I have been a dental hygienist for 12 years now; my back and neck pain started while I was in school. The assumption was that if you’re a dental professional, you will have neck and back pain. My first full time job out of school was taking over for a hygienist who had to retire after 20 years due to back problems caused from her profession. Every time I would go to the chiropractor, he would always remind me that dental professionals were one of his largest patient bases. That wasn’t very r...
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New Technologies
Interview with Sharmane Soriano, RDH
Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you were introduced to OralDNA® salivary diagnostics.
Sharmane Soriano, RDH: I was introduced to OralDNA salivary diagnostics through the dental office I worked at. Just graduating from the dental hygiene program, OralDNA was something I was not familiar with. The Alert 2™ report gave accurate data of the patient’s oral health as it tests the types of bacteria, the amounts of bacteria, and the patient’s genetic risk of acquiring periodontal disease. Afte...
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Consumer-Friendly Lab Reports
Clinical lab reports have come a long way since their inception. In the past, lab reports were typically written for healthcare professionals. They often contained medical jargon and technical terms that were difficult for patients to understand. However, with the advent of new technology as well as the increasing importance of patient-centered healthcare, the trend towards more consumer-friendly lab reports has emerged.
One key factor triggering the trend towards consumer-friendly lab re...
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“Step Up Your Game” with Guided Biofilm Therapy
“There’s a new sheriff in town and the name is GBT.” Translation: a new therapy has come to be a driving force and is making profound advancements in oral health like never before. Or, how about, “Out with the old and in with the new.” It’s time to start fresh and leave the old ideas behind. These two idioms perfectly describe “Guided Biofilm Therapy” (GBT). EMS (Electro Medical Systems), a company in Nyon, Switzerland developed their AIRFLOW air polishing and Piezon PS No Pain piezo-ceramic sca...
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RDH Hero LLC: Ozonated Water
Ozonated water contains three oxygen molecules, making it a highly powerful natural disinfectant. There are a few ways Ozonated water can be made, but the safest and easiest method is with an electrolytic generator which runs electricity through regular tap water. Ozonated water kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses in seconds, and is highly oxidated, which makes it great for healing. It works about 3,000 times faster than other disinfectants. Ozonated water is safe for the environment because it ...
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Calling all Hygienists: The Time for Specialization is NOW
Registered Dental Hygienists have more career paths available to them than ever before. However, the biggest impact an RDH can have on overall health is still untapped! Large and small healthcare systems need our expertise.
Hospital administrators around the world have oral health integration on their strategic plans, but insurance reimbursement, coding, governance, and EHR differences have made integration with the dental field extra challenging. On top of that, general dentists are alre...
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The Digital and Integrative Demand of Millennials
Healthcare engagement is experiencing an evolution. Why? Because millennials, born roughly between 1981 and 1996, have surpassed baby boomers as the largest adult generation. This generation has been a significant force in shaping healthcare needs. How so? Consider a few factors:
Digital health: Millennials are the first generation to grow up with the internet, smartphones, and other digital technologies. They are more likely to use health apps, wearable technology, and telehealth servi...
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Getting to the Root Cause: OralDNA® Testing and Natural Products that Help
As a practicing dental hygienist for over 25 years, I’ve been asked countless times what causes gum disease and what are the best products to use that actually help. This is a fantastic question, and I am so happy that technology has advanced enough to give patients a full understanding of the root cause of periodontal disease. We now know that there are primarily 11 microbes that cause periodontal disease. Knowing which bugs are present allows me to come up with an individualized oral care ...
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Dentulu to Level Up Patient-Initiated Dental Care Through Salivary Testing
Dentulu, the nation’s leading teledentistry platform, was featured as the "Best of Class" Teledentistry platform by Cellarant the 2020 and 2021 American Dental Association meetings. Its comprehensive teledentistry application provides teledentistry solutions direct to consumers and refers screened patients to local dental offices in its network. Dentulu fights to bridge the gap between patients and dental professionals.
With the steady growth in the adoption of teledentistry propelled by the ...
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Is A Medical Model Right for Your Practice? Part 1: Telehealth
When you go to a primary care physician for a routine examination, chances are you’ll get weighed, have your “vitals” (blood pressure, temp, pulse) taken, have your lungs and chest listened to, ears, nose and mouth explored. Perhaps they’ll take an EKG to monitor your heart. Lastly, they’ll ask you to provide a urine sample and have blood taken so some lab tests can be run.
What happens afterwards?
Since the results of your urinalysis and blood work take several days to get back, ther...
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