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
Topical vs. Systemic Fluoride: What Patients Need to Know
A study published online in Environmental Health Perspective on July 20, 2012, written by Anna Choi, a research scientist in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard, claimed, “Children in high-fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low fluoride areas.”1 This publication fueled the fire for the anti-fluoride movement.
In March of 2013, another article...
Dear Dr. Oz: A Letter from a Licensed Dental Professional
Dear Dr. Oz,
I would like to begin by saying, your show has been very informative over the years, and I appreciate what you are trying to do for patients and healthcare providers. However, I am disappointed in your recent show titled, “Undercover Investigation: Dental Scams: Are You Being Overdiagnosed and Overcharged?”
Before I get into the issues I have with...
Is Saliva the Future of Diagnostics?
During dental treatment, saliva is generally not our friend. We fight with it to keep patients from feeling like they are drowning, it is always interfering with sealant placement and other restorative procedures, but what if that saliva we loathe could help our patients with early disease diagnosis? The ability to utilize saliva to monitor the health and disease...
Could Periodontal Disease have an Autoimmune Component?
Periodontal disease causes chronic inflammation, tissue destruction, and cannot be cured only maintained. Periodontal disease has some genetic qualities, and if left untreated can wreak havoc on other organs. It has been associated with heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. All the traits I used to describe periodontal disease could be used to describe several other diseases, all of...
The Medical History Mystery: Getting Patients to Understand the Importance of Medical History
I’m sure I’m not the only hygienist that has pondered why patients are so reluctant to provide complete disclosure of their medical history before dental treatment. More times than I would like to admit I’ve asked a patient “Have you had any changes in your medical history?” To which they would promptly reply “No.” Only then, to disclose a...
The Importance of Screening Pediatric Patients for Sleep Related Breathing Disorders
“Scientists have discovered a revolutionary new treatment that makes you live longer. It enhances your memory, makes you more attractive. It keeps you slim and lowers food cravings. It protects you from cancer and dementia. It wards off colds and flu. It lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke, not to mention diabetes. You’ll even feel happier, less...
Networking to Achieve Overall Health for Patients
Recently, at my annual well visit with my primary care physician, after the usual weight and blood pressure check, I was asked when I last had my eyes checked, when I last saw a dermatologist, when I last had a mammogram and so on. The one thing that was missing from these interview questions was when was my last...