Dentaltown April 2013 - (Page 100)

hygiene and prevention in this section Preparing for the Future by Trisha E. O’Hehir, RDH, MS Hygienetown Editorial Director Two things should be considered when looking into the future of periodontal therapy. First, our efforts as dental professionals to eradicate dental disease, periodontal disease and caries have not succeeded. According to the research, these diseases are completely preventable, but not with the prevention approaches we follow today and have followed for the past 50 years. Brushing and flossing will not prevent dental disease because the average person is not effective with either a toothbrush or dental floss. Second, the growing number of dental hygienists is outpacing the shrinking number of dentists. Hygienists now outnumber dentists, leaving many hygienists without employment. There are currently approximately 350 dental hygiene programs in the U.S. and 65 dental schools. Granted, dental school classes are generally larger than dental hygiene classes, but the numbers no longer balance. Most dental schools now graduate as many women as men, with women working part time more often than men. This creates the need for new work environments for dental hygienists. It is not financially feasible for dental hygienists to open their own practices to provide non-surgical periodontal therapy. A few hygienists have done this successfully, but the majority would prefer to focus on prevention and not on recreating a dental practice to provide a full range of dental hygiene services. To address this problem, three Hygienetown Townies are creating an international, online university where licensed dental hygienists can complete a Bachelor of Science Degree in Oral Health Promotion, and soon a master’s degree will provide the opportunity for hygienists to create new work models taking oral health promotion outside the dental office. O’Hehir University, created by Sarah Cottingham, Tim Ives and myself, is preparing for the future with a focus on eliminating dental disease through the creation of new prevention-focused hygienist positions. n Inside This Section 102 Perio Reports 106 Profile in Oral Health: The RDH’s Approach to Periodontal Therapy 109 Message Board: Periodontal Maintenance » 100 APRIL 2013 » dentaltown.com http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown April 2013

Dentaltown.com Highlights
Howard Speaks: What Winners Do and Losers Don’t
Professional Courtesy: Three Cheers for IT
Continuing Education Update
Dentaltown Research: Lasers
“Funny Feeling” on Lower Right Jaw
Missing Laterals, Bonded Maryland Bridges, Ribbond or Something Else?
Corporate Profile: Henry Schein
New Products
Office Visit: A Giant in Dentistry
Do-it-Yourself Finance, Part V: Insurance
Two Techniques to Make a Bite Record for a Full-arch Case
Team Strength: What Drives Your Team to Do More?
Living by the Golden Dozen
Diagnosing Aesthetic Disharmonies
Cosmetic Case Presentation
Using Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill to Easily and Predictably Place Direct Posterior Restorations
Continuing Education: Utilizing Laser Procedures for Restorative Access
Product Profile: Imaging Sciences International’s i-CAT FLX
In This Issue: Preparing for the Future
Perio Reports
Ad Index
Profile in Oral Health: The RDH’s Approach to Periodontal Therapy: Past, Present and Future
Perio Maintenance
Dentally Incorrect
Dentaltown Special Supplement
Product Profile: Zimmer Dental
Full Lower – Converted to Immediate Load
Immediate Placement #19 and 20 with BSB
American Academy of Implant Dentistry 62nd Annual Meeting Preview
Raising Your Denture Patient to a Higher Standard
Back to the Future – Extractions and Small Diameter Implants for Overdentures
Continuing Education: Top Implantology Breakthroughs for the GP: Part 2

Dentaltown April 2013