For dental hygienist Tayyaba Fiaz and about 50 other volunteers, giving back means holding a free oral hygiene clinic at John Abbott College for people who have limited access to such services. “We have 15 students and 34 registered dental hygienists and the reception staff,” said Fiaz, Quebec director for Gift From the Heart, a … Read more
November is Diabetes Awareness Month—an ideal time for dental hygienists across Canada to remind us of the important connections between diabetes and oral health. According to Diabetes Canada, more than 11.7 million people in Canada are living with diabetes or prediabetes. These individuals are particularly susceptible to oral health problems, such as dry mouth (which … Read more
Flossing isn’t the most appealing and enjoyable task for patients, so how about a cordless, handheld option that essentially does the work for you? With traditional string floss, you can meticulously focus on each tooth, but let’s be honest – water flossers are without a doubt more fun to use. In a previous Toothlife Test, … Read more
What do you think of when you hear the words “client experience”? The client experience is defined in various ways, but a simple way to think of it is how the client feels. The term client experience is becoming the focus in health care as it has been shown to increase client satisfaction, staff fulfillment … Read more
Today, more than ever, is our chance to shine! I am confident that you have experienced, and probably still are experiencing, sub-service in many different areas. I have visited various places, whether it is a professional place of business, a restaurant, or even a grocery store, where there have been signs at the front entrance … Read more
Since the inaugural presentation in 2009, the Cellerant Best of Class Technology Awards have grown to occupy a unique space in the dental industry by creating awareness of manufacturers that are driving the discussion as to how practices will operate now and in the future. This this is the second year for the Best of … Read more
It’s no surprise to anyone that the dental job market is in a state of flux these days. COVID threw a wrench in everyone’s plans, and the feelings about working and returning to work in dental offices span the entire spectrum. While studies have shown that dental offices are among the safest workplaces due to … Read more
THE CHALLENGE: Bringing together a group of team members representing different educational backgrounds, clinical experiences, patient care philosophies, and work ethics to provide a consistent standard of care. THE SOLUTION: Team alignment! If your practice suffers from conflicting diagnoses, misguided treatment planning, or inconsistent client service, chances are you need alignment. The good news is … Read more
Dental hygienists certainly work diligently each day to create health and prevent disease in our patients. Despite our best efforts, we have staggering current statistics from the CDC; nearly half of all adults aged thirty years or older show signs of gums disease. This begs the question, “Is what we are currently doing actually working?” … Read more
Q: I work in a large practice with many hygienists, and we do not align on the interval timing for a re-evaluation appointment. We seem to be all over the place in our rationale. When should a 2-week, 3-week, 6-week, and/or 3-month re-evaluation appointment occur after nonsurgical periodontal therapy? A: The re-evaluation appointment occurs after … Read more
If your dental fairy godmother popped out of your compressor room tomorrow and granted you three dental hygiene-related wishes, what would they be? New instruments? An air-polishing device? Paid vacation time? Let’s assume the fairy godmother doesn’t exist, but those needs are still very significant to you. What would you do for them? Or would … Read more
What Does The Science Say? Google has taken some deep dives into what makes for a great team member and has also conducted research into the attributes of effective teams. In 2012, Google conducted a well-known study called Project Aristotle, which sought to understand the characteristics of high-performing teams, and the results were surprising. Teams … Read more
Q: What is the difference between recurrent periodontitis and refractory periodontitis? A: In previous classification systems, recurrent periodontitis and refractory periodontitis were thought to be distinct disease entities that were separated from periodontitis. However, current evidence has never been able to substantiate that, so recurrent periodontitis and refractory periodontitis are excluded from the 2018 AAP … Read more
The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) is pleased to announce the installation of its new president, Anne Caissie, at its virtual annual general meeting on Saturday, October 22. Anne is from New Brunswick and joins president-elect Francine Trudeau (Quebec), past president Wendy Stewart (Nova Scotia), and directors Donna Lee (British Columbia), Alexandra Sheppard (Alberta), Kaylen … Read more
From an impressive field of 685 deserving nominees from across Canada, the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) was thrilled to reveal the winners of its fifth Dental Hygiene Superhero Competition at our recent conference in the Yukon. This remarkable field of nominees was narrowed to 20 finalists and evaluated by a panel of judges who … Read more
After months of hard work, meetings with parliamentarians and senior staff in Health and Finance, the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA), representing the sixth-largest regulated health profession in Canada, was excited at yesterday’s announcement about the Government of Canada’s proposed new legislation (Bill C-31) to deliver targeted supports to Canadians as part of its affordability … Read more
A church basement was transformed into a make-shift dentist’s office on Saturday, as dental hygienists are raising awareness about the services they can provide, increasing access to oral care. The Gift from the Heart event was a charity tooth cleaning operation at St. Patrick of the Island Church in Ile Perrot, where about a dozen migrant … Read more
America’s ToothFairy invites all dental professionals to join them during the month of October, Dental Hygiene Month, to spread awareness about why smiles matter for overall good health and success in life, and the value dental hygienists bring to the health of children. “Parents sometimes see tooth decay as an inevitable part of childhood,” said … Read more
How four little lights can be so different? Have you ever treated a patient in a dimly lit operatory with little overhead lighting or, on the contrary, an intrusive hot overhead light? For my fellow hygiene peeps who have integrated loupes and headlights into your daily routines, could you imagine practicing without them? I’m confident … Read more
When you hear the word chlorhexidine it is easy to guess the first things that pop into your mind: stain, poor patient compliance, great bacterial killer, terrible taste, works well but causes calculus, and adds a lot more work. If you speak with a dental professional about chlorhexidine there are usually two camps of thought. … Read more