Spring Hatfield, RDH, BSPH
Spring Hayes Hatfield, RDH, BSPH, is a graduate of Florida State College at Jacksonville, and she holds licensure in Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama. Spring is on the Advisory Board and holds the position of Continuing Education Manager at Today’s RDH. Her passion is elevating the dental hygiene profession through science, education, and clinical excellence. In her free time, she loves traveling, reading, and spending time with her husband, children, and the animals at her useless animal farm. She can be reached via email at Spring@TodaysRDH.com
Researchers Investigate Patient Perception of Dental Diagnostic Errors and Strategies to Reduce Occurrences
Diagnostic errors are a serious concern in health care settings. Though many people may only think of diagnostic errors from a medical viewpoint, dentistry...
Mendelian Randomization Analyses Look for Causal Relationships between Oral Health and Cognitive Decline
It's estimated that around 4% of American adults over age 65 have been diagnosed with dementia.1 Studies in the past have indicated that poor...
Curiosity Killed the Plaque Ep. 32: Central Sensitivity Syndrome
In this episode of Curiosity Killed the Plaque, Spring Hatfield, RDH, BSPH, takes a look at central sensitivity syndrome.
Give it a watch, and make...
Shining a Light on Microbial ‘Dark Matter’ of the Oral Microbiome
The oral microbiome is becoming more central in the understanding of oral health and disease. During the past decade, oral microbiology has progressed from...
Curiosity Killed the Plaque Ep. 31: Tuberculosis Refresher for Dental Hygienists
In this episode of Curiosity Killed the Plaque, Spring Hatfield, RDH, BSPH, takes a look at tuberculosis and gives a refresher for dental hygienists...
A Hygienist’s Overview of the Effects of Iron-Deficient Anemia on Oral Health
The human body is a scientific masterpiece with multiple biological functions. However, proper function and maintenance are required to keep it working like a...
Curiosity Killed the Plaque Ep. 30: HIPAA Compliance with Patient Records Requests
In this episode of Curiosity Killed the Plaque, Spring Hatfield, RDH, BSPH, takes a look at HIPAA compliance with patient records requests.
Give it a...
A Dental Hygienist’s Review of Tuberculosis in Light of the Kansas Outbreak
Historically, the United States has a low rate of tuberculosis (TB). However, there has been an outbreak of TB cases in Kansas. The outbreak...
Curiosity Killed the Plaque Ep. 29: Fluoride, IQ, and the Recent Court Ruling
In this episode of Curiosity Killed the Plaque, Spring Hatfield, RDH, BSPH, takes an evidence-based approach to discussing the recent reports on fluoride and...
Robust Evidence or Misinformation: 8 Tips for Vetting a Source
When I was younger, I would go to the library, find an encyclopedia, and look up the answer if I had a question about...
Critical Thinking: How Dental Professionals Can Reboot Thought Patterns
Carl Sagan once said, "The truth may be puzzling. It may take some work to grapple with. It may be counterintuitive. It may contradict...
Curiosity Killed the Plaque Ep. 28: Immune Response & Oral Health Implications
In this episode of Curiosity Killed the Plaque, Spring Hatfield, RDH, BSPH, discusses immune response and the implications on oral health.
Give it a watch,...
Cephalic Tetanus and Tetanus of Dental Origin: An Overview and Case Studies
I became acutely aware of the controversy regarding dental professionals inquiring about patients' vaccination status during the pandemic. Though some dental professionals thought that...
QUIZ: Test Your Halitosis Knowledge
Are you in need of CE credits? If so, check out our peer-reviewed, self-study CE courses here.
Before you leave, check out the Today's RDH self-study CE...
Addressing ADHA’s Support of LGBTQIA+ Oral Health Week
The American Institute of Dental Public Health (AIDPH) recently hosted its 3rd annual LGBTQIA+ Oral Health Week by sharing valuable educational resources on social...
Geographic Tongue: Is There a Systemic Link?
Geographic tongue is an inflammatory but harmless condition affecting the surface of the tongue. It’s characterized by patches missing papillae, which appear as smooth,...
Curiosity Killed the Plaque Ep. 27: Macrothrombocytopenia
In this episode of Curiosity Killed the Plaque, Spring Hatfield, RDH, BSPH, discusses macrothrombocytopenia, a group of rare disorders characterized by abnormally large platelets.
Give...
Seasonality of Immune Response: Could Gingival Inflammation Have a Seasonal Component?
The immune response is very complex as it can vary between individuals and can be affected by environmental factors, among other things. This is...
QUIZ: Test Your Angular Cheilitis Knowledge
Are you in need of CE credits? If so, check out our peer-reviewed, self-study CE courses here.
Before you leave, check out the Today's RDH self-study CE...
Hand Hygiene: How Effective Are Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Against Non-Enveloped Viruses?
The very first thing I learned clinically in dental hygiene school was hand hygiene. Proper handwashing was the first, and admittedly the most stressful,...