Many hygienists face challenges in their offices but feel too rushed during the day and too tired or defeated to recommend changes. When we graduate and are ready to start working as a hygienist, it is impossible to imagine cutting corners, not probing, not pre-diagnosing or skimming over disease. Many of us can relate to … Read more
Still confused about the 2018 AAP Periodontal Classification? Never fear! The next few monthly columns will review some of the most important updates made to the industry’s global periodontal guidelines. Please feel free to send in your questions! Does a reduced periodontium always indicate periodontitis? Not necessarily. First, the clinician needs to ensure that he … Read more
This past year has been a challenge and we have all felt the impact that COVID-19 has played in our lives, both professionally and personally. Anxiety levels are at an all-time high. There is fear for contracting the virus for oneself or loved ones and fear of having to go to the hospital. There is … Read more
Dental hygienists are a key part in ensuring that patients are satisfied with their visit at the dental practice. As a hygienist, you not only assist your patients with their oral hygiene, you also are responsible for helping educate them on oral diseases and how they can better care for their mouth. Here are 4 … Read more
What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is an awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.1 Research has revealed that mindfulness has helped nurses reduce stress levels, increase relaxation, and a practice of self-care.2 A practice of mindfulness includes a practice of self-acceptance, self-understanding, and self-care. This can include a practice of … Read more
Still confused about the 2018 AAP Periodontal classification. Never fear! The next few monthly columns will review some of the most important updates made to the industry’s global periodontal guidelines to help hygiene teams achieve the highest level of care. Once we have exhausted this topic we will move onto other questions about the process of … Read more
An international study led by researchers at McGill University has found that those with poor dental hygiene tend to experience more severe COVID-19 symptoms. Using the digital medical and dental records from 568 Qatari patients with COVID-19, the researchers found that those with periodontitis, better known as gum disease, were more likely to suffer from … Read more
With COVID-19 altering all aspects of society over the past year or so, it’s perhaps not surprising that it also appears to have spurred a change in personal dental habits. Indeed, Japanese news outlets have published several anecdotal reports that suggest that certain family members have been increasingly reluctant to share their toothpaste with others … Read more
What dental hygienists need to know to help save lives Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder characterized by upper airway collapse during sleep. OSA is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders and is potentially fatal, affecting approximately 4-9% of the adult population.1 Like most sleep disorders, OSA is unrecognized, underdiagnosed and undertreated with … Read more
At the age of 26, I decided to go back to school and become a RDH. I sought a change from retail management and wanted to do something that provided greater job opportunities and greater job satisfaction. What has taken more than a decade to achieve has been a tough but fulfilling journey and I … Read more
Would you rather: 1) do your taxes, 2) use a restroom with broken locks, or 3) listen to a young child learn how to play the violin, rather than approach your employer for a raise? In the field of dental hygiene, many of us find it challenging to assert ourselves and discuss money. It makes … Read more
When you stabilize your internal economy, your practice can weather the most volatile economic storms. The Canadian Dental Hygiene Association (CDHA) con-ducted a nation-wide survey in the fall of 2020 to evaluate the impact of Covid-19 on its members and found that one-third of the nearly 3,600 respondents had seen a reduction in their working … Read more
Can you regress a patient’s Stage? A stage can only regress under one condition: when surgical intervention eliminates a complexity factor like Class II and III furcations or vertical defects. So, if a patient is a classified as Stage III due to these complexity factors and has them surgically repaired, they can regress to Stage … Read more
Well, it’s been a year. Most of us would agree that the current pandemic is not something we had ever imagined we would live through. What have we learned through this past year? How will our lives, our careers, our relationships benefit from this chapter in our history? Dental hygiene garnered a top spot in … Read more
I began my journey into pediatric dental hygiene in 2015, before we were aware of our son’s diagnosis. I had always been drawn to working with children and I quickly found my niche while working in a pediatric clinic in my community. In 2018, three weeks after the birth of our daughter, our then three-year-old … Read more
A smile can open the world, in love, with friends, and at work. But statistics are grim. 48% of young American adults untagged themselves from a photo on Facebook because they were not happy with their smiles. 57% of Americans cover their mouths in embarrassment when they laugh. We’ve come a long way since the … Read more
Still confused about the 2018 AAP Periodontal classification. Never fear! The next few monthly columns will review some of the most important updates made to the industry’s global periodontal guidelines to help hygiene teams achieve the highest level of care. Once we have exhausted this topic we will move onto other questions about the process … Read more
While viruses might be on everyone’s mind because of the Covid-19 pandemic, let us not forget about other microscopic creatures that can influence our health, namely bacteria. Just the thought of bacteria makes many people cringe due to their associations with unhygienic or unsanitary conditions. However, due to their microscopic nature, it can be difficult … Read more
You are a dental hygienist. You went to school, you graduated, wrote the national board exam, found yourself a job and now you scale likely somewhere between 160 to 256 teeth each day, four days a week or upwards of 60,000 teeth per year. You have been at the same clinic for a few years … Read more
Still confused about the 2018 AAP Periodontal classification? Never fear! The next few monthly columns will review some of the most important updates made to the industry’s global periodontal guidelines to help hygiene teams achieve the highest level of care. Once we have exhausted this topic, we will move onto other questions about the process … Read more