There’s No Time Like the Present for Hygienists by Nancy Adair, RDH

Oral health is evolving, and a hygienist's success depends on adapting to the challenges and changes that lie ahead. The profession has had challenges: loss of dental hygiene jobs; saturated markets; reduction of hygiene hours because of the economy; dental hygiene salaries being lowered. Instead of thinking of these challenges as insurmountable obstacles, though, consider them opportunities to learn, grow and develop.

Have you and the dental office you work in grown exponentially since graduation? Have you evolved your theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, role and responsibilities? If not, you'll want to see the possibilities that lie ahead for hygienists.

The oral/systemic correlation
For the first time in history, dental hygiene is making worldwide headlines and is being placed into the arena of medicine. Inflammation in the oral cavity has been proven to cause havoc with overall health. Organizations such as the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health in St. Louis and the International Centre for Oral-Systemic Health in Winnipeg, Manitoba, are organized to help address the most compelling finding: the oral/systemic health link. Hygienists have known for a long time that they do more than just "clean teeth"—but now, so does the world!

Diagnosing, treating and managing oral inflammation like gingivitis, periodontitis, mucositis and implantitis is critical. A new niche for dental hygienists waits, as periodontal health experts. Quantifying and qualifying oral inflammation is a necessity—on not just adults but children. Acquiring advanced clinical skills, expanding knowledge and comprehension in the field of periodontics, understanding antimicrobial regimens and agents, tracking and monitoring cases and knowing when to get patients off the "three-month merry-go-round" is key.

A larger role in oral health
In the past, dentisty and dental hygiene were known as "check-ups and cleanings" … but that won't suffice any longer. Dentistry is getting more complex; the era of implants has arrived and hygienists are in the front lines to determine the health of implants. What constitutes "healthy" implants? How do we treat mucositis and implantitis?

Many senior citizens are retaining their natural teeth or implants for a lifetime. This has created new dynamics for dental teams and hygienists in that the patients also may have complex medical histories, mobility issues, dexterity challenges, failing dentistry or financial concerns. How many of your senior patients are diabetic or have cardiac issues? The correlation between these systemic diseases and oral inflammation is of a paramount of importance!

Hygienists need to create a new image, role and responsibility to the public as well as dental offices and clinicians. Realize the possibilities and the timing to transform your dental office from an entry-level "hygiene department" to a "periodontal department." Recognize yourself as a hygienist being the most critical player in the oral/systemic correlation.

Sign up now for Nancy Adair's hands-on workshop at Townie Meeting!
Nancy Adair, RDH, will lead a special, six-hour "Reach New Depths in Periodontal Therapy" course at Townie Meeting 2017. The all-day course includes both science-based lecture and hands-on skill development, and costs $295 for hygienists, $495 for dentists. Information: towniemeeting.com.

Nancy Adair's journey in dentistry and dental hygiene have enabled her to be a source of knowledge on the evolution of dentistry. Adair is a motivational international speaker, a dental educator, a past CE chairperson, a transition leader, a clinical supervisor, a research team member on implants, a perio hygienist and the founder/owner of the CE company Hygiene Excellence.

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Support these advertisers included in the February 2017 print edition of Dentaltown magazine.

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