Dental Hygiene

Wherever you practice any form of dental hygiene, you require some sort of licensure, certification, or permit. One thing that all states have in common is the requirement of having a specific total amount of continuing education credits (CEUs). Some hygienists dread them, and others see it as a great opportunity to refresh themselves in topics or to dive into...

Editor’s Note: Information about COVID-19 is changing on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. We have made every attempt to ensure this article is up to date at the time of publication, but with the rapid changes occurring, some information may have changed since publication. Please visit https://www.coronavirus.gov/ for the latest news and information on COVID-19. Unless you are living under a rock, you...

The world as we know it is very different right now than just two weeks ago. Handwashing hopefully has become a highly popular activity, and we are learning new terms such as “social distancing.” Sporting events are canceled; schools are closed; grocery stores have limited supplies of goods; bars, restaurants, and tourist hot spots are closed; and hotels and airlines...

When approached by my dean during the fall 2019 semester about participating in a pilot project through Iowa Campus Compact, an Americorp project that focuses on catalyzing transformation through higher education, people and communities through partnerships, and Iowa Western Community College (IWCC), it was a no-brainer that I would say yes. I love community service projects, and I happen...

I am very fortunate to live in an area where the climate seldom restricts me from outdoor activities. While the summer temperature in Houston can be sweltering and humid, I never have to face a freezing winter and imagine an icicle forming on my nose. My other great fortune in terms of locale is that I live next to...

The human mouth is a sodden ecosystem housing billions of microorganisms − mostly bacteria − burrowing in our gingiva, living within plaque, and surviving on our tongues. Dental plaque and the surface of the tongue are among the densest microbial habitats on Earth.1 In fact, 100 billion organisms exist per gram of plaque.1 Scientists have unveiled over 700 different...

Editor's Note: Information about COVID-19 is changing on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. We have made every attempt to ensure this article is up-to-date at the time of publication, but with the rapid changes occurring, some information may have changed since publication. Please visit https://www.coronavirus.gov/ for the latest news and information on COVID-19. If you have watched TV, listened to the radio,...

CHICAGO, March 16, 2020 — The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes the unprecedented and extraordinary circumstances dentists and all health care professionals face related to growing concern about COVID-19. The ADA is deeply concerned for the health and well-being of the public and the dental team. In order for dentistry to do its part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,...

It is no surprise to anyone in the modern world that in 2020 we live in a very high tech, social network type of world. We can be connected to gaming sites, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, and so many more with just the tap of a finger or a single voice command. While I strongly believe that there are...

Angie Abramowicz is a recent, 23-year-old graduate of Fox College in Chicago. A first-generation American, Abramowicz offers a unique perspective about embarking on a career in dental hygiene. It was exciting to learn more about Angie and her goals and dreams for her professional future. In recent months, Decades of Dental Hygiene has interviewed Fran Tourdot, Barb Orth, Renee Ahlf, Kelli...