Mary Otto is the author of the book, Teeth: The story of Beauty, Inequality, and the Struggle for Oral Health in America. Mary didn’t hesitate when I reached out for her to share her perspective with students on the podcast. This amazing book is one of your required readings in community dental health and will certainly help develop your understanding of the struggles we face as providers moving ahead. Mary puts a strong voice to the challenge of access to care and tells the real life story of why we need to work together to make oral health in America accessible for everyone. 

As I say.... "Those who know will grow."

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

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Check out Mary's book on Amazon - Teeth: The Story of Beauty, Inequality, and the Struggle for Oral Health in America

As a dental hygienist, consideration of consequences that could occur during and after treatment must be considered. Quality assurance protocols should be established within the clinical setting to mitigate risk and assure quality standards are followed. Understanding that communication and documentation are the primary strategies to use to minimize risk. Having a well-established system to implement and sustain a quality assurance program to enhance the health and safety of the dental patient and support the ultimate goal of promoting oral health. 

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

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Our State Practice dictates our "Scope of Practice" of the functions that we are allowed to perform as a dental hygienist and may even include things that we are not allowed to do. It is also important to understand the definition of "Supervision" and the level of supervision required to perform each component of care within our scope of practice. There are factors that affect the level of supervision General Supervision - The Doctor authorizes the procedure but is not physically present and does not evaluate the procedure upon completion. Indirect Supervision - The Doctor authorizes the procedure and is present, but does not evaluate specifically evaluate procedure upon completion. Direct Supervision - The Doctor authorizes the procedure and is directly present - evaluated the work after completion. Our State Dental Practice Acts control the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene. The State Government is divided up into three branches  1.) The Legislative Branch - enacts laws  2.) The Executive Branch - Implementation of laws and enforcement of laws  3.) The Judiciary Branch - Has the final say regarding the rights and responsibilities of those subject to the law.  https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/state_agencies/den100-500.html 

As I say.... "Those who know will grow."

Additional resources: 

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

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As a dental hygienist, we are tasked with educating our patients to make positive changes in their home care efforts. It is important to understand how patients learn new information. It is also important to understand how humans successfully change a behavior and develop habits. Understanding these principles will ensure a successful Oral Hygiene Instruction effort! It takes practice and patience to become skills at teaching a patient and motivating them to continue to improve. 

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

Take a look at a recent product I have tried and recommend. ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thehappyflosser ⁠⁠⁠promo code: HAPPYFLOSSER  

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The best advice any experienced clinician will give you is to keep good clinical notes. In school, you will learn both the AETN - Assessment, Education, Treatment, and Next visit note style. You will also learn SOAP notes: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Prognosis notes.  Both designs provide the busy clinician with a framework for including all of the most significant and important information for each patient you treat and the services you provide. It is important to document what you do - but also why you do it. Having a framework will keep you organized when you are busy or running behind. Organized notes help you keep track of your appointment, focus on important information, and easily review previous notes.  In this episode, we will review both of the frameworks for clinical notes to help students learn the basics of the structure of a clinical note, how to write them, and why they are important. 

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

Take a look at a recent product I have tried and recommend. ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thehappyflosser ⁠⁠⁠promo code: HAPPYFLOSSER  

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For some of us, it is hard to make the decision of what to do with our lives. It can feel a bit overwhelming to consider answering the question of what we want to do. For many of us, we are unsure and fearful of making the wrong decision. For some of us, it is too expensive, time-consuming, and demanding to attend school in pursuit of a degree. For those of us who are in the field, we hear you! Listen in as I speak openly with Dr. Shannon Farrell and Professor Kelly O'Brien about their journey into the field of Dentistry. We want you to know that we recognize the challenges of taking the first step. We work hard to help you develop the skills you need to be successful. Each of us has unique strengths and areas of potential just waiting to be unleashed. At NHTI, we are here to help you realize what you are capable of.  In this episode, we break down the many benefits of becoming a dental professional. All three of us have had unique journeys. Each of us has developed into our own unique dental professionals with unique skill sets. We talk about workforce issues, job prospects, growth opportunities, job security in the field, and the full-on love of the field of dentistry. Each of us brings our own unique perspective to the future generations tasked with meeting the needs of the many people in our own communities with dental needs.  It will take all of us in the field to help meet the demands and needs of our population's oral health. Each of us in the field needs to shout from the rooftops that we need a skilled workforce ready to meet the challenges ahead.  To learn more about the dental assisting program at NHTI click: https://www.nhti.edu/?s=dental+assisting To learn more about the dental hygiene program at NHTI click: https://www.nhti.edu/program/dental-hygiene/ 

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

Take a look at a recent product I have tried and recommend. ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thehappyflosser ⁠⁠⁠promo code: HAPPYFLOSSER  

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We are remembered and defined by our team and our patients by our actions when we are behind schedule. It is easy to be comprehensive and thorough when we have lots of time. We all know that those moments are scarce. What about those times when we are under the gun, running behind, or just simply overbooked with the challenges of dental hygiene? In this episode, I am going to share a framework that works well to provide you as a clinician with a guide to have a dynamic doctor exam that keeps everything flowing well in an office. Having a system provides you with specific steps to follow in order to create an exam that will be nothing short of fantastic, even when the schedule is tight. When we are successful in doing a comprehensive exam with the patient and the dentist, patients feel as though they are the center of the appointment - which is exactly what we want! In this model, we will discuss ways to make the patient feel included. We can meet the needs of every patient, even when we are behind schedule. Using this model helps clinicians stay focused and comprehensive. Practice makes progress! 

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

Take a look at a recent product I have tried and recommend. ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thehappyflosser ⁠⁠⁠promo code: HAPPYFLOSSER  

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The business of dental hygiene uses (KPI’s) Key Performance Indicators to provide us with a framework to measure how we communicate and meet the needs of our patients. As the leaders of prevention, we are tasked with the role of helping our patients change behaviors to improve oral health outcomes. It can be overwhelming to navigate providing healthcare with a lens on the business side of dental hygiene. My hope is to shed some light on this topic, provide my perspective, and share the challenges, opportunities, and strategies that you can use to grow and develop as a clinician. 

Additional resources: 

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

Take a look at a recent product I have tried and recommend. ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thehappyflosser ⁠⁠⁠promo code: HAPPYFLOSSER  

Email Me: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

We all face challenges in our journey. Many of us face the most challenging opposition just before the most abundant and rewarding goals are reached. Dental hygiene school takes grit and determination. Reflection helps us see our growth and recognize our own strengths and resilience. In this episode, I will share one of my most challenging obstacles while I was in dental hygiene school.  We all have a story - What is yours? Consider sharing your story by sending me a short recording about your story as you have experienced dental hygiene school. My hope is to compile an episode to help others navigate dental hygiene school effectively.  

As I say.... "Those who know will grow."

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

Take a look at a recent product I have tried and recommend. ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thehappyflosser ⁠⁠⁠promo code: HAPPYFLOSSER  

Email Me: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

The business of dental hygiene can be a little overwhelming to navigate at first. There are many offices that use specific practice management models and track all aspects of the clinical team. You will find that some offices have very structured practice management models, and some do not. Like any other aspect of running a healthcare "business", it is important to understand the "why" behind the business of dental hygiene as you start to navigate these practice models. While you are enrolled in the dental hygiene program, you will be exposed to some of the components of practice management models that are the most commonly used in the dental setting. A morning huddle is one of the most common practice management components used widely in many offices. Our huddle that we perform in the clinic prior to seating our patients provides students with the practice and content that is covered in most huddle settings. While private practice will cover an entire day of schedules - the basic structure and premise are the same. Communication and discussion on the flow of the day is the primary goal of the huddle and to highlight specific features of the appointments. Many parts of the practice management models used are not obvious to those who are not specifically looking. The goal of practice management is to provide the most up-to-date standard of care to patients in the most efficient and cost-effective way. The best way to treat patients successfully is to follow the research of all you have learned on best practices and use the framework that fits the specific office where you are employed. What are the primary business aspects of your profession that you need to know in order to perform your job? It is important to have a good understanding of the business of dental hygiene as it relates to your position within a dental practice. 

As I say.... "Those who know will grow."

Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠

Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School

Instagram: ⁠@the_happy_flosser⁠

Take a look at a recent product I have tried and recommend. ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thehappyflosser ⁠⁠⁠promo code: HAPPYFLOSSER  

Email Me: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠