Hygienist Spotlight

WARNING: Graphic images contained in this thyroid cancer article. With limited appointment times and an increasing number of tasks to accomplish, dental hygienists may be tempted to skip the head and neck examination. Every dental hygiene procedure and treatment protocol seems necessary, and yet we still need to disinfect the operatory and prepare for the next patient. The lack of time...

So many dental hygienists aspire to leave the operatory. The why doesn’t matter. It is just their time to transition out of clinical care. As it happens, the road isn’t necessarily quick and easy, and you do need to do a little planning. I decided to interview my good friend Maria Smith who has done just that. She moved very...

Dental hygienists who are lifelong learners, science nerds, and thrive on changes and challenges are amazed at what can be accomplished. Courtney Beth Anderson, RDH, a 2009 AAS graduate of Harper Community College in Palatine, Illinois, believes in going the distance with her career, and she is frequently undertaking new challenges. As a child with "bucky teeth," Courtney didn't smile...

"We can do hard things" is a mantra that seems to be everywhere. Authors Glennon Doyle and Alan Packer wrote of the challenge. This isn't a new idea. President John F. Kennedy's "moon" speech in 1962 proclaimed, " We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but...

Learn more about Ingrid's eco-friendly, dental products company, PANGA, at https://www.wearepanga.com/ Has the amount of garbage, especially plastics, used in dentistry ever crossed your mind? Though one-time use items such as plastic barriers, air/water syringe tips, prophy angles, sterilization pouches, and everything in between are imperative for infection control and keeping our patients as safe as possible, dentistry certainly creates...

Want to know how one amazingly energetic dental hygienist can produce $42,000 to $50,000 a month? Using time management and performing every task allowed under her state guidelines, this hygienist has created a superb daily flow. Assisted hygiene changed the trajectory of her career. Patty Farmer, RDH, graduated from Prairie State College in 2002. Her LinkedIn account reveals a vast...

A special thank you to Dentsply Sirona for sponsoring the Today's RDH Honor Awards and for their unwavering commitment in supporting the profession of dental hygiene. A rodeo mom in Montana, who has leveraged her dental hygiene career to improve access to care, both on and off Native lands, is one of the three recipients of the 2020 Today’s RDH...

A special thank you to Dentsply Sirona for sponsoring the Today's RDH Honor Awards and for their unwavering commitment in supporting the profession of dental hygiene. An entrepreneurial provider of dental hygiene services at nursing homes in western Montana is one of three recipients of the 2020 Today’s RDH Honors Award. Heidi Halverson, RDH, BSDH, LAP, is the owner of Dental...

A special thank you to Dentsply Sirona for sponsoring the Today's RDH Honor Awards and for their unwavering commitment in supporting the profession of dental hygiene. A Virginia dental hygienist who has a stellar reputation for her volunteer efforts and launching free or reduced rate dental clinics was named as one of the three 2020 Today’s RDH Honor Award recipients. Diana...

If you have ever been interested in getting more involved as a dental hygienist or if you’ve been looking for an opportunity to volunteer, Happy Teeth presents feel-good gear for health-care professionals. Happy Teeth is not only a super cute purse in the shape of a tooth, but it is part of a whole collection of bags designed by health-care...