In Celebration of the Dental Hygienist!

October, National Dental Hygiene Month, is clearly a time to acknowledge and celebrate the many thousands of dedicated, hard-working, professionally-educated, and technically competent dental hygienists around the world. In celebration of dental hygienists and the important work they do, the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health has invited AAOSH board member and registered dental hygienist Jan Lazarus to share her insights on the impact of dental hygienists in dentistry and patient healthcare.

In my consulting work with dental professionals, I have become aware that the passion for our profession runs deep. As oral healthcare professionals, we are taught to use our skills to truly make a difference and change people’ lives. Every day in this country alone dental hygienists are saving lives, in so many different ways.  Our role as a dental hygienist is about caring, healing, inspiring, motivating, and educating.

We often cannot see for ourselves the impact we have in the lives of our patients; partly because we don’t take the time for self-assessment, and partly because we have not been taught to do so. The energy, vision, and integration of dental science into holistic oral care that dental hygienists provide is inspiring—and contagious.

How does a dental hygienist become passionate and fulfilled in the dental profession and remain an active member long-term? Here is what I have found:

The active, passionate dental hygienist has

• Learned that change is constant. Change and excitement begins with the care provider, and your reaction to it is a choice! Passionate dental hygienists truly believe and practice the concept that “you must be the change you want to see in your patients.”
• Taken control of their life by the way they view their own health. They have gained the knowledge and have learned how to achieve optimum health for themselves, their family and now understand how better to help their patients achieve optimum health.
• Worked towards the implementation and refinements of an oral-systemic practice with their entire team and consider themselves an oral-systemic therapist. The growing body of evidence and research of the interrelationships between oral disease and systemic health is redefining our scope of practice. Dental hygienists who have embraced this challenge see it as an opportunity to help their patients achieve a higher level of whole body health because it allows the use of all the skills that we have been trained to do and allows for continued professional growth.
• Made a commitment to continue to learn, grow and evolve. The passionate hygienists we know are in continual pursuit of excellence for both personal and professional growth. They are always curious, striving to learn ways to offer therapies beyond the “standard of care.”
• Sought to find the right dental practice and team and did not settle for less. They became affiliated with the dentist(s) and team(s) that share mutual respect and appreciation for the many levels of care a dental hygienist can offer.
• Been authentic and true to themselves by taking a stand for ethical optimum care that involves learning how to overcome the challenges of time management, dictates of insurance, financial concerns, and the transitioning of old philosophies to current protocols and procedures.
• Developed a level of positive motivational persistence for themselves, and for their team.

It is my hope that in celebrating dental hygienists and sharing those qualities I have found to be foundational to a healthy professional life, that dental professionals will pause and reflect on the literally hundreds of ways hygienists impact the lives of their patients. They are as impressive as they are lasting.

What an exciting time in dentistry and to be a member of the dental hygiene profession! To be able to use all of our skills, become part of a vital oral healthcare team, offering paths to optimal health, not just oral health, to our patients.

Fulfilling? Absolutely. The result? Priceless.

American Academy for Oral Systemic Health board member Jan Lazarus RDH, founder of the JP Consultants, Inc., is a Certified Health Coach, who specializes in creating new horizons for professional and practice success. Through building and refining an oral-systemic approach to oral care, courses through the JP Institute brings hand-on implementation of clinical skills, technology, and laser integration to new meaning.

Known as a thought-provoking speaker, influencer, and consultant, Jan is recognized as a pioneer in the field of comprehensive continuing education in dentistry. As a principle and President of JP Consultants Institute, Jan has developed life-changing curricula for patients, dentists, hygienists, and dental teams.  As established in 1979, the key foundational element of all JP Institute programs has been the understanding that the mouth is a “window” to overall systemic health.

Call The JP Institute for information on our Mastership Certification Program in San Diego or to discuss scheduling a custom in-office training for your dental team.

Toll free: 800-946-4944  |  www.jpconsultants.com  |  jan@jpconsultants.com