The Yukon does not recognize dental hygienists as a designated health profession, making it difficult for independent hygienists like Claire Hudson to practise in rural areas, the CBC reported Thursday. “Our dental act does not mention any sort of incorporation for hygienists, so I would not be able to practise as a business,” Hudson said. … Read more
The Blueprint to OralRisk™ AI Genetics Success! Your dental practice has the potential to be groundbreaking and state-of-the-art, meeting the public’s desire for the best in dental care. Patients want to feel confident that they have made the best choice by selecting your practice. To stay at the forefront of the industry, continual professional development … Read more
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is celebrating National Dental Hygiene Month throughout October 2023, providing education and thought leadership discussions to spotlight and support hygienists. This month serves as a time to recognize dental hygienists as essential members of the dental team who positively impact the oral and overall health of patients. In recognition of … Read more
Cellerant’s Best of Class Technology Awards debuted in 2009, focusing on the remarkable products that set standards for dentists. Recognizing that hygienists are a vital part of oral health care, I launched the Best of Class Hygiene Awards three years ago. This coveted honour applauds innovative technologies, materials, and other solutions that optimize hygiene treatment. … Read more
Cellerant Consulting Group is pleased to announce the 2023 Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Award winners. “These innovative companies have earned the right to celebrate for their stand-out technologies that continue to elevate the standard of care in dental hygiene,” said Dr. Lou Shuman DMD CAGS, CEO of Cellerant Consulting Group and creator of the … Read more
AI powered toothbrushes, 3D printing, CAD/CAM, lasers, CBCT, and robotics are revolutionizing dentistry dramatically. Why has there been no appreciable decrease in dental disease over the last 20 years?1,2,4 Why do periodontal and dental diseases persist? Why are there so many recurrent interproximal caries and implant failures? Periodontal disease starts BETWEEN the teeth! Over 65 … 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
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
A vast amount of my career has been spent on defining our powerful role as dental hygienists in the earlier discovery of an abnormal lesion through effective visual and tactile examination of the structures of the head, neck and oral cavity. Frankly, the omission of a thorough and effective extraoral/intraoral examination can cost a life. … Read more
Oral dysbiosis is an imbalance of bacteria in the dental plaque whereby pathogenic bacteria dominate the biofilm and, in turn, initiate destruction of the hard and soft tissues in the mouth. Caries and periodontal diseases result from oral dysbiosis. A new treatment option for oral dysbiosis called Prevora (10% chlorhexidine) is now available for high-risk, … Read more
Is dry mouth a complaint you hear frequently from your patients? Does your mirror ever stick to your patient’s cheek during their dental visit? We can all probably think of those patients – those patients with severe dry mouth. The American Dental Association reports that anywhere from .9-64.8% of patients suffer from dry mouth.1 The … Read more
Q: Has the definition of “localized” and “generalized” changed in reference to describing the extent of periodontal disease? There seems to be a lot of debate among the new grads and seasoned hygienists in our office. A: The new 2018 American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Classification changed the definition of these terms when describing extent … Read more
A rainbow has arrived – no more fallow time! For years, dentistry has weathered the pandemic storm (“Hurricane”) of shut-down, isolation, cabin fever, new normal and re-build. It experienced waves of shock, fear, worry, paralysis, confusion, conflict, loss and change. It demanded us to work together, seek help and lead like never before, regardless of … Read more
Proper procedure coding within your practice is important on many levels, from ensuring accurate payment for dentists to creating a valid record of patient care. Failing to use appropriate procedure codes can lead to all kinds of mischief for dentists as well as poor outcomes for patients. Indeed, accurate procedure coding is a legal requirement … Read more
Q: I just started using the term “nonsurgical periodontal therapy” (NSPT) when speaking to my patients, and they often ask how NSPT is different than a “cleaning.” What is the easiest way to describe the difference without getting too technical? A: Interestingly enough, when I consult and teach, most hygienists insist that NSPT is something … Read more
Since the onset of the pandemic, our personal and professional lives have been turned upside down in ways we could never have imagined. In addition to adopting rigorous health and safety protocols and procedures in our practices, we also go above and beyond in our daily interactions with our patients to ensure they feel safe … Read more
Some days, the life of a dental hygienist is like running on a hamster wheel. The race of the clock, running around in circles as you frantically try to stay on time. In hygiene school, we were given three hours to provide comprehensive patient care. When we compare this to the traditional 60 minute-model given … Read more