...Approximately every six months, many of us dread or even fear what is to come. The dentist never seems to be a place people are eager to go; however, what is it like on the other side of the experience? How do the ones who do all of the preparations feel about their career? Dental Hygienists often seem to get a bad reputation and Trevor Dooley wanted to set some common misconceptions straight and give knowledge about his job field. Trevor Dooley is a full-time dental hygienist at Aspen Dental in DeKalb, Illinois. He works weekdays and has weekends off, which makes it possible for him to live comfortably. His journey to his dream job was far from easy. He always took care of his teeth and this seemed to spark an interest in the field. Mr. Dooley...
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...Dental Hygienist Career Dental Hygienists are the people that are there for others to rely on even though the job can be stressful, and sometimes physically demanding. Even with these negative factors if someone is passionate about the job they should continue to study the profession. In order to understand what it takes to become a dental hygienist one has to comprehend the core tasks, employment outlook, education requirements, and the job salary. Examining teeth and gums visually and with x-rays to find tooth decay and gum disease, reporting problems to the dentist, scraping hard built-up material off of teeth, polishing the patients’ teeth, keeping track of patients’ dental records, and giving advice on preventive dental care are...
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...Demonstration Paper Jessica Stephens Dental Hygiene, State Fair Community College. DH 135 Dental Hygiene Theory II. June 21, 2024 Introduction In today's dental hygiene practice, supplementary clinical techniques are instrumental in improving the efficacy of preventive care and addressing specific oral health challenges beyond routine cleaning. These techniques contain various treatments and tools designed to optimize patient outcomes. From advanced prophylaxis methods such as air powder polishing, which effectively removes stubborn stains and biofilm, to therapeutic applications like MI paste for remineralization and Arestin for aiding in periodontal treatment to reduce pocket depths. Other techniques to help with cavities...
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...Infection Control Measures in Dental Office 1- Immunization: Vaccination against: Hepatitis B, Influenza, MMR, Varicella (chickenpox), Tetanus and diphtheria. 2- Patient Screening: Complete medical history from the patient, and should be updated and stamp dated during recall visits. \ 3- Hand Hygiene: * Hand washing, hand antisepsis, or surgical hand antisepsis, substantially reduces potential pathogens on the hands and is considered the single most critical measure for reducing the risk of transmitting organisms. * For routine dental examinations and nonsurgical procedures, hand washing and hand antisepsis is achieved by using either a plain or antimicrobial soap + water (15 sec.). If the hands are not visibly soiled, an alcohol-based hand rub is adequate (until it dries~15 sec). It should be done: * Before glove placement and after glove removal. * After barehanded touching of infected objects. * Before leaving the dental office. * When visibly soiled. * After removing gloves that are torn, cut, or punctured. * For surgical procedures, surgical hand antisepsis with an antimicrobial soap (2-6 min.) or alcohol hand rub with persistent activity should be used. * Antimicrobical soap include: (chlorhexidine, iodine and iodophors and triclosan) * Fingernails should be unpolished, short enough to allow DHCP to thoroughly clean underneath them and prevent glove tears. * All...
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...healthcare and positive patient outcomes. We will take a look at a simple procedure such as hand washing and show why it is an EBP protocol. Why Is Hand Washing So Important? Everyone in the world is responsible for good hand hygiene. As healthcare providers, it is important to teach our patience the importance of good hand hygiene to prevent spread of infection and or disease. By doing this, you are involving patients in their care and helping the greater cause of disease prevention. All healthcare facilities include hand hygiene protocols. Where I work, the hospital policy is that we wash our hands upon entering a patient’s room, put on gloves, remove gloves, wash hands upon leaving that patient’s room, then wash hand again upon entering the next patient’s room…and continue that routine with each patient. We were allowed to us hand sanitizer up to three times, in place of washing with soap and water, providing the patient is not on contact or any other special precautions. For the most part, most of do this, but I did not see everyone following this protocol, especially doctors. Most of the staff only use the sanitizer all of the time. The only time hand washing protocol seems to be followed fully is when I witness sterile procedures. This is a problem and causes increased occurrence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs), but it is difficult to ensure healthcare staff practice proper hand hygiene. From my previous work experiences, protocols were not in place and patients...
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...born until adolescence. He performs routine dental checkups as well as repairs and removes teeth that are dented due to injury or decay. Taking care of children's teeth is one of the most crucial things to do as part of their overall health, but trying to prevent and avoid dental problems from the beginning will help secure your child's dental health throughout their life. Therefore, appointing a pediatric dentist who is able to carry this out effectively and perceptively is important. Every parent should ensure their child has a dentist who is competent. A professional pediatric dentist must of course have all the obligatory qualifications to practice, and in addition they should also have dental lab training, all of which should lead to a medical degree in dentistry. Moreover, further studies in...
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...“tooth worms” as the cause of dental decay. - 2600 BC-Death of Hesy-Re, an Egyptian scribe, often called the first “dentist.” - 1700-1550 BC- Ebers Papyrus, refers to diseases of the teeth and various toothache remedies. - 500-300 BC- Hippocrates and Aristotle write about dentistry, including the eruption pattern of teeth, treating decayed teeth and gum disease, extracting teeth with forceps, and using wires to stabilize loose teeth and fractured jaws - 100 BC- Celsus (Roman medical writer) writes extensively in his important compendium of medicine on oral hygiene, stabilization of loose teeth, and treatments for toothache, teething pain, and jaw fractures. - 166-201 AD- The Etruscans practice dental prosthetics using gold crowns and fixed bridgework. MIDDLE AGES THE BEGINNING OF PROFESSIONALISM - 700-A medical text in China mentions the use of “silver paste,” a type of amalgam. - 1210- A Guild of Barbers is established in France. Barbers eventually evolve into two groups: * Surgeons-educated and trained to perform complex surgical operations * Lay barbers, or barber-surgeons, who performed more routine hygienic services including shaving, bleeding and tooth extraction. - 1400- A series of royal decrees in France prohibit lay barbers from practicing all surgical procedures except bleeding, cupping, leeching...
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..."We will need to do an MRI scan." Ephemeral pause followed by a skittish stutter. "MRI? Does that mean I have a life threatening disease?" Flashback back to 2006, when my 12 year old self thought going to the dentist meant nothing more than a mere check up: a routine teeth cleaning including a lecture on the importance of proper oral hygiene, or adjusting my braces and changing the elastic rubber bands to a color that was seasonally appropriate of course. I thought dental visits were mainly for cosmetic purposes - to avoid the consequences of living with "bugs bunny teeth" for the rest of my life. Still, I was fully appreciative of the powerful art of cosmetic dentistry and the impact it could make on peoples' lives. Fast-forward to 2011, when I started my first semester of college knowing I wanted to be somewhere in the health field. The phenomenal configuration of the human body has always been one of my greatest fascinations. Appropriately, I was set on a mission to discover my place in this field. Driven by a potent eagerness to find the answer, I devotedly began shadowing nurses, physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, and occupational therapists. I embraced any networking or shadowing opportunity that came my way. Alas, I could not find my place, and I realized bulking up more shadowing hours was not going to increase my sense of belonging in a particular field; I started losing hope in the health field as a whole....
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...Experience: As a public health dental hygienist, my biggest challenge is getting clients and families to value the importance of baby teeth and to access dental treatment. In response to my identified challenge, I have handed out hundreds of our programs brochures and posters, I have discussed the value of baby teeth with parents who attend our programs, I have worked at and set up displays for various health promotion events including the annual Welcome to Kindergarten, and I have designed and presented power point presentations to various groups. Reflection: One of the main consequences to my actions is we have no way of measuring behavior change. We can educate families on the importance of oral health, but our program does not have the resources or the capacity to follow up with each family to see if what we are teaching has taken effect. A second consequence is we are having trouble reaching our target population. Our programs target families’ with many adversities who...
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... The prime focus in this changing healthcare scenario is the cost of healthcare. This brings to forefront how we can best utilize our clinicians without lowering the quality and efficacy of patient care. General Physicians and Specialist are the highest paid healthcare workers. There are many functions they perform some of which are routine and some require special skills. The normal routine of gathering medical history; medication profile; body vital readings; height and weight; lifestyle profile etc can be efficiently documented by a nurse and does not need to be handled by a physician. The initial analysis of any patient can be done by a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. Then there are patients who have minor ailments or are patient with chronic conditions; palliative care patients or those who come in for routine checkups can be effectively handled by Nurse Practitioners or Physician Assistants. The patients who need more attention are the ones who have complications or critical need a higher level of intervention that needs to be provided by a physician. Another example is in dentistry normal oral hygiene preventions procedures and tooth X-rays can be...
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...Cardiovascular Disease Name Institution Date Background Throughout my years of occupation as a dental hygienist, I have come across various dental problems. Children as well as adult are capable of succumbing to the various dental illnesses. Nicholas (2011) attests that there underlies a great relationship amid oral inflammatory issue and cardiovascular processes. In other words, Nicholas’s research aims at showcasing that most oral inflammatory issue are likely to lead to cardiovascular dilemmas. The ultimate implication on this particular study is that regular dental care processes play a pragmatic role in preventing most cardiovascular diseases. The following paper is a comprehensive research in which in which I seek to uncover the history of cardiovascular disease as well as how it affects dental practices. History An American Heart Association commonly abbreviated as (AHA) describes the various heart disease as cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular illnesses are a leading cause of death throughout the world. Cardiovascular disease dates from several years back. The period at which the disease is said to have come into existence is commonly known as the ancient Egypt. However, it is worth to note that the vast society has only become enlightened regarding the cause a well as the effects of the cardiovascular illnesses just in the wake of the 20th Century despite the ancient history of the disease. As a health practitioner, the implication underlying this revelation...
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...What is Xerostomia and how dental hygienists investigate this complaint? Xerostomia (also termed as a dry mouth syndrome) is dryness in the mouth which is associated with a change in the composition of saliva or reduced salivary flow called hyposalivation. Saliva, with its proteins and enzymes is essential for keeping the mouth lubricated and healthy. Xerostomia is a very common condition and affects more than 1 out of every 4 adults. Xerostomia, itself is not a disease, but can be an indication of other diseases in the body (Connie, Debra, & Barbara, 2013). Xerostomia can lead to ongoing bad breath, cavities, mouth infections and a number of other emotional, physical and social issues. Patients suffering from Xerostomia may complain of some...
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...EXAMINATION OF THE MOUTH AND OTHER RELEVANT STRUCTURES A thorough case history and clinical examination are mandatory on the child’s first visit to the dentist and at the start of every new treatment period. KNOW YOUR PATIENT * Who is taking care of the child? * Who is with him today? * Is the child attending school? * Who referred the patient? * Where does the child live? * Important factors to be addressed during the child’s initial dental visit (3-6) * Limited existing health history * No clinical baseline data * Behavioral unknowns * A primary dental occlusion with limited predictive value * Preventive needs that must be assessed A thorough case history and clinical examination of the child patient is important in order to: * Establish good contact with and knowledge of the child and parent * Decide on prescriptions of radiographic and laboratory examinations * Identify possible signs of general conditions and diseases * Arrive at a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan CASE HISTORY Case history in children, especially young children has to be taken through another person, the parent. This has 2 important implications: 1. The information obtained from the accompanying person may not necessarily reflect the situation of the child. 2. The dentist may tend to forget to communicate with the child, which occasionally leads the child to feel that he is being neglected by the dentist. CASE HISTORY ...
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...After the eight week course in North Carolina, the Corpsman goes through another intense 10 day course in Operation Emergency Medicine where they learn how to treat combat wounds that are both extreme and/or routine. The FMF Corpsman main priority towards his/her marines is to stabilize the marine who is wounded. The wounded marine needs to be stabilized so the medivac can get the wounded to a hospital in the “Golden Hour”. The golden hour consists of the first hour after a battlefield injury which is considered the most critical for successful emergency...
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...1. OVERVIEW Health Service Support (HSS) of today's Marine Corps Operational Forces emphasizes the provision of far-forward, mobile, medical support in the stabilization and evacuation of casualties. The Aid Station is the HSS unit that will deliver these services to our Marine Corps Forces (MARFOR) in sustaining the combat power of the force. Throughout this lesson, the term Battalion Aid Station (BAS) is used to describe various Aid Stations. A true BAS is a term used to describe an Infantry Battalion Aid Station. Know that there are many different Aid Stations, i.e. BAS, Group Aid Station (GAS), Regimental Aid Station (RAS), etc., each with different numbers of personnel assigned. 2. MISSION OF THE AID STATION The Aid Station has a dual mission, one that will be fulfilled while in a field/combat environment, and the other fulfilled while in garrison. The mission of the aid station is to be the primary HSS source for a unit. While in a field/combat environment, the mission of the Aid Station is to minimize the effect wounds, injuries, and diseases have on a unit’s effectiveness, readiness and morale. Treatments such as surgical airways, administration of IV fluids and antibiotics, as well as stabilization of wounds and fractures are common. The mission of the Aid Station while in garrison is to keep the Marines assigned ready for deployment. As such, responsibilities include conducting sick-call, providing medical support during training, and undergoing...
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