Dental Hygiene

NOTE: This story and associated photos are all used with express, written permission from the patient. Who among us has had a patient that taking radiographs is a freakish nightmare!? Is it a gag reflex? Ropey, copious saliva? Fear of radiation? Or, the dreaded tori that leave no room for the sensor, let alone the tongue and food!? Recently, I...

Recently, the state of Arizona signed the bill to allow for a mid-level, licensed dental professional, called a “dental therapist,” to provide care in underserved areas.1 A dental therapist is a mid-level, licensed oral care provider who provides preventative and restorative oral care.2 The admittance of such a new oral health provider has caused conflict between state officials and...

Let’s face it: having an unprepared assistant for an assisted hygiene schedule is like trying to build a piece of Ikea furniture with a sloth, like my boyfriend’s crippling anxiety while he attempts to order from Dutch Bros drive-thru, or trying to gather all of your friends before the Uber leaves without you. Is it possible? Yes. Will it...

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...

We have all heard our fair share of myths growing up. My favorite myth my parents tried to sell me was a spin-off of the myth, “eating carrots improves your eyesight.” When I was a child, my favorite television show was Wonder Woman (it still is, if I’m being honest). At this time Lynda Carter was the star of...

Getting ready for the New Year gives us time to pause and re-examine the values we hold to be true and to decide on our upcoming path for career and life. Dental hygiene has allowed us many truly exceptional opportunities for personal growth and, hopefully, financial stability. We are all well-versed in multiple areas of prevention, including not just...

As a whole, we are a health-conscious society. Exercise and diet play a major role in our attempt to become and remain healthy. Diet colas are thought of by many to be a healthy alternative to regular colas. Advertising contributes greatly to our idea that diet cola will make us look more energized and alluring, but is it really...

The internet’s availability has changed the way society functions. It has opened doors to information, products, and social connections. Access to the internet allows the browser to review products and businesses and to order products and services, as well as to make appointments and access medical records. Dental products and services are not exceptions. The internet’s ease of access...

Disclosure: This article is sponsored content from 3M Oral Care as part of our sponsored partner program. Several years ago, I had a patient who went from having no problems and uncomplicated dental appointments to suddenly having to carry water with her everywhere. She also required frequent squirts of water during her dental cleaning just to help keep her mouth comfortable....

quip, a dental health start-up which has sold over a million of its electric toothbrushes since 2015, has recently received $40 million in funding. With equity financing from Sherpa Capital and debt financing from TriplePoint Capital, this latest round brings quip's total funding to around $60 million. Their hope is that this new round of funding will allow them...