Dental Hygiene

The question comes up a lot: How do I expand my career outside of the clinical setting? It is quite difficult to answer this question. Not because there are no opportunities, there’s actually many. It’s because there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to answer this question. It really depends on you, as an individual; including your particular goals, expectations, skillset, and what...

Not many people like going to a dental office, whether it’s because of the amount of time that is spent or because of dental anxiety. Therefore, as dental hygienists, we try our very best to ensure that each patient has a smooth time in the office and our patients feel comfortable. However, there are a few things that patients...

There are many misconceptions regarding oral hygiene and the mouth that some of our patients believe to be true. With a large amount of false information found online, it’s no wonder our patients can be easily led in the wrong direction when it comes to oral health. It’s always important to remember that just because you read something online, doesn’t...

In December 2016, the world of dentistry lost a remarkable and groundbreaking woman, just three days after her 100th birthday. Esther Wilkins, the "matriarch of dental hygiene" was first licensed as a hygienist in 1939, and presided over decades of revolutionary changes in oral health and dental practice. Her long career in the field spanned sweeping changes such as: The evolving...

Oil pulling, and the supposed health benefits of it, has been making the rounds for a few years now. You've probably even had a patient or two ask you about it. Spread through articles on social media and online blogs, oil pulling is touted as the latest and greatest way to improve oral health and purify your body. As a...

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...

Dental hygiene is a highly rewarding profession that allows us to serve our communities. We help patients maintain an important part of their overall health, sometimes contributing to transformations that allow people to smile again. We grow with our patients and their families over time, and those we work with on a daily basis become like family. However, as...

CE Zoom is the only fully automated, state specific, CE tracker and state compliance/auditing tool. CE Zoom will not only track, store, and remind you of your continuing education requirements, but it simplifies check-in procedures for CE courses and conferences, instantly generates continuing education certificates that will immediately be stored and saved, never to be misplaced again! Sign up for...

Dental hygienists see a range of oral lesions on any given day in clinical practice that takes us back to the pages of our oral pathology books. The ability to identify and differentiate oral lesions is one of the most important skills we learn. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a very common dermatologic disease which can affect the skin...

“I brush once a day and am not the best flosser, but let me tell you, I started to oil pull for twenty minutes every day, and my teeth have never felt better!” My patient looked at me, waiting for some kind of confirmation that this was a good home care routine, while I examined her teeth and gingiva. I...