may now range between 5 and 7 years. As I enter my 19th year in this profession, I can’t help but feel saddened by this statistic. I have heard many reasons from dental … Read more
Traditionally, most dentists don’t consider themselves to be sports dentists, but are they ever wrong? Every dentist is a sports dentist. Why do I say that? During the course of your dental career, you will see a wide variety of dental issues, including oral facial trauma. Some of the causes of dental trauma that you … Read more
We know that you want to leave the industry better than when you started. One way that you can do that is by supporting a new approach to feedback that promotes better colleague relationships, lifelong learning, continuous improvement, and effective professional and personal development. As you progress through your career, you will likely become skilled … Read more
Dear RDH new grads, congratulations on finishing dental hygiene school! But remember, being a dental hygienist requires continual learning and growth. Fiona Mattrasingh from @dearrdhnewgrad shares her tips for how to start your journey of continual growth. Subscribe to Oral Health’s weekly e-newsletter to have the latest episode delivered straight to your inbox every week!
Hygiene Spotlight features an exceptional dental hygienist every month. This month, we are showcasing Melia Lewis, MED, RDH, an educator and advocate. Melia founded the educational platform Hygiene Edge, where she creates videos to teach new skills, techniques, and products to fellow hygienists. Why did you decide to pursue dental hygiene as a career? I have always … Read more
You might be overlooking a key piece of the puzzle. In last month’s blog, I wrote about the growing need for team members to embrace ongoing skill upgrades. As I stated, there are estimates predicting that up to 65% of skills could turn over every 18 months. That’s a massive shift. We mentioned the risk … Read more
Dentistry is rapidly changing with the help from new technology. Peter Barry, a practice success coach, discusses a new playbook for thriving and success in our rapidly evolving and technologically advancing profession. Subscribe to Oral Health’s weekly e-newsletter to have the latest episode delivered straight to your inbox every week!
Mentorship is not just for the young and the “green.” As the late Dr. Jack Hughston said, “As long as you’re green, you’re still growing. Once you’re ripe, you’re next to rotten.” All of us should continuously challenge ourselves. Dental science, technologies, and the industry as a whole never stand still, and neither should we. … Read more
Dr. Hans Stasiuk, a sports dentistry expert, discusses the importance of prevention in sports dentistry and the role of custom mouthguards. He encourages other dentists to get involved in sports dentistry with recommendations on how to do so. Newcom Media Inc · Episode 28 – How sports dentistry keeps athletes on the field Read the … Read more
Looking back on fifty years of oral and maxillofacial surgery training in Quebec, it’s impossible not to appreciate the foundations that brought us here. In May 2024, we had the opportunity to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the McGill University OMFS graduate training program, a meaningful milestone that brought together many generations to reflect on … Read more
Balancing publishing with a demanding surgical practice is one of the most challenging aspects of an academic surgeon’s career. Clinical responsibilities—emergency surgeries, patient rounds, administrative duties, and on-call obligations—can easily consume most of a surgeon’s time and energy. Yet hiring and academic advancement hinge heavily on scholarly productivity, including publishing in peer-reviewed journals, presenting at … Read more
Abstract The evolution of dental education must extend beyond undergraduate training to meet the continuous learning needs of practicing professionals. Challenges such as maintaining clinical proficiency, standardizing skill assessment, and integrating advanced techniques into practice necessitate innovative training solutions. This paper focuses on leveraging technological platforms to enhance continuing education (CE) courses for practicing dentists. … Read more
Hygiene Spotlight features an exceptional dental hygienist every month. This month, we are showcasing Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH, BSc, a passionate dental hygienist and educator, and member of Oral Hygiene’s Advisory Committee. She is the founder and president of rdhu, a dental hygiene education centre that provides inspiring, hands-on learning experiences for hygienists across Canada. Why did … Read more
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally changing dentistry, moving from curiosity to clinical necessity. We’ve talked about digital workflows, imaging tech, and paperless systems for years. But what’s coming next is not incremental. It’s exponential. To fully grasp what this means, we need to revisit the foundations. AI, in its broadest sense, refers to the idea … Read more
This research paper explores the effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing (MI) in addressing and assisting participants in overcoming nail-biting habits. The study aimed to understand how MI could be used as a behavioural intervention to support individuals in making positive changes regarding this common yet challenging habit. The outcomes of the study were notably positive. Motivational … Read more
Roles of the dental hygienist The key responsibilities of dental hygienists1 include health promotion, education, clinical therapy, research, change agent, and administration. We are familiar with some of these roles, especially clinical therapist and educator. The roles of researcher and change agent are not as widely fulfilled, yet they are vital to advance the profession and … Read more