Invisalign vs Braces – Page 3

Why I fell in love with dental conventions

For a long time, I thought that dental conventions weren’t for people like me. I was just an ordinary dental hygienist who went to work and left my job behind when I came home. I was a busy mother dealing with a world of responsibilities. During that period of my life, dental hygiene was just a job. But then, 10 years into my career, I attended my first dental convention, and something inside of me changed. I learned about how much untapped passion I had for my profession, and since then I have never looked back.

How I got my start with dental conventions

The first dental convention I ever attended was the Chicago Midwinter Meeting in February 2016, and I wasn’t very excited about it. I only went because my boss offered to pay for the trip and my coworkers urged me to come along with them. The dentist I worked for (and still work for), Dr. Chris Bible, had been a long-time fan of dental conventions, and I didn’t understand where all his enthusiasm came from. He regularly attended Chicago Midwinter and the Greater New York Dental Meeting. He became like a child filled with excitement as the events approached each year.

Selfie from my hotel room in New York City for the Greater New York Dental Meeting

When I got to the Chicago Midwinter Meeting at McCormick Place convention center, I was utterly amazed at the enormity of the event. There were close to 30,000 people in attendance. Dr. Bible had always tried to explain how large the event was, but I didn’t come close to understanding until I saw it in real life. It was like a dental professional’s paradise—row after row of dental exhibitors—and I got the opportunity to be a part of it all. This was the place where any question I had on almost any product could be answered by a real-life expert. I could feel my adrenaline beginning to surge!

RDH Editorial Advisory Board member profile: Kristin Goodfellow, RDH

Behind the scenes of RDH magazine, we have many unique, accomplished dental hygiene professionals helping us share helpful, timely content. Let’s meet one of them!

Dental Economics Advisory Board member profile Tarun Agarwal, DDS

Name:

Kristin Goodfellow, RDH
Professional affiliations:

Clinical director of education at OraCare, hygiene liaison for Wilmar Management, Freedom Day USA advocate
Location:

Morgantown, West Virginia
Areas of expertise:

Dental consulting, product sales, interoffice communication, patient education, and professional speaker

What changes in dental hygiene are you most excited about in the next few years?

The face of hygiene will be forever evolving because hygienists are innovative, motivated, and ready to take action. What I am most excited about are the opportunities that hygienists are creating for themselves and others. Many RDHs are forging their own paths. They aren’t waiting for opportunities to happen to them, but rather creating opportunity for themselves. It has been truly inspiring to see, and it makes such an impact on our community. “Cleaning teeth” is not our only specialty, and we are showing this to the world!

What’s been the most memorable part of your career journey?

The day I was offered my current position is still one of the most outstanding moments in my journey. When the owner of 12 dental practices (plus multiple other companies) calls you the day before leaving for Christmas break, you don’t think that you are being offered a job … you think you’re getting fired. So when my manager told me that “the big boss” was on the phone for me, I instantly panicked. But that quick conversation changed my life in so many good ways. I know that was a pivotal moment, and it is what started me on this path that I am on now.

Why RDH Under One Roof could be your next ‘inspiration vacation’

It’s January, and maybe you’re thinking about some of the things you’re excited for this year. I know the staff at RDH is, especially when it comes to this year’s RDH Under One Roof (UOR) conference in Grapevine, Texas. The conference has grown and grown since its introduction in 2001, when we welcomed 100 attendees and 8 exhibitors in Denver, Colorado. Last year, more than 1,800 hygienists descended upon National Harbor, Maryland, to learn, network, laugh, and rediscover what had brought them to dental hygiene.

We’ve had a huge response to this year’s show location in Grapevine, Texas, at the Gaylord Texan resort. We have more registrations than we ever have before at this time of year, with the event still seven months away. But guess what? We still have room for more of you! Our goal for UOR is to connect dental hygiene professionals with the best continuing education—and with each other—to elevate the profession.

Many people feel intimidated by the thought of going to a conference where they know no one. This year, we’re trying something new to help make it easier to meet people before the show or to ask other members of your profession your burning questions—a closed Facebook group! Log into your Facebook account, search “RDH Under One Roof Official,” and request to join. In our group, you can ask conference veterans questions, find people to attend receptions with, and hear buzz about show events. You don’t have to be registered to join the group, just interested in the show.

In this issue, we have a great article from former dental convention skeptic Amber Metro-Sanchez, BA, RDH (page 12). She writes, “The first time I went to a dental convention I thought, ‘Why should I spend my free time immersing myself in dentistry?’ That is what I did during all my workdays. I thought that getting an escape from dentistry on the weekends was a needed break. Little did I know how inspiring a dental convention could be. Like all dental professionals, I have felt potential burnout creep up on me from time to time. Going to a dental convention is the number one trick to get myself back on track again.” If you find yourself facing burnout this winter, a dental show can be a wonderful way to meet that head-on. Some of our attendees have taken to calling UOR their “inspiration vacation”—a chance to get away from the obligations of daily life to earn in-person CE credits for their licenses, connect with other professionals, get the most advanced information they need to care for their patients, and just remember why they joined dental hygiene in the first place. To learn more about the event, open up the cover, visit rdhunderoneroof.com, and stay tuned for sneak peaks of conference content in future issues of the magazine.

Risk assessments: Integrating intraprofessional health models

Dorothy Garlough, MPA, RDH

A respected chiropractor in my community was at yoga this morning. Knowing that she had moved her chiropractic practice to a new location six months ago, I asked her how she liked her new location. She lit up with excitement, and without a nanosecond of hesitation said she loved it. She felt that the move had elevated the care of her patients. You see, her office had moved to a health facility that had a physician, a pharmacist, a hearing specialist, a physiotherapist, and a massage therapist all in the same building. She expanded on the benefits of this holistic model, revealing that the proximity to other health-care providers offered her the ability to consult about the needs of her patients and design care in a holistic manner. I listened intently and noted that, as of yet, there was no dental professional in the building.

The model of multiprofessional health-care providers in the same location stems from the growing recognition that the systems of the human body are interconnected. What is diseased in one region often displays symptoms somewhere else. We are whole beings, after all, not just a back, a heart, or a mouth. Consulting with other health professionals only makes sense.

Change is occurring. One forward-looking group, the Wellness Dentistry Network (wellnessdentistrynetwork.com), is developing “whole” health dentistry. Leading organizations such as the Mayo Clinic say that the mouth is the window to the health of the body.1 Many others, including myself, have written on the inflammation connection of periodontal diseases and the diseased body.2

Caring for special needs patients in the dental office

Katie Melko, MSDH, RDH

Every day I get to treat at least one patient who has special needs, and honestly, they are my favorite patients. You might think the exact opposite, and believe me, until I gained experience, did some research, and attended some courses about special needs, I felt the same way!

If you’re stressed, so is your patient. Patients can sense how you’re feeling based on the way you present yourself. Your facial expressions, eyes, tone and pitch of your voice, and gestures give patients signals and they feed off of those. They’ll respond based on how you make them feel. You need to act confident, talk to your patients, and comfort them through their appointments. Remember, they’re nervous too.

I have toys and plush animals that I let patients hold during their appointments, and I also use these as oral hygiene instruction (OHI) tools. They’re friendly and create a comforting space for patients so they don’t feel alone. If a patient is very scared, I use a puppet to demonstrate everything first. You won’t get far in some appointments, but it is progress and they will improve by their next visit.

The energy you bring to an appointment will determine how that appointment will go. Be positive and friendly, and smile and talk to your patients! Let’s discuss my top five must-haves for appointments with special needs patients:

1. Cavitron

2. Flavored prophy paste

3. Blanket or lead apron

5 steps to creating a purpose-driven dental hygiene practice

By Susan Quan, MBA, MPH, RDH

On my first day of dental hygiene school in 1986, my class of 32 students sat nervously in an auditorium at the University of Texas. Juanita “Nita” Wallace, PhD, RDH, our program director, was about to give the welcome message. She entered the room in a way that inspired respect and awe. Her message was simple: “With all that you do in your profession, always put your patients’ interest first, and every other aspect of your career will fall into place.”

It was not until the end of my program that I would truly learn this lesson. As a student, I studied well and scaled teeth with passion. But up until that point, I’d never put anyone else before me—I was young. Meeting the clinical requirements for graduation was tough, as any dental hygiene student can attest. The pressures mounted, I fell behind, and I struggled to complete my clinical requirements for graduation. This led to lapses in clinical judgment, and I began “squeezing in” patients to meet the requirements, which led to stress and anxiety.

Four days before graduation, I was summoned to Dr. Wallace’s office. I was informed that I was not eligible to graduate and would be held back one semester. I was shocked. My family had already flown into town to watch my commencement. I had several job offers waiting for me. My life was shattered into a million pieces. I cried and begged to no avail. It was determined that, even though I had technically met the clinical requirements, I had not learned the most important lesson of all.

Moving prevention forward

The role of preventive restoratives and innovative screening technologies in caries risk management in SEARHC dental clinics

Elizabeth Mallott, RDH

Kim N. Hort, DMD

Oral health encompasses the stability of, and absence of diseases in, all structures in the mouth—from the teeth to gingival tissues, tongue to the hard palate, and other buccal and lingual tissues. Among the most preventable and reversible diseases that dental professionals see are caries and periodontal diseases.1,2 Regular visits to oral health-care professionals, combined with good hygiene that begins at a very young age, can prevent and curtail tooth decay and gum disease.

Unfortunately, several factors can increase an individual’s caries risk.3,4 These include genetic predisposition to caries and periodontal diseases, different strains of caries active bacteria that can be transmitted from person to person and which may be localized to specific geographic areas and populations, difficulty accessing inexpensive fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy foods, and lack of running water. An inability to access dental care in geographically dispersed locations also contributes to caries disease risk. Combined, these factors create barriers to good oral health.

The SEARHC caries risk program

In Southeast Alaska, however, dentists, dental hygienists, and primary dental health aides and therapists (levels 1 and 2) affiliated with the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) dental clinics have incorporated a multilevel approach for preventing, arresting, and treating caries disease.5 Even before CAMBRA (Caries Management by Risk Assessment) was established as the standard for caries risk assessment through disease indicators, protective protocol, and clinical interventions,6 SEARHC dental professionals began addressing the caries disease problem differently after realizing we weren’t winning the fight against cavities by drilling and filling. Rather than treat cavities according to a surgical model, we sought to treat caries disease according to a medical model, and spent considerable time researching and exploring available caries preventative and therapeutic products.

Helping dental patients with sleep apnea and breathing issues

Here’s a question you may not have asked lately. How many men, women, and children under your care have undiagnosed sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) issues? I believe this topic warrants more attention from dental professionals, so I’d like to share what I learned about SDB from personal experience. I bet some of you reading this are just like me, and more importantly, you see a lot patients who are like me.

My learning experience began one morning when my husband said, “Karen, you were snoring last night.”

I quickly replied, “No, I wasn’t.” I don’t snore!

After we bantered for a few minutes, I conceded. I asked, “Well, was the snoring at least quiet and feminine?” When he said no, I had to pick up my jaw off the floor. I couldn’t believe it. He was the one with sleep apnea. He wore the CPAP every night.

What would my snoring mean for me? I was curious enough to take the next step, so I downloaded an app called SnoreLab. I now recommend this app to my patients so they can find out whether or not they snore. Not all snoring indicates sleep apnea. But if you do snore you need to find out whether or not you stop breathing for 10 seconds or more during these events referred to as sleep apnea. Breathing cessation, even for a few seconds at a time, reduces the oxygen traveling to cells and organs, which contributes to a domino effect that adversely impacts health.

What did I learn from my SnoreLab app when it recorded my snoring, and then ranked the snoring episodes as quiet, light, loud, or epic? Again, I had to pick up my jaw off the floor when I checked it. I made it all the way up to epic snoring! Definitely not feminine. Mind you, I was completely unaware that somehow my sleep had turned into a snoring frenzy.

What should hygienist do about subpar dentist?

Dear Dianne,

I work in a group practice with four general dentists. Three of the doctors do very nice dentistry and seem to take a lot of pride in their work. However, the other dentist does some of the worst dentistry I’ve ever seen. I’m talking about crown margins I could park my car under, composites that do not match, restorations that leak and fall out, and more. When this doctor checks my patients, I cringe when I have to reappoint them with him.

This dentist has been out of dental school for 10 years, so it’s not like he’s old and decrepit. Sometimes, I wonder how he ever graduated with such poor skills.

Don’t get me wrong—he’s a nice guy, but his dentistry sucks! I would not want him to even adjust a filling in my mouth. Several of my coworkers have noticed the poor quality of his dentistry as well.

My question to you is, what is my ethical obligation to my patients? Should I steer them away from his schedule? Should I say something to the senior doctor about what I’ve observed?

Northern RDH

Dear Northern,

As you are aware, hygienists are in the best position of all the staff members to judge the quality of a dentist’s work. With your instruments, you get to explore margins of restorations subgingivally, and you chart when you observe recurrent decay, failing restorations, or any other dental need. Hygienists certainly recognize when dentistry is high-quality or substandard.

Many hygienists are employed in offices where the dentists are fully engaged in advanced dental procedures that require many hours of continuing education. These dentists often push themselves to attain the precision needed to excel in those specialized areas. Some become over-the-top perfectionists who feel that all of their employees should have the same zeal as they do. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about. They have the bar set so high that nobody can please them. Staff turnover is common in these situations.

3 hidden benefits of clear aligner therapy relating to airway health

Lauren Gueits, BS, RDH

Ben Miraglia, DDS

Clear aligners are becoming increasingly popular. Are you aware that by offering clear aligner therapy (CAT), you may also help patients breathe, sleep, and thrive? Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder.1 According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, an estimated 22 million Americans are suffering from OSA, with two-thirds of the moderate to severe cases remaining undiagnosed.2 Recently, dentists have been called upon by the ADA as the “only health professionals” with the experience to prescribe oral appliance therapy.3 The question is, should CAT be considered an oral appliance to combat sleep-disordered breathing (SDB)? This article will review the three essential hidden benefits of CAT that may help patients breathe better while also giving them a beautiful smile:

1. Changing the morphology of the arch form and width

2. Increasing oral cavity volume

3. Proper tongue placement

Changing morphology of arch form and width

If we take the time to disclose the cause of disease, we can then focus on proper treatment modalities. The root cause of most crowded malocclusions is a result of three conditions: improper arch form, improper arch width, and improper buccolingual inclination (figure 1).