I wanted to share some feel good news today as we often hear so much negative news that when something good happens, it feels good to share!

This past weekend was an eventful one for us at rdhu! It started Friday with me presenting an online sharpening and insert maintenance course to dental hygienists from coast to coast and witnessing the aha moments to achieving the best sharp cutting edge possible! We all know how crucial it is for us to never compromise and always use sharp instruments!

Friday night, I was invited by Beth (Beth Parkes, our VP) as her guest to the ODHA President's Award Dinner where Beth was presented with a Distinguished Service Award! It was so great to spend some time with the ODHA Board of Directors and to celebrate Beth going above and beyond for members!

It was the ODHA's AGM, Friday and Saturday, so the timing was perfect as the ODHA office happens to be in Burlington! The Board of Directors decided to take a field trip and come by rdhu for a tour at our newly renovated facility on Saturday morning! Meanwhile, we had a Soft-Tissue Diode Laser Course happening at the Dentsply Sirona Academy in Mississauga, with Beth Ryerse, and Joe Siegfried presenting the in person portion of his Myofunctional Therapy: A Practical Program, at rdhu, where we had a group of dental hygienists complete their initial training! We had one dental hygienist from British Columbia one from Saskatchewan fly in for the weekend!

Look at the feedback we received for the Myo Program with Joe Siegfried:

• Amazing! 150% worth it! Joe is a wealth of knowledge, both on myo and the business of dental hygiene. He presents with integrity, enthusiasm, and is very engaging! From our BC RDH
• Love it! So much fun and learnt so much! From our Saskatchewan RDH
• Excellent course, great pace and lots of info! ON RDH
• This is a very helpful course to improve my Myofunctional Therapy Information. Joe is a great teacher! ON RDH
• ...and more like the above!

If you are interested in participating in the Full Practical Myo Program, the new date is available. If you would like a payment plan, you have lots of time if you register now and get started! The online portion starts Wednesday, October 11th and the in person, hands-on is Saturday, December 2nd & Sunday, December 3rd! Contact info@rdhu.ca if you are interested in a payment plan. Click here to learn more and to register otherwise!

Our laser training with Beth Ryerse comments were fabulous as well!

• Beth was kind, easy to understand and the breakfast and lunch provided was nice!
• The info is in depth and Beth gave good responses to our questions!
• Excellent presentation! Clear. It was a great experience for the hands-on with the laser practice.
• Very detailed oriented, well organized course presented to the class.
• I had such a positive learning experience and I'm excited to apply my new knowledge on lasers in my clinical practice!

And our Admin Team and Facilitator Extraordinaire's Pearl and Mary Tess were given raving reviews as well!

• The Best!
• Super helpful!
• Very warm and friendly!

All and all a good weekend worth sharing! #nowthatsgoodnews

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

I started writing a series for the Oral Hygiene Journal (Oral Health Group) on The 8 Simple Secrets to Being Indispensable in the Dental Practice.

Secret #1 and #2 are in the past issues. Secret #3 has just been published!

If you missed the first 2 Secrets, I have added them to this blog below as a download. I have also included Secret #3!

Article/Secret #3:

In the last two issues of Oral Hygiene, we revealed the introduction to this topic, Secret #1 and #2. If you missed them, be sure to look back at these articles!

SECRET #3: SPECIALIZE.

By specializing, you are setting yourself up to be 'Indispensable in the Dental Practice!' You are setting yourself up to be the expert in a particular field, or to be known as 'that' dental hygienist everyone looks up to, making you stand out from many.

You will be amazed at the opportunities that can come from specializing!

THE ONE WHO MAKES EVERYONE SMILE!

In one of the practices where I worked, I was referred to as the ‘Happy Hygienist’ as I was always happy. I smiled a lot and was super friendly.

I stood out in that practice! When people referred to me, they would say, “Oh, the Happy Hygienist.”

Sounds silly, but when you think about it, people want to be around happy, positive people. So when someone was feeling down, they would spend time with me. Patients liked to see me because I made them feel good and delivered a positive experience. If you are known as the ‘Happy Dental Hygienist,’ people will want to be around you. They will seek you out because you make them feel good.

Also, by being a happy, positive person, people tend to want to do what you do. Happy people profoundly impact those around them and can also be excellent influencers. So, when it came to contributing ideas to make change happen in the practice, it often went in my favour because people respected my view and input.

Happiness is contagious, and when people see others around them happy, they are more likely to adopt positive behaviours and attitudes. I also love being super lovely to grumpy or mean people to see what happens!

Happy people are generally more optimistic, kind, and empathetic and more likely to have healthy relationships, be more productive, and have a more positive outlook on life. Being happy and a positive influence will contribute to your overall success of being ‘Indispensable in the Dental Practice!’

To continue reading this article, please find Secret #3 as a download below or click here to access the Oral Health Group website.

I hope you enjoy! I would love to hear your thoughts on what you think makes someone indispensable in the dental or dental hygiene practice!

Click here to access the Oral Health Group website to find the article online and subscribe to their journals!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Secret #1

Secret #2

Secret #3

We are living in a competitive world where everyone is fighting to get our attention. We see it on our social media platforms and we see it in our inboxes. There is so much clutter and promise of this and that.

What sets your practice apart from the rest to give you that competitive edge so you don't get lost in that clutter?

For us, we sometimes hear, it must be difficult for you to "sell" courses when there is all this "free" CE. We hear this until someone takes a course with us and then they find out for themselves that there really is no comparison. It is like comparing a Chevy Chevette (for those of you who remember the Chevette!) to a Lexus!

Our competitive edge is that there really is no other business like rdhu. We have the rdhu community and culture. We are about providing the tools to advance your career. We aren't about giving a free (or a 1-2 hour) webinar so that our members collect hours or points. We are about Transformation and deep learning to really make change happen. We are about the entire rdhu experience from the Before, the During and then the After. Sure, we do offer a free webinar and of course our show, The RDH View is free, but we do this in an engaging way to leave you wanting to learn more about that particular topic. It is designed to bring awareness or introduce you to a great topic that you may want to explore. This is a great way for us to share what the possibilities are with respect to our profession and to dive into more learning.

We are your easy button to keep you on track for not only your QA Requirements, but also offer programs and courses to help keep you engaged and current so you feel good about your profession. We don't ever want to be known as the CE company. The company where you just collect points or hours. We are about Transformation and growing as a Professional.

What is your competitive edge for your practice, and how do you let others know how your practice is the one that they should choose?

As an exercise with your team, identify what sets your practice up for success. What is your competitive edge? Why should a client or patient come to see you versus the practice down the street? What is your unique ability or advantage as a practice? What sets you apart? Is it the innovation and technology you offer your patients? Is it the strong branding and reputation you have established over the years? Is it that you are patient or client focused and feel strongly that you provide excellent care, a personalized experience and tailored solutions based on your patient's/client's needs? Do you build long-term relationships with your patients and families?

Use the worksheet found just below this blog as a download. Print one for each team member and work on it separately. Then get together and put your answers on your whiteboard or your easel pad and identify what is your competitive edge and what sets you apart.

Use this exercise to help with your messaging that you use verbally in your practice, through your email communication, your website and your social media. Feel proud of what makes your practice unique and have the confidence that your clients and patients are choosing a wonderful practice!

You can also do this exercise for yourself as a dental hygienist. What is your competitive edge? Why should you be chosen for the dream job? What is your unique advantage? What do you have that shows you perform with a standard of excellence?

Enjoy doing this exercise! :) I would love to hear from you!

Thank you for reading!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Click here to download the Unique Advantage Exercise
Click here to download the Blog Post to Print

The ODA ASM is happening this week!

If you plan on attending, Beth, Kerry and myself will be at the Curion booth. Please stop by booth #511 and say hello!

We also need your help with something!

If you know Curion (formerly, Bisco Canada), you know that Curion carries unique, high-quality dental products and instruments. They are looking to distribute some new, innovative dental hygiene products and would love your feedback.

That’s where you fit in!

If you are attending the ODA, the first 50 people that come to the Curion booth and take the time to answer a short survey with either myself or Beth will receive a FREE LM Flexplorer as a thank you for spending that time with us! :)

We know how important it is for our members to have their voices heard. Here’s your chance to help us shape the future by making more unique products accessible to dental hygienists in Canada.

Hope to see you at ODA!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Do you ever feel like your inbox is full of spam or emails that don't pertain to you?

I do! I just cleared out over 2000 unread emails over the weekend. I do see the work related ones and respond ASAP but all the others, I just didn't have the time to look at and clear out.

We have recently had a large number of new members subscribe to rdhu so I wanted to share rdhu's communication with you. You are receiving this email today because you have either opted in or subscribed to rdhu. Email is our biggest form of communication with our members. If we don't email our members with upcoming course information, then no one would know what is coming up and what is available to them!

Our weekly On-Track Tuesday promises to keep you on track, with a motivational or helpful blog along with all the upcoming events and occasionally, special promotions.

We then send out emails regarding specific courses coming up, whether they are free, online, or in person events.

Just like all the emails I get, I will read what I am interested in and if I am not, I will swipe and delete. I only unsubscribe if I know it is from a company that I only did one transaction with and have no future plans on doing business with them or buying from them ever again.

With your rdhu emails, some may get your attention and you may open while others may not. If they don't interest you, simply swipe and delete! If you unsubscribe, you will be removed from all communication and will miss pertinent emails that pertain to our courses. When you do register, you won't receive the important course information.

Keeping on top of email is an important part of keeping organized, but sometimes, it builds up quickly and we need to set time aside to organize.

A clear inbox equals a clear mind, and trust me, after organizing mine over the weekend, I was left feeling recharged!

Besides our emails, if you would ever like to have a chat about courses coming up, we can guide you. Or if you have created goals, we can assist you in achieving your goals and get you on a path. Please feel free to reach out. We are always happy to help out!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

I wanted to share the Dental Hygiene Quarterly update with you all! For those of you who are a member, the Spring 2023 Edition is in your personal portal. You can click here to access and if you have any questions, please reach out to info@rdhu.ca

The Dental Hygiene Quarterly means a lot to our team here. It is something that we feel very proud of and excited about at the same time, as we know we are helping so many dental hygienists keep on-track with their QA requirements. Just think, for those of you who haven't experienced Dental Hygiene Quarterly as of yet, every quarter we deliver approximately 3 hours of Professional Development into your portal. If you keep up with the quarterly editions, it truly is the easy button to keeping current with QA Requirements.

The Dental Hygiene Quarterly (DHQ) was really the start of my journey in the Professional Development market. I was approached many years ago, when I owned my own dental instrument company, to present for the Dental Hygiene Quarterly. At the time it was named DVD Journal of Dental Hygiene. For those of you who have been with us since the beginning, you may remember the sessions on instrumentation and sharpening that I did! We have many members who have been with us since its inception. We still have a large number who receive the DVD's rather than online only. When the original owner was retiring and looking for someone to take over his company, he approached me, as he knew that there would be a good fit with DHQ and rdhu.

Since we purchased DHQ in Spring 2016, we have made some changes along the way, but always kept with the original design and intention of what the DHQ was meant to be. Keeping you on track with each season/edition.

Dental Hygiene Quarterly is part of the CDHA membership benefit program. For those members who are a part of the Canadian Dental Hygienist's Association, you will receive a $50 Gift Card to go toward the membership. So the membership is $149 rather than $199.

Along the way we have added so many things to help those who maintain a Learning Portfolio or who must complete a report on learning. We have also stored everything in one area for those who need to complete the quiz and submit a CE certificate. We have added a Special Bonus Feature to each edition, added The RDH View to DHQ members' portals and are always looking for great topics and presenters to share.

Once we launch one edition, we already get to work on the next! My son Aiden, is our videographer and also editor and we have really enjoyed working on each edition together.

We are celebrating our 7 year Anniversary where we have brought the Dental Hygiene Quarterly under the rdhu umbrella and I wanted to take this time to thank those of you who are a member and also invite those of you who aren't to discover what DHQ can do for you to help you along your journey! Please see below for more information.

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

I have had a great few days and feeling rather energized and excited about our profession!

On Saturday, I attended the DHPO Conference as a guest. The DHPO (Dental Hygiene Practitioners of Ontario) is an Independent Dental Hygiene Organization and they hold a 2- day event, with guest speakers, for those who own their own practice and for those who are considering owning their own practice. It was so great to see so many dental hygiene friends and colleagues. Many of whom I haven't seen in years. The DHPO put on a great conference and everyone was very engaged. They ended their conference with a Round Table format for sharing and strategizing. What a great opportunity to put like-minded individuals in the same room to learn from each other and help each other grow and succeed!

I was also asked to present to a group of dental hygiene students, from Canadore College, for their business course yesterday, who are graduating this month! They were a very respectful and kind group. Between this experience yesterday and the DHPO group on Saturday, it made me feel that the future of dental hygiene is looking bright!

It really is so beneficial to get out and network with other dental hygienists.

If there is an opportunity for you coming up to attend an in-person event, I encourage you to register and join in. Whether it be at a dental hygiene conference, dental conference or at rdhu, you will be sure to leave the day with a bounce in your step and excited to be part of a wonderful profession!

For our BC and Alberta friends, TODS in Kelowna is now confirmed for both Beth and myself. I will be doing two lectures, Beth one, and then together we will be doing a hands-on workshop (possibly two depending on registration). So save the date: Thursday, October 19 to Saturday October 21, 2023!

In the meantime, please take note of the in-person events we have coming up at rdhu below!

My 'Sharpen Your Skills' online sharpening and ultrasonic insert wear program that will be on Friday, May 26th from 11am - 2pm EST will be offered live online; however, if you would like to join me in person for this event, please email me and I will send you a separate invitation. kathleen@rdhu.ca

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

I hope you had a nice Holiday weekend with your loved ones! I just returned today from visiting my daughter in Halifax. She is a student at Dalhousie!

It was such a much needed little get-away after a busy (but exciting) couple of months for us here at rdhu.

We walked approximately 13,000 steps a day, hiked, and ate at really great restaurants. I ended up taking short daily naps and even finished reading my book! It was a fictional book, so I was able to totally disconnect from the busy-ness and immerse myself into the story.

Sounds heavenly, doesn't it?

Rest and taking time for self-care is so important, but unfortunately, many of us don't seem to do this often enough.

It can be challenging to maintain our health, our work, our professional obligations, and all the other responsibilities. These things leave us with little to no time for rest.

Rest is a fundamental part of success, health, and happiness. Remember, just like the flight attendant who says we must put our oxygen mask on first...we can't take care of our families and clients unless we take care of ourselves first!

Besides being in practice, there are many distractions in this digital world, and always something (or someone) requiring our attention.

No matter what your schedule or task list may look like, resting and unplugging is vital to your long-term health. It heals your body, reduces stress, helps with creativity, enhances productivity and helps with your decision making.

I scheduled this trip in at this time, knowing that I would need it to help me keep going with our busy next couple of months!

Hence, I love looking at my calendar and planning future dates. Not the calendar that is on my phone, but an actual paper, in my hands kind of calendar! I even brought it with me so we could do some summer planning.

My calendar is set up for my professional and personal needs. I truly believe if we don't plan our days, our weeks, our months or even our years, our days, etc will be planned for us and before we know, we drift from one day to the next without making change happen.

How are your professional goals coming along?

Is there or was there something that you thought you might like to achieve professionally in 2023 but, looking at where you are now in April, perhaps you are feeling that you aren't on track?

I would like to share one of the documents I created and use for our QA Coach members in Ontario that helps them think about certain topics or goals that they would like to learn more about, help them prioritize and help with next steps to achieve these goals. This is just a sneak peak of the total package our QA Coach clients receive to help them with planning and tracking.

You will find this at the button below as a download.

We have lots of great courses listed below to help you achieve some of your goals.

Is learning more about ortho one of your goals? Or perhaps diving into Myofunctional Therapy?

Check out below to see what is coming up and if we can help you in any way, as always, please reach out. We love hearing from you!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Happy National Dental Hygienists Week to all of you!

What a great start to the week we have had in celebration of our wonderful profession!

I am here to join in RDH Vibes at the Dentsply Sirona Academy where Beth Parkes and Dani Botbyl, along with our member, Sally Bassam, are on the panel. If you have registered we shall see you soon!

What are you doing to celebrate? I would love to hear and we will share!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Beth and I presented at the Saskatchewan Dental Hygienists' Association Conference this past weekend and it was such a positive experience that I wanted to share. I am thinking you may take away a few ideas to implement into your practice!

If you know me, you know how important the client experience is in offering a world-class experience.

The experience started prior to the conference (the Before Experience), we met on Zoom to have a face to face meeting so by the time we arrived we already felt like we knew Alyssa, the Deputy Registrar. Seeing her in person was a welcoming experience because of that initial Zoom meeting, as well as the correspondence via email.

The staff at the hotel conference were very welcoming and helpful. They even left a small bottle of wine and some goodies so when we returned to our room, the surprise was waiting for us on the first night.

We also had a table exhibit for the exhibitors floor where Lorraine Gambacourt minded the booth. There was a nice bag there waiting for Lorraine with some essentials for the day which included water bottles and snacks.

The food was very good and they even had popcorn for an afternoon snack, which takes us all back to childhood memories with the smell of popcorn!

For the lanyard (which holds our name badge), they had an Indigenous artist Honey Willow create beautiful lanyards through beadwork for the presenters. Ours were purple, of course! Along with the lanyard there was a note from Honey Willow, sharing how She/They are an Intergenerational Residential School survivor and found healing through beadwork. Along with this, was a Thank You card from the SDHA to celebrate us and hope that we wear this gift at future conferences and when we do, will think of them! #itsthelittlethings

They had volunteers ready to help out whenever we needed (which we did as we had shipped 500 gift bags for 250 attendees for both sessions)! You know, the rdhu way! We love our gifts!

The attention to detail, doesn’t go unnoticed. It truly was a Dream Come True Experience as a presenter at a conference.

Whether it is at a conference, in the dental practice, a hair salon or a 5-Star hotel, looking at the experience through your client's eyes is a great exercise to go through.

There is so much we can do in the dental practice to get your clients and patients doing what I am doing right now! Sharing this wonderful experience with over 19,000 people! Can you imagine if your clients and patients were so wowed by you that they felt compelled to write about and share their experience with their family and friends? How many new clients would that bring to your practice and possibly re-engage some that are standing on the sidelines and haven’t quite come back when they should!

Let’s just think of a few possibilities here today:

For the Before Experience

- Could you send a quick 30 second video to a new client sharing that you look forward to meeting them? How about someone who hasn’t been in? You could send a quick “We miss you and know how important your oral health is to your overall health”. This could also help prevent cancellations and No Shows.

- Could you send them to your website “Meet our Team”?! Just like how we knew what Alyssa looked like prior to us meeting her. There is something comforting, meeting prior to an event and or an appointment.

- Could you send them a video of your office to familiarize themselves with your office? This could be super easy to do. One video and attach it to your Welcome to our Office email. Meet our Team, Here is a Tour!

How about for the During Experience (the actual appointment)

- A welcoming smiling face

- Saying their name as they come in rather than “and your name?” This is where keeping a clients pic on file is helpful.

- A thorough head and neck examination and explaining what and why you are performing an Oral Cancer Screening.

- Ensuring that you are using sharp instruments and Inserts that are not worn. Too many dental hygienists use worn out and dull tools. This is not okay for many reasons and I offer a whole course on this (the next one is Friday, May 26th online with a few joining me in-person at rdhu). Your instruments and inserts, if you are using them appropriately for their intended use, typically should last no longer than 2 years. As far as the client experience is concerned, this is a game changer when using optimal instruments versus dull worn out ones and can make or break the experience.

- Using an air polisher is a great experience, if you know how to correctly do this!

- Depending on where you are registered, some dental hygienists can incorporate the Soft-Tissue Diode Laser Treatment as an adjunct to Perio therapy or help a client with a painful herpetic lesion or add to whitening treatment or help improve sensitivity! This heightens the experience and end results for your clients! They will be your raving fans, no doubt! To be successful with incorporating lasers into your practice, you need to have one per operatory so you can utilize it when you need to! We often hear of practices having one laser per practice and guess what? It is never successfully incorporated! It would be like sharing an ultrasonic unit between ops!

- Provide a hot towel after the appointment to make your client feel great. A must!

And what about the After Experience?

- Send them home with the Oral Health Essentials kit (Oral B iO, Stannous paste, CPC rinse and more!). Set your clients up with the Oral B App so they can track your personalized home recommendations. This is a game changer to getting our clients healthy. Helping them with their halitosis, sensitivity, bad taste in their mouth. We hear such positive feedback from clients once on the system. Where's that cape again?!

Anyhow, as you can see I am passionate about the experience and I love sharing this with dental teams and companies.

If you would like to schedule me for your team or event, please always feel free to reach out. We would love to have you and your team at rdhu as well!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Spring is a season that symbolizes new beginnings, growth, and renewal. As the weather becomes milder and nature comes back to life, it’s a great time to focus on making positive changes in both our personal and professional lives.

Here are some ideas for things we can do in the workplace now that the new season is upon us:

1. Spring Cleaning! Just like we do in our homes, it’s time to do some spring cleaning in the practice. Encourage team members to tidy up their workspaces, declutter digital files, and dispose of any unnecessary items. Perhaps you have a box of used inserts and instruments that you need to trade-in or recycle. This not only helps to create a more organized and productive environment, but it also promotes a sense of responsibility and ownership among team members and it just feels so darn good to get organized!
2. Encourage outdoor activities! With the arrival of spring, the weather becomes milder and the days become longer. This is a perfect opportunity to get outside during your lunch break, even if only for 10 minutes. Walk around the block or your building and breathe! This can help to improve your mood and overall health.
3. Bring nature inside! Bringing a touch of nature into the practice (perhaps your communal areas) can help to create a more relaxing and calming environment. Consider adding plants or flowers to your workspace, which not only add aesthetic value but also help to purify the air and reduce stress levels.
4. Set new goals! Spring is a time of growth and renewal, making it the perfect time to set new goals for the workplace. What do you want to achieve in the upcoming months? Perhaps you would like to become a Myofunctional Therapist so that you can work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to help with your client's overall health. Work to create a plan to make it happen. Get your team involved! Our Myofunctional course is beginning next week online (see below). Implementing something like this or a Sleep Assessment Protocol, as another example, can help to foster a sense of teamwork and motivation among team members. Feel free to reach out to me to discuss possibilities.
5. Celebrate achievements! Spring is a time to celebrate new beginnings, but it’s also a great time to celebrate past achievements. Take some time to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals or teams in your practice. This not only helps to boost morale but also promotes a sense of pride and accomplishment.
6. Show Gratitude! With the air feeling so fresh and clean, it is tough to not feel gratitude. Take the time to reflect and show gratitude for all the people and things you have in your life.
7. Spring-themed events! This is a great time to get together as a team and with other professionals! For our female members...Women in Dentistry is coming up in a couple of weeks. Perhaps you can get your pink on and attend this conference that is designed for the team and go with your team. Our very own Kerry Lepicek and Anna Louise Tolan, as well as Stacy Bobak, are all presenting at this conference with a team focused agenda. See below for more detail.

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Thank you to everyone who attended the Pacific Dental Conference in Vancouver last week and joined us for our workshops and presentations! If you were with us but didn't opt in to receive the 'After' email, please email info@rdhu.ca with what presentation or workshop you attended and we will send you the email with the additional resources.

For those who will be attending the Saskatchewan Dental Hygienist's Association conference next week, we can't wait to see you!

Also, this past week my next article (Secret #2) for The 8 Simple Secrets to Being Indispensable in the Dental Office was published through the Oral Hygiene publication. Secret #1 was in the last issue. They are both found online through Oral Hygiene. You can always subscribe to receive a hard copy, or simply view online. I am including both articles here as well. Thank you for those who have reached out to let me know that you are looking forward to reading the next secret! Stay tuned for more!

In the meantime, click here for the most recent article or read below:

In the last issue of Oral Hygiene, the introduction to this topic and Secret #1 was revealed. If you missed it, be sure to look back at this article.

Secret #2: Be a Leader

Being indispensable at a dental practice means taking on a leadership role. A leader is a visionary who motivates and encourages others in their team to reach their potential and goals.

A leader is someone who inspires passion and motivation in others, and ensures that their team has support and tools to achieve their goals.

A leader helps create a positive work culture, improves practice image and reputation, fosters team and client loyalty, cares, and shares ways to increase productivity.

Understanding what is involved in being a leader is indispensable to your success.

What does it take to become a leader?

a. Self-Assess

The first thing to do is self-assess your position in your practice.

Do you bring value to the practice?

Yes, you do! Of course, you do. You are a dental hygienist working very hard to provide client care. But beyond the care in the chair you provide, could you take a proactive approach, self-assess, assess your practice, and look for ways to do more to take an active leadership role?

As a leader, one must bring value to a practice, and there is a great feeling of satisfaction in a job well done, knowing that you are making an impact and, at the same time, creating a position that, well, makes you indispensable!

b. Maintain High Standards

As leaders, we aim for excellence in everything we do and demonstrate a consistent work ethic.

The way we dress, show up on time, and are prepared for the day ahead, are all opportunities to demonstrate our leadership. It is about looking at what needs to be done professionally and delivering. Add value to every transaction. It is about caring about the outcomes in all that you provide.

c. Go Beyond Expectations

Always go beyond expectations.

What is the next step that someone wouldn’t expect?

Think about what you can do next to make it a Dream Come True Experience for…

· A client

· Another team member (the dentist, another dental hygienist, dental assistant, front team)

· An industry representative who stops by your practice

· A specialist that you are collaborating with

I love going beyond what anyone would normally expect. It is about taking that extra step that goes above and beyond what was required initially. You will be amazed at how good this feels and how indispensable you will become.

d. Be Trustworthy

A leader is a trustworthy person.

It is someone worthy of confidence, reliable, dependable, responsible, safe, secure, and steady!

Trustworthiness is one of the essential qualities in life.

A trustworthy leader will do what they say they will do and do their best never to break their promises or let anyone down.

e. Be a Mentor

Can you be a mentor?

Is there someone in your practice that could use some help?

Many new graduates have not had the clinical experience that many of us had as they went through school during the pandemic. Or, on the other end, a seasoned dental hygienist who needs to be updated and may not be aware of things they don’t know!

I hear many people complaining about the newer grads or dental hygienists that haven’t advanced their skills. As a result, we receive calls at rdhu (our Professional Development company) looking for us to help them with their abilities.

Could you be a leader, take on a mentorship role within your practice, and review ultrasonic and instrumentation techniques as an example? Could you have their back?

Imagine them knowing that they have someone in their corner.

Be a mentor.

f. Collaborate

A leader takes the initiative and collaborates.

Who can you partner with in terms of not only your clientele but also supporting each other’s practices?

g. Play Full-Out!

Are you speaking up? Could you contribute more to your practice?

Are you showing up and being proactive?

If you aren’t, find your voice and share your thoughts. Do it with conviction and a smile. A positive mindset and attitude will get you far. Don’t convince. Compel. Believe in yourself and fight for your ideas and suggestions. Play full-out!

h. Volunteer

Are you volunteering?

Could you step up and lead a program? Could you be the one who researches and finds solutions?

Sometimes we need to show that we are team players and can add more value by taking the lead in something. Have the confidence to volunteer, step out of your comfort zone, and not worry whether you succeed or fail.

Don’t worry about the money. Don’t worry about getting paid.

Don’t think of yourself as being paid by the hour. Look at it like this: What is your annual salary? How can you contribute more to ensure that you continue to have clients to see and, at the same time, feel content and engaged in your practice?

Is it by doing a community event to promote you and your practice? Is it organizing an industry rep to come in and do a demonstration for something that could benefit your practice? Could you create a program during your free time so you can share it at your next team meeting? Could you possibly collect information to share on your practice’s social media? For example, the dentalcare.ca website (Caring Comes Home) has many shareable posts that you can download and use to educate the public and your clients.

If you take the initiative to help your practice, it’s a win-win for all.

i. Take Ownership

If you have stepped up and are leading a program or doing your research and planning on implementing a system or program in your practice, keep everyone updated on the status.

Nothing is worse than bringing a program to the team and then leaving it, so everyone is wondering, daily or weekly, what is happening.

Keep everyone updated if you are working on something so no one must wonder, second guess or follow up. Be the one to share the status.

Once it is running, re-evaluate. Is it being sustained?

Whether it be good or bad, share your findings.

j. Deliver Excellence

Deliver excellence in all that you do.

Don’t compromise – not for one client, one day or one week. You will feel the confidence (and your team will notice) in all you do!

k. Have an Ambitious Mindset

Back to the mindset (Secret #1 in the previous article). Have a can-do attitude. Be an engine, not an anchor.

What will you do next to take on a leadership role to ensure that you are indispensable in the dental practice?

Stay tuned for more Secrets in the next edition of Oral Hygiene!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Pearl and Mary Tess here!

Kathleen and Beth are travelling this week and on their way to British Columbia for the Pacific Dental Conference where they will be hosting 2 SOLD OUT hands-on instrumentation workshops and lecturing together sharing their favourite things (These are a Few of our Favourite Things) as well as Beth presenting on the 10 Reasons Why: Implementing Lasers into your Dental Hygiene Practice! If you are going to PDC be sure to attend their lectures and say hi to them! They are both super excited to be back in person at PDC.

We thought we would take over this week's blog and let them focus on the conference!

On Saturday, in this week's Morning Floss edition, they highlighted Kathleen so we wanted to share a little bit about Kathleen and her entreprenurial spirit! It isn't every day where one is recognized for their efforts and we are happy to be part of this community and help make rdhu what it is today!

If you would like to subscribe to the Morning Floss, it is a fun way to keep up with dental news. Click here to subscribe!

Assistant. Hygienist. Educator. Entrepreneur. Innovator. Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH has done it all, and in some cases, more times than you can count. But if there’s one number you should remember, it is this: 19,000. That’s the massive number of members belonging to rdhu, a community of dental hygienists that Bokrossy has built over the past 15 years around continuing education.

This week, we continue our series on trailblazers in the Morning Floss community by looking at the start-up dean of dental hygiene, Kathleen Bokrossy.

From the ground up: Long before becoming a serial entrepreneur, Bokrossy cut her teeth in dentistry as a dental assistant, becoming a hygienist four years later. Despite loving the operatory and practicing across the country, Bokrossy had a career gap that needed filling: the opportunity to start her own business.

In the many offices she worked in, Bokrossy recognized the need for better quality instruments. She decided to take the matter into her own hands, first starting her own instrument maintenance program, then launching her own dental instrument company in 1998. Despite the constant challenges, Bokrossy got the company off the ground, successfully selling it 14 years later.

Venture seeker: But of course, once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur. Over the years, Bokrossy has launched many businesses: a uniform company that brought style to scrubs, an online Quality Assurance platform for hygienists, and finally, rdhu.

rdhu was born out of Bokrossy’s concern that for hygienists, continuing education, while sometimes interesting, could often become a repetitive, and boring, box-checking exercise. She, like many hygienists, felt as if she was living the CE version of Groundhog Day.

A community is born: Bokrossy had an alternative vision for programs that would inspire change, deepen learning, and benefit both practices and patients. rdhu launched its first course in 2009. Whether online or at their in-person facility, rdhu courses sought to create both a transformational experience and a community for hygienists, ensuring that the learning was impactful for the provider and their patients alike.

Explosive growth: Like any business, it took time for rdhu to grow, but Bokrossy formed solid relationships with the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, the Ontario Dental Hygienists Association, and Crest Oral-B. Through these networks, quality courses, and constant outreach, the community began to grow.Today, rdhu counts 19,000 members in its community, has purchased its own facility, and, starting long before the pandemic, provides cutting-edge online courses in addition to their in-person classes. To ensure quality, they work with presenters to share learning goals, offer layered learning, outline next steps, and guide implementation. Bridging the gap, Bokrossy is keen to involve dentists and their entire teams in the learning journey.

Big picture: Bokrossy’s ultimate goal is for her community of hygienists to love their profession, inspire change, and take on leadership roles in their offices. Along the way, she’s built a legion of learners who are committed to staying current. Kudos to the start-up dean of dental hygiene!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Pearl Cluff ~ Director of Operations & Mary Tess Aubrecht ~ Client Concierge

The dental industry is constantly evolving, with new techniques, technologies, and practices emerging all the time. As a dental professional, it's essential to stay up-to-date with the latest knowledge and trends to provide the highest quality of care to your patients. However, finding the time to attend in-person training and seminars can be a challenge, especially if you have a busy schedule. That's where RDHU comes in. RDHU is a dental hygienist educator that specializes in remote/online learning, offering a wide range of webinars to help dental professionals stay on top of their game. In this blog post, we'll explore the key benefits of taking an RDHU webinar and why it's a smart choice for any dental professional looking to enhance their knowledge and skills.

The dental industry is highly competitive, and staying ahead of the curve is essential to success. RDHU webinars are designed to help dental professionals improve their performance and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques. With convenient online learning, expert instructors, and a wide range of topics, RDHU webinars offer a unique and valuable learning experience. In this post, we'll take a closer look at the benefits of taking an RDHU webinar, including their flexibility and convenience, the expertise of the instructors, and the interactive learning experience.

RDHU is committed to providing dental professionals with the highest quality of education and training. With a focus on remote/online learning, RDHU makes it easy for dental professionals to access the training they need, no matter where they are. Whether you're a dental hygienist, a dental assistant, or a dentist, taking an RDHU webinar can help you stay ahead of the curve and excel in your career. In the following paragraphs, we'll delve deeper into the key benefits of taking an RDHU webinar, and how they can help you achieve your professional goals.

Convenient and flexible

One of the most significant advantages of RDHU webinars is their convenience and flexibility. With online learning, you can access the training from anywhere, at any time. This means you can fit your learning around your schedule, making it easy to balance work and personal commitments. Whether you're at home, in the office, or on the go, you can access RDHU webinars on your computer or mobile device.

Cost-effective

RDHU webinars are also cost-effective. Unlike in-person training and seminars, there are no travel or accommodation expenses to worry about. This makes online learning an affordable option for dental professionals who want to enhance their knowledge and skills without breaking the bank.

Expert instructors

RDHU webinars are led by expert instructors who are highly knowledgeable in their fields. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table, sharing their knowledge and insights with you. This ensures that you're getting the most up-to-date and relevant information, which can help you improve your performance and advance your career.

Interactive learning

RDHU webinars are designed to be interactive, providing a hands-on learning experience that promotes engagement and knowledge retention. During the webinar, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions, participate in discussions, and collaborate with other dental professionals. This not only helps you learn more effectively but also allows you to network with other professionals in your field.

Access to a wide range of topics

RDHU webinars cover a wide range of topics, including periodontal therapy, oral pathology, pharmacology, and more. This means that no matter what area of dentistry you specialize in, there's an RDHU webinar that can help you enhance your skills and knowledge. With new webinars added regularly, you can continue to expand your knowledge and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry.

Earn continuing education credits

As a dental professional, earning continuing education credits is essential for maintaining your license and keeping your skills up-to-date. RDHU webinars are recognized by the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board and offer continuing education credits. This means that not only will you be enhancing your knowledge and skills, but you'll also be earning the credits you need to maintain your license and advance your career.

Get in touch with RDHU to begin or further your career as a dental hygienist with an RDHU webinar!

In conclusion, taking an RDHU webinar is a smart choice for any dental professional looking to enhance their knowledge and skills. With convenient and flexible online learning, expert instructors, interactive learning, and access to a wide range of topics, RDHU webinars offer a unique and valuable learning experience. By investing in your professional development, you can stay ahead of the curve in the dental industry, providing your patients with the highest quality of care and achieving your career goals.

At RDHU, we're committed to helping dental professionals succeed in their careers. We understand that staying up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques can be a challenge, which is why we offer a range of webinars to help dental professionals enhance their skills and knowledge. With new webinars added regularly, you can continue to expand your knowledge and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry. We hope that this post has highlighted the benefits of taking an RDHU webinar and inspired you to invest in your professional development. By taking an RDHU webinar, you can take your career to the next level and provide your patients with the best possible care.

This week's blog is brought to you by: Jo-Anne Jones, RDH

Tell Me and I Forget; Teach Me and I May Remember; Involve Me and I Learn…the signature of rdhu and why you keep coming back for more! And why as a presenter, my ‘happy place’ is rdhu and why I keep coming back!

I’m excited to announce that we will be offering another experiential oral and oropharyngeal cancer screening workshop upon request. Space is limited for the Saturday, April 1st workshop so register early!

First, let’s test your knowledge as so much has changed in the world of oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Please find answers below!

1. Over 70% of oropharyngeal cancers are caused by a very common virus that almost every adult will experience in their lifetime. True or False

2. The 1st subtle sign of oropharyngeal cancer is a sore throat. True or False

3. The risk for cancers of the oral cavity is 30x higher for those who combine heavy use of alcohol and tobacco. True or False

4. The increase in smoking has attributed to higher incidence of oral cavity cancers. True or False

5. Over 90% of all future HPV-attributable cancers can be prevented by the HPV vaccination. True or False

The morning session leaves an indelible mark on both your mind and your heart. You will experience first-hand through a visual journey of oral/oropharyngeal cancer survivors. Every ‘story’ will be connected with a translation to clinical practice….essentially what did we learn.

The afternoon will be putting theory into practice with hands-on experiential learning. This will include anatomical landmarking and palpation techniques, documentation exercises, viewing live exam through use of AirPlay with screening devices plus a number of other surprises in store to support you in your clinical practice.

I’m pumped for this as I know this information saves lives! Thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart for your dedication and commitment to offering the best possible opportunities to your clients to discover oral abnormalities in the earliest stages. See you April 1.

What your colleagues are saying about this workshop;

Informative, genuine, great speaker. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. ~ Melissa

Engaging, informative and interactive. ~ Lori

A lifesaving course! Thank you Jo-Anne! rdhu never disappoints! ~ Jenn

Really appreciated the hands-on learning. Thank you Jo-Anne for letting me feel your thyroid. I often get discouraged with the extra oral exam as I feel I’m missing things – thank you! I will not get discouraged. ~ Anna

Educational, entertaining and most of all relevant to what is held deep to my heart and practice of dental hygiene and oral health. 100% recommend to all health care providers. ~ Heather

It was a day of great awareness & learning. Jo-Anne really is a great presenter. ~ Nicole

Quiz Answers

5.T 4.F 3.T 2.F 1.T

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

I had a great meeting this morning with the Chief Flossing Officers and Founders of Morning Floss, Dr. Bruce Freeman and Elliot Pobjoy, JD.

It was one of those collaborative moments where, as like minded individuals, we got to share our passion and vision for our profession.

Don't you just love when you meet people who have the same drive and excitement for the dental profession as you? This is why networking is so important and I hope you find the opportunities to do so! The RDH View is one opportunity to be with like-minded individuals. Our live streaming or in-person courses through rdhu, dental conferences and Morning Floss, are more examples on how you can stay connected.

Morning Floss is an online weekly newsletter that gets sent out every Saturday morning to help keep us dental professionals current with dental news in a fun manner. In just one fast and fun email per week, Morning Floss keeps you up to speed on, and laughing about, dental news, business, tech, clinical developments and politics (including Canada's new dental care program).

Click here to sign up and stay on top of everything going on in the fast-changing world of Canadian dentistry!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

I hope that you are enjoying this gorgeous day!

We are deep into our February courses where we invite you to bring a friend to your online learning, for FREE!

There are a couple of courses that have started and it's not too late to join in (see below).

Here is a note from Lorraine Gambacourt, who is presenting at the end of this month!

A Note from Lorraine Gambacourt!

rdhu is offering an INCREDIBLE TWO FOR ONE value when you register for a February course, and I am super excited to be presenting my 6 hour course again! It came together as a result of my passion for designing a comprehensive perio program with a focus on reducing our client’s systemic risk, especially Heart Attack and Stroke Risk, so it is very fitting that February is Heart Health Month… I will also be providing an in-depth look at Oral Probiotics. Read the full course outline and learning objectives by clicking here!

Learning is so much more rewarding when you can share it with a friend and colleague! Gift my course to a friend, or split the cost! Once you register, simply email info@rdhu.ca your friend's name and email and rdhu will send them a nice email from you and rdhu!

--------------------------

We will be taking a pause from The RDH View over the next couple of months because the cast members will be presenting at various conferences in Canada and the US!

For our western members, be sure to join us at the Pacific Dental Conference March 8 and 9th! Beth and I will be presenting 'These are a few of our Favourite Things'! Our instrumentation workshops are both SOLD OUT, but stay tuned for TODS 2023! If you are curious about Lasers in the BC Dental Hygiene Practice/Department, be sure to join Beth for ''The 10 Reasons Why: Implementing Lasers into your Dental Hygiene Practice' to get a better understanding on why you need to add lasers to your armamentarium!

We are also excited to be a part of the Saskatchewan Dental Hygienists Association Conference on March 24-25! We will be presenting 'These are a few of our Favourite Things' lecture together and then I am presenting Sleep Apnea: a NOT so Silent Killer!

Also, be sure to look out for our booth at the SDHA conference, with Lorraine Gambacourt minding the booth and sharing her Oral Probiotics knowledge!

The next 1-hour show of The RDH View will be on Friday, May 5th at 12pm EST with Amanda Zubricki, RDH, BS, the founder of That Deaf RDH Foundation. See more details below!

It sure is great being back to in-person events. We hope to see you at an upcoming conference or at rdhu!

Be sure to see below for your chance to WIN one of five LM 8-Instrument Cassettes PLUS an Ambience Face Shield from Curion Dental!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

It's been an incredible 7 days. with the purchase of our facility in Burlington, ON, and some wonderful visits from friends and colleagues, who are in our industry. The collaboration and possibilities are endless at this point!

Our facility is like a blank canvas! There is so much to create and plan to help transform the dental hygiene experience for you, your clients and your practice!

I had my friend Robyn Shields from Crest & Oral B stop by for a visit on Friday. She delivered some Genius Power Brushes for giveaways and she brought an inspirational dentist, Dr. Sonya Arora with her. Sonya is a breath of fresh air, has a love for dental hygienists and is on a mission to help close the gap (that exists with many) between dentists and dental hygienists. If you are on Instagram you can follow her @doctor.singer Her Instagram is made up of her singing dental jingles. I love that she can take her hobby of singing and blend it with her passion of dentistry.

Jodie Cantarelli from dentalcorp also came by for a visit and we look forward to doing more with dentalcorp as well.

Today, we had a very dental hygiene kind of day where there were wonderful plans being made with Christine Crawford, Beth Parkes and myself.

To say that I have had an incredible 7 days, which include well wishes from colleagues and friends, is an understatement.

It is times like these where I am so thankful that I chose the field of dental hygiene many moons ago, and still feel charged (almost) every day! :)

If you feel like you are alone in your practice and working in a silo, I encourage you to reach out to some dental friends who are a positive influence and connect.

Alternatively, we would love to have you here for an in-person course where this is your safe place to share and learn ! If you are ever in the area, stop by and say hello!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

As a dental hygienist, it’s essential to keep up with the latest advances in dental care and technology. Not only will this help you stay abreast of the most effective treatment options available, but it can also help you stay ahead of the competition by demonstrating to employers that you are committed to providing quality care. In this blog, we discuss why continuing education is so important for dental hygienists, and how rdhu can help you take your career to the next level.

You Stay Ahead of the Curve

The field of dental hygiene is constantly evolving—new techniques and treatments are being developed all the time. This means dental hygiene practice is essential to continuing to provide excellent patient care. You can ensure that you’re always at the forefront of these changes by taking advantage of continuing education opportunities. Staying ahead of the curve will allow you to provide your patients with cutting edge treatment options, ensuring they get the best possible care.

Learning new techniques and staying up-to-date on best practices will ensure that your patients receive the highest quality care possible. As a dental hygienist, it is your responsibility to provide your patients with well-informed advice and treatments that are tailored specifically for their individual needs. With rdhu’s comprehensive course offerings, you’ll be able to gain valuable knowledge which can be applied directly in your work setting—ensuring that you always deliver top-notch service.

You Advance Your Career

Continuing your education as a dental hygienist also provides an incredible opportunity to advance your career. Depending on what type of continuing education course or program you choose, you may be able to gain additional certifications and knowledge that will open up new pathways within your field. Taking courses in areas such as nutrition counseling, periodontal therapy, or orthodontics could give you valuable skills that would be beneficial to any practice.

You Show Commitment to Your Profession

By continuing to learn and develop new skills as a dental hygienist, you demonstrate your commitment to providing excellent service and care for your patients. Keeping yourself up-to-date on new developments in the field shows that you are dedicated to staying current in order to provide them with the best possible results. This dedication is sure to be appreciated and respected by those who utilize your services.

You Increase Your Knowledge and Confidence

Last but not least, taking continuing education courses provides an opportunity for personal growth within your profession as well. You can increase your knowledge and confidence by learning about different topics related to dentistry which will help make you better equipped when it comes time to treat patients or answer their questions. It also allows room for self-reflection as well—you can identify weaknesses in yourself as a dental hygienist that need improvement so that you can become even more successful down the line!

You gain a competitive edge

Dental hygienists who pursue continuing education will have an advantage in a competitive job market. By taking courses from rdhu, a leading online and in-person dental hygiene Professional Development centre, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you are constantly striving to improve your skill set and stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the field. This will make you more attractive as a potential hire or promotion candidate.

Additionally, continuing education can open up opportunities to specialize in certain areas such as orthodontics or perio. Specializing in one or two specific areas may even lead to better pay over time.

Get in touch with rdhu for expert dental hygiene practice!

Continuing education is essential for any dental hygienist who wishes to remain competitive in today’s job market. At rdhu, our online and in person classes offer comprehensive coverage of all topics related to dentistry and hygiene – giving our members access to the best knowledge available within the industry.

At rdhu, we strive to equip our members with not only technical knowledge but also practical experience which they can use immediately upon completing one our programs! So don’t wait any longer – join us today and start discovering all the benefits that come with improving yourself as a professional!

Wow! We are into the last day of January already!

I have been looking forward to this day for quite some time, as tomorrow, February 1st, we are the official owners of our facility in Burlington!

We have been renting and sharing the facility with two other companies but have now outgrown our space!

rdhu is growing! It is such a proud and exciting moment for all of us and our rdhu community.

We are so thankful for the support and commitment of our members and our industry partners.

This all started 14 years ago this month with an idea of creating a place, where dental hygienists feel safe to share, grow and take their learning to a new level, rather than just attending a course or program, but not making change happen.

Team training and more hands-on programs are in our plans to help transform the dental hygiene experience for you, your practice and your clients!

rdhu is for you...rdh (Registered Dental Hygienist) and u (you! Continuing your education and expanding your growth).

Have an open mind. There are endless possibilities around the things you can do with or at rdhu!

rdhu will be available to teams for getaways and for training. If you would like to have one of our presenters, you can customize your day, or bring your own trainer.

What would you like to do at rdhu?

Thank you for your loyalty over the years. It is simple. We love what we do!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

We wanted to share some of the rdhu behind-the-scenes opportunities that you might not be aware of!

Did you know that we have a Partners Page that gets updated monthly with specials, resources and promotions from our Industry Partners? Some of the specials are created for rdhu members only!

Did you know that we have a section toward the bottom of our On-Track Tuesday that highlights job postings and even have dental hygiene practices for sale at times?

Did you know that we offer a monthly free 1 hour CE show called The RDH View that, if you can't make it live, you can register and we will send you the recording along with your certificate? We also have past recordings if you are interested you can request them!

Like us, many practices have hidden gems that should be shared! Many of your clients and patients aren't aware of all that you offer and this is an opportunity for you to share in all that you do and offer!

• Do you offer laser whitening? Why not share this with your clients through email or social media
• Do you offer Laser Therapy for non-surgical periodontal treatment?
• Can you help your clients when they feel a cold sore coming on?
• Are you completing a comprehensive Oral Cancer Screening to help save lives?
• Do you offer a recycling program for old, used oral health aids?
• Do you offer a Professional Discount that you would love to share with your clients to save them 50% off retail?
• Do you offer treatments to help alleviate sensitivity?
• Do you perform frequent water testing? Why not post or have a certificate showing when the water was last checked to give that extra piece of mind to your clients?
• Do you offer bacterial testing? Share this with your clients so that they are aware when the time comes that they may benefit from bacterial testing or they may ask you for it!
• Do you offer treatment to help with their halitosis?
• The list of possibilities goes on....

A great way to get these messages out, is to share through your email communication, post through your Instagram and Facebook page, and/or create a Welcome Package/Folder for all new clients (or give at their next COE). Here you can highlight the products available and what treatment services you offer!

It could be a lovely marketing piece for your practice that would bring awareness! You could even include your policies (what to expect from your practice and what you expect from them!).

By highlighting the treatments and services that you offer, you will bring the service to the forefront for when you recommend this service to your client in need, or, when your client in need reaches out for it themselves after seeing it highlighted!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

With the New Year upon us, it's a great time to recognize the things (or people) that perhaps were bothering you in 2022 and look for ways to resolve the situation(s), so that you can let go of these things (or people) that no longer serve you in 2023.

It is not healthy to continue to live in an environment or around someone who is bothering you.

And sometimes, by having a much needed difficult conversation, the issue can be resolved.

It won't be easy, but it is necessary.

Many of us keep quiet when things are bothering us. We let things go. We may bring home our frustrations. We may share our complaints with others and in the end, the stress just gets to us.

If something is bothering you at your office, it is important to recognize the feelings and take action.

Having these negative feelings is an energy drainer. If we don't act on figuring out a resolution, these negative feelings become energy vampires and need to be addressed.

To have a difficult conversation:

1. Before going into the conversation ask yourself: What is your purpose for having the conversation? What do you hope to accomplish? What would be an ideal outcome?
2. Be prepared. Be clear on the situation that is upsetting you.
3. Schedule a meeting or time to talk.
4. Make notes to bring to the conversation.
5. Be open to listening to their side. Look at their perspective.
6. Be prepared with a suggestion for a resolution.

You can also start with a 'love ~ hate' kind of message in the opening sentence.

For example, Pat, I love/like you on our team, but I hate or use "don't like" (as my mam always taught me to never use the word hate!) the way that you do this (ie. gossip, never show up for the morning huddle, late coming in, complain about tasks, taking accolades for tasks that they didn't do, not pulling his/her weight etc.). After stating the situation, ask them their thoughts. Let them speak while you listen.

This way, you are starting the difficult conversation with a positive, but then letting this person know that what they are doing isn't ok.

Making people aware that they are doing things that are affecting the morale or culture of the office is a difficult conversation, but one that should be rewarding after.

If the person doesn't change even after they have been made aware that their behaviour isn't ok, perhaps it is time that they move on, or if you can't take that negative energy any longer and cannot make change happen, perhaps you are the one that needs to move on (depending on the situation).

We spend a third of our lives at work, it's important to be happy! Here is to a positive, thriving 2023!

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

As we are in the second week of a New Year, many of us are working on our goals. We are self-reflecting and self-assessing where we are at currently, and then committing to making this year really count!

There is something about this year that feels amazing and fresh and I get the feeling that many feel the same way.

I have been visualizing myself on December 31st, 2023. I am imagining it like it is true today.

I am then working on my goals looking backward. This is where I want to be. These are the things I want to have accomplished. So now what?

Instead of creating a large goal, I am looking at all the steps that I have to achieve and then making these my goals. They are more attainable and if I accomplish these goals, I will ultimately reach the end goal!

The idea is to start with your ultimate objective, your end goal, and then work backward from there to develop your plan.

If you imagine and visualize yourself on December 31st, 2023, what does that look like? Are you feeling strong and healthy? Have you developed meaningful relationships or perhaps have spent more time with loved ones? Have you read more? Have you grown professionally and acquired new skills? Are you happy and fulfilled in your workplace? Close your eyes and imagine this. Feels good, right?

What do you have to do to get there? Break it down working backwards and create your smaller goals and then your plan.

Thank you for reading! Please see below for what is coming up and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

In the digital age, there’s an abundance of options when it comes to education. While the typical in-person route still has its benefits, there are a myriad of online courses that have emerged with their own set of unique advantages. However, as with any major life decision you should thinking through your options and do some research before making a choice. That’s precisely why we’re here!

The registered dental hygienist university (rdhu) is a dental hygienist teaching institution that offers a variety of courses for those looking to enter the profession. When it comes to choosing between taking an online or in-person course, there are certain advantages and disadvantages to consider. Let's look at the benefits of both online and in-person courses offered by RDHU.

Online Courses

Online courses offer several advantages over in-person classes. For one, they are often more convenient than traditional classes as they can be taken from anywhere with an internet connection. This means that students who live far away from their desired school or have conflicting work schedules no longer have to worry about making the commute or missing class due to other commitments.

Additionally, online courses are often more cost-effective as they require fewer materials and typically involve less overhead costs than their in-person counterparts. Finally, online courses give students more freedom when it comes to learning as they can access course material whenever and wherever they want, giving them the ability to go at their own pace without worrying about deadlines or exams.

In-Person Courses

In-person courses offer some distinct advantages that can't be found with online courses. For one, students get to interact directly with instructors, which can help them gain a better understanding of the material being taught—something that can't be replicated through an online course platform.

Additionally, in-person classes provide an opportunity for students to collaborate and learn from each other through group discussions and activities—something that is not possible with an online course format. Finally, attending class in person allows students to develop relationships with their peers and instructors—relationships that may prove beneficial when seeking out professional advice down the road.

Why work with rdhu?

When beginning your journey as a dental hygienist (or continuing your career), it’s vital to work with an upstanding institution that can provide you all the tools necessary to become a fantastic dental hygienist. With rdhu online courses, you can elevate your skills as a dental hygienist or acquire new ones! But why rdhu? Well, since its inception in 2009, rdhu continues to be the benchmark for providing an innovative way of learning at the beautiful boutique educational facility in Burlington, Ontario and the online capabilities that can reach dental hygienists across the country.

rdhu was created by dental hygienists for dental hygienists and has emerged as a leader in dental hygiene education throughout Canada, and around the globe—with over 16,000 members. rdhu is proud of being the first hands-on professional development center for dental hygienists, we did it first and best. If you’re in need of comprehensive dental hygienist training, look no further than the dedicated team at rdhu.

Get in touch to learn about rdhu online courses and other tools for dental hygienists!

At rdhu, we understand how important it is for our prospective dental hygienists to receive comprehensive training before entering the world of dentistry. We offer both online and onsite courses, so you can choose which format best suits your needs and lifestyle. Our experienced faculty will guide you every step of the way, so you can become a successful dental hygienist who is well respected by both patients and colleagues alike. So why wait? Contact us today, or visit our website for more information on how rdhu can help you reach your career goals.

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a great Holiday and enjoyed family time and some rest and relaxation!

I get excited this time of year where we reflect on the last year and create goals for the next! It is a fresh start and a new beginning!

There are many different types of goals to consider. There could be Spiritual, Marital, Vocational, Avocational, Financial, Health, and Professional, just to name a few!

What Professional Goals do you have planned for this year? If you would like some ideas, I have a few suggestions...

1. Myofunctional Therapy: Is this the year that you would like to become a Myofunctional Therapist? Or if you are at the stage where you would like to explore what a Myofunctional Therapist does, we have Joe Siegfried on our first show of the year The RDH View next Friday, January 13th at 12pm EST. It is FREE to join in and if you cannot make it live, please register and we will send everyone who is registered the recording. Here is the link: Are you considering adding Myofunctional Therapy in your practice?

2. Did you always want to add Orthodontics to your skillset? We offer a 2-Day hands-on Orthodontic course at rdhu! Take a weekend for you and perhaps sign-up with a friend!

3. Do you have a Laser sitting in a drawer in your office collecting dust? Why not dive in and get trained in lasers and get one op up and running! Providing laser treatment can be so rewarding for you, your client and your practice! We offer laser training in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec!

4. Did you want to look at providing home care tools that are essential in making a positive change for your client's oral health. Perhaps you would like to start offering the Oral Health Essentials program to your clients!

5. Perhaps you are looking at improving the tools in your hands by assessing your hand instrumentation and ultrasonic inserts. I am in the process of writing an e-book on Streamlining Instrumentation. I will share once it is ready. It includes Worksheets to help you with your planning and offers tips on how to sustain an instrumentation program.

If you know me, you know that I could go on and on with ideas for goals! I am adding a goal planning workbook in my Quality Assurance course that will be offered this month. This course is for Ontario RDH's as it is based around the CDHO QA Program and is a Records Management Course. If you are from a different province and think that you would enjoy a mini course on planning and setting Professional goals, I would be happy to offer the workbook in a mini course. Please reply back that you would be interested and if we have enough interest, I will set it up!

In the meantime, please take a look below for what is coming up! We have added some course times to accommodate our Western members. Thank you and have a great week ahead!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

We celebrated our 2022 Holiday Party last week! It was so great to be together in person! A few of us met for the first time as much of our communication had been through Zoom!

I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by authentic industry leaders who continue to push the envelope to make change happen to elevate client and patient care and who continue to share their knowledge and skills with us.

We missed some of our presenters who live in other provinces! Ramona Bains from British Columbia, Chrissy Ford from Alberta, Lina Dawli from Quebec! And then Dani Botbyl, Liisa Moore and Anna Louise Tolan, who are from Ontario but couldn't join us. You were missed!

We are really excited for what is in store for 2023! AND rdhu is celebrating 14 Years next month! There is lots to celebrate!

We are so grateful for you! Thank you for being on this journey with us.

Wishing you a wonderful Holiday Season with your family and friends. Stay safe, relax and enjoy!

Until our Next On-Track Tuesday will be on Tuesday, January 3rd!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up so you can start planning your 2023!

*Until Dec. 31 ~ Buy 2 courses that are being offered in January and receive the QA Online Workshop with me, for FREE! Just email us after you register and we will send you the link for the QA workshop.

If you are a QA Coach Member, you will have access with no additional charge. Please email us to register!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

As a dental hygienist, continuing education is essential to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends and techniques, as well as to ensure you’re providing your patients with the best possible care. But with so many options available, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why rdhu has put together this guide to help you find the right PACE recognized continuing education courses for your needs.

At rdhu we specialize in offering innovative approaches to modern dental hygiene training and practice—and a core part of our curriculums are PACE recognized courses. Our team at rdhu is created by dental hygienists for dental hygienists, and has emerged as a leader in dental hygiene education in Canada, and around the globe, with over 19,000 members. rdhu is proud of being the first hands-on professional development centre for dental hygienists. Now, without further ado, here is a quick guide to finding PACE recognized continuing education courses for dental hygienists.

What Are PACE Recognized Courses?

PACE stands for Professional Advancement Continuing Education and is offered by the American Dental Association (ADA). It is an online program that provides dental professionals with access to quality, interactive continuing education courses from accredited providers all over the country. All of these courses have been approved by the ADA and must meet their high standards for quality, relevance, and accuracy. Thus, when you’re working on your career as a dental hygienist, it’s important to be on the look out for PACE recognized courses to ensure that you’re receiving the highest quality education you can possibly get.

Where Can you Find PACE Recognized Courses?

The best place to find PACE recognized courses is through rdhu’s Online Boutique. On our website, you can easily browse through our extensive list of PACE recognized courses and quickly find one that fits your needs. We offer a wide range of topics such as infection control, oral health care technology, patient care management, and more. You can also read reviews from other dental hygienists who have taken our courses in order to get an idea of which course might best suit your needs.

How Do you Get Started?

The first step is to select a course that’s right for you. Look through PACE recognized courses offered by our team and select some that feel relevant to you and your career. Once you’ve found a course that interests you in our Boutique, simply click on the “Add to Cart” button and follow the instructions provided. After completing your registration process, we will send you an email confirmation with a link to access your course materials. Once you complete all of the required modules in our course material, you will receive digital certification indicating that you have successfully completed our PACE recognized continuing education course.

Get in touch with rhdu for more information on PACE recognized courses!

Maintaining your skills as a dental hygienist (or beginning your career) requires a lot of work but it doesn’t have to be painful. Finding PACE recognized continuing education courses doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming—especially when you work with rdhu! Our comprehensive list of courses covers a variety of topics so that every dental hygienist can find something that meets their unique needs and interests. With an easy sign-up process and convenient access options like email confirmations and hard copy certificates upon request, there’s no reason not to take advantage of this opportunity today! So what are you waiting for? Check out rdhu's selection of PACE recognized courses today!

This week's Blog is from Liisa Moore, our Ortho Presenter and QA Coach! Liisa is also a Canfitpro Instructor who focuses on health and fitness.

December is here, where did 2022 go? Just because the holiday season is here does not mean all the stress that comes with it has to arrive too. Talking with Kathleen inspired me yet again to put my fingers to the keyboard and share my tips for a happy, healthy, and stress-free holiday.

Now, we are all busy and we know that this often means; poor choices for food, no time for exercise, late nights, and early mornings. All of this puts us at greater risk for illness. No one wants to be sick, especially around the holidays. I am hoping the following tips for gift giving ideas can help you with either your own health and wellness (who says you can’t give yourself a gift) or someone in your circle of family and friends. So, before you reach for that bottle of wine or box of chocolates, why not consider trying one of the following?

For the host/hostess of the holiday party:

Offer to bring a healthy option. Veggies and dip are always a hit. You can get creative here by making your own hummus, or arranging the veggies in the shape of a Christmas tree. You could even google a recipe for an easy to transport winter salad. Homemade soup is also easy to prepare. Butter nut squash or roasted red pepper are the perfect starter course for any holiday meal. Another bonus of soup is that it can be prepared ahead of time and frozen until party day. Simply bring it in a container and heat it up at the event. No time to make it yourself? Order a pre-made fruit bouquet for a little something sweet after the meal. Are you in charge of beverages? No problem, bring ingredients for a “mocktail.” How about some sparkling water and cranberry juice? The nice part about this is that those who choose to can easily add a little shot of “Christmas cheer” if they want, but those who are looking to abstain from alcohol can still enjoy.

Friend/family member/neighbour:

Let’s start off with the obvious here; being dental hygienists, why not give the gift of an electric toothbrush or water flosser? How about a gift certificate for a whitening done by a local dentist or dental hygienist? Or perhaps you have a friend that has been considering orthodontic treatment? Contact your local orthodontist office and offer to pay the consultation fee for them so they can explore treatment options. Outside the realm of dental hygiene there are a lot of other great gifts that can promote health and wellness. Research local yoga studios, fitness centers, or pools in your area as they often offer gift certificates or punch cards for classes. While you are there, get one for yourself! You are more likely to hold yourself accountable when you have a friend with you. Don’t feel like leaving your house? No problem! There are a ton of online fitness, meditation, and yoga apps that you can do right from your own home and most come with a free trial. Sign yourself and a friend up and commit to logging in together. No time to meal prep? Meal subscription boxes have come a long way and these are a great gift idea for the busy family.

Kids:

As a mom of younger kids, I can speak from experience that they do not need any more chocolate or toys. Try one of these instead. I love when my kids get “experiences” rather than things. How about gift certificates to the local indoor playground or trampoline park. Get outdoors and enjoy passes to the cross-country ski trails or downhill if that’s what they are into. A low-cost option would be to print the schedule for the local arenas for public skating dates and offer to take them (double gift here kids and parents). Boardgames, puzzles, and books are also great options.

Support local:

I try to buy from local shops as much as I can. I love the quality and customer service you get from local retailers.

• House plant: My guilty pleasure is browsing our local greenhouses. I love houseplants, especially in the winter as they green up the house and also act as air purifiers.
• Coffee: visit your favourite local coffee shop and purchase some high-quality coffee beans or tea.
• Cleaning service: Ask for recommendations in your neighbourhood online group and find someone close to you. How about talking to a local garage and see if they do car detailing?
• Local soap: Search online marketplace for someone that makes their own soaps. Create a gift basket with soaps and bath bombs. Some even make their own personal care products like face creams, sunscreen, lip balms, and deodorants.
• Custom health basket: Check out your local health food store and if you aren’t familiar with vitamins and supplements, ask a staff member to help you put together a basket to help with immune support, skin care, or general wellness.
• Self-care: Not enough people take time for self-care. Gift certificates for massage, physiotherapy or a chiropractor are great options.
• 2nd hand stores: Aside from being sustainable, 2nd hand stores are usually locally owned and operated. I have a wonderful locally owned used bookstore where I live. Try to find one in your area and get a gift certificate. You get more bang for your buck as new books can be expensive. Consignment shops are also great. You can get name brand clothes for bargain prices. Make a date of it and go together. You never know what treasures you will find!

I hope this inspires you to give a healthy option this holiday season and that by reading these tips some gift giving stress has been relieved. Be sure to take time for yourself so that you and everyone around you stays healthy.

Merry Christmas to all and wishing you health and happiness in 2023! From Liisa Moore!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up so you can start planning your 2023!

Thank you for reading! Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Wow! My heart and mind were full over the weekend!

I attended Jo-Anne Jones' experiential workshop at rdhu on Friday (The Ultimate Experiential Oral and Oropharangeal Cancer Workshop) and then again with Joe Siegfried on Saturday for Day 1 of the practical part of his full Myofunctional Therapy Program. I wish I could have stayed on the Sunday but I had been away for a while and needed to get home. Some of the questions that came up on Saturday, Joe would say, "We are going over that tomorrow". I was itchin' to stay because I need to know! I was a guest for the day so I may dive in deeper during his next program, which will begin in April 2023.

It truly is one of those situations where we don't know what we don't know.

What we do is so important. We can change people's lives. We can improve the quality of their life. We can save their life with early detection. We all know this but it's one of those things that once you dive in deeper with a topic, you automatically want to reach out to your friends, family and clients who you think about during the program and share your information with the "You should" "I want you to go see..." "Let's get you set up with..."

I had to stop myself from reaching out to everyone and I know many dental hygienists there on those days felt the same. They said their heads were exploding with amazing new knowledge!

So, I will pace myself for the right time to have these discussions with those I was thinking about.

If you can ever join us for some of our experiential learning at rdhu, we would love to have you. The sense of community that not only I felt, but the attendees and the rdhu team as well was so rewarding. These were events we will all cherish.

Many travel for Professional Development and make a weekend out of it.

It is worth the travel to invest in yourself and your career.

Until then, we have lots of transformational programs online set and ready for you.

Thank you for reading! Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

If you joined me on Friday for the webinar on 'Entering 2022 into your Learning Portfolio', thank you! If you registered on Zoom you will receive the follow-up email shortly.

We had over 200 attend this webinar and I just love talking about everything QA! I am a big believer in documenting learning in order to make change happen. We have all taken many courses that we have found interesting, but once we leave we continued doing the same old same old! If we don't document and make a plan to change, nothing will change!

It is all about shifting your mindset from one of resentment toward the QA process to acceptance. See it as an opportunity to get charged up and excited in creating a goal, a learning path and then implementing to make change happen to improve and enhance your client care and practice!

The current QA program is still in place while under review. Professional Development will still be at the forefront of however the program will look in the future. We are healthcare professionals and as a part of the RHPA Act, we need to participate in Continuous Quality Improvement Activities. What will change is the how and who gets audited each year.

I am designing a course for January on QA and would love to have you join me. It is a 4-hour program as this is what the CDHO recommends for remediation for learning the Quality Assurance Management of Records.

We have also created some really great worksheets to help you set your year up for success. I can't wait to send it to you and work alongside you! Click here to access registration to this course.

We have had many dental hygienists reach out in need of guidance on the QA program and planning next year, so this would be a great way to start your year on the right foot!

For those who haven't renewed your CDHO registration, this is a gentle reminder that you need to register by December 1st.

The Self-Assessment is now available and you have until January 31st to complete. If you fail to complete, you will automatically be audited for next year.

If you need some QA hours or just feel the need to dive into some new learning to finish the year strong, we have a few great courses lined up over the next month before the year ends!

Jo-Anne Jones THIS Friday at rdhu for an in-person special event ~ The Ultimate Experiential Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer Workshop Use Promo Code: SAVEALIFE

Joe Siegfried ~ HIV: Take the Stigma out of the Dental Practice

Lorraine Gambacourt ~ Influencing Biofilm Balance with Oral Probiotics

Kerry Lepicek ~ Red Flags: What You Should NEVER Ignore!

Thank you for reading!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

To continue on the topic of being 'Indispensable in the Dental Practice'...

Another key concept is to view situations from multiple perspectives.

We all perceive things differently and it is an important thing to recognize and appreciate the differences and the perspectives.

To be open to new ideas and concepts from someone else's view.

We are going to see things differently than a team member or a client based on our own beliefs or experiences. We all have different upbringings and beliefs which will impact our perception of a situation or person. It comes from a personal point of view and is shaped by life experiences, values, current state of mind and the assumptions that are made!

There is great value in recognizing different perspectives in conversations or situations because these enable us to hear and react to things very differently.

My perception doesn't make it right or a reality.

It is just the way that I perceive something.

Try looking at other team members' or clients' perspectives from their points of view. Close your eyes and imagine you are them. As if you were them...."What do I want? What do I fear?"

A perspective is not right or wrong by default. It is the point of view of a single person based on their life experiences and values, among other things. We each have one and sometimes we share it with others, and sometimes we do not.

Allowing yourself to see a situation or conversation from someone else's eyes will help you as a leader in your practice and will become another reason why ...YOU are indispensable!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Two weeks ago I started to share some of the 8 Simple Secrets to Being Indispensable in the Dental Practice and promised more would follow.

Last week, my dear friend Jo-Anne Jones, wrote a blog about her important message and upcoming hands-on event at rdhu The Ultimate Experiential Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer Workshop.

Today, I continue on the Indispensable train!

Everyone wants to feel needed and wanted and essentially indispensable in the workplace. Heck, there are books on this topic! If you don't feel appreciated or feel that you wouldn't be missed if you left, that is not a good feeling and it is time to make a change.

Being indispensable can help your morale because you are going to enjoy your work more knowing how valuable you are to the practice. It not only makes you feel that you are contributing to something greater than yourself, but it also provides you with validation of what you do and who you are professionally.

So, we looked at being Innovative in the dental practice and I shared some ideas on innovation in the Oct. 25 On-Track Tuesday. Being innovative at work means that you contribute ideas and solutions to workplace challenges or problems. Innovators recognize when there is a need for improvement, and they use logic, reason and creativity to come up with ways to meet those needs.

If you have thought about a program or solution that you are planning, I would love to hear!

So, what is another way to be indispensable in the workplace besides being innovative? Being an implementer! We can have great ideas and share with our team but unless you are taking action to plan and launch this innovative program, it is nothing but an idea and will not become a reality.

If you are not the one to implement, perhaps partnering up with a team member who is great at implementing can be part of your strategic plan when proposing this program or solution to your team.

Unless you Assess the current state, Document, Plan, Implement and Evaluate (sounds like ADPIE?) the idea will always remain just an idea.

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

A career as a dental hygienist in Canada offers a wide range of benefits including a comfortable salary, meaningful work, and flexibility to take time off when necessary. It is no surprise then, that every year high school graduates and individuals looking for a career change are setting their sights on this profession.

Like many positions in the healthcare sector, there are a number of strict requirements that ensure dental hygienists receive the training they need to adequately serve the public. If you are thinking about entering this field, it is important to know the steps that you need to take in order to pursue a career as a dental hygienist.

At RDHU, our mission is to transform the field of dentistry by empowering dental hygienists with specialized programs in Ontario. Below we have listed the basic dental hygienist requirements in Canada.

Post-secondary education

After graduating from high school, those looking to pursue a career in this field must apply to a post-secondary institution and enroll in a dental hygiene program. These programs are available both in the form of a bachelor’s degree or a diploma. In Canada, the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators is the governing body that maintains a list of Entry-To-Practice Competencies and Standards. For a Canadian post-secondary institution to obtain approval for a dental hygienist program, these strict guidelines must be met. Over the course of their post-secondary studies, aspiring dental hygienists will become well-versed in oral health sciences, learning how to communicate with patients, and how to prevent potential health issues. 

Pass the National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam

Dental hygienists must obtain a license to practice on both a provincial and federal level. In Canada, the National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam is the standardized test which confirms the individual’s competency as a healthcare professional. The test consists of multiple choice questions divided into categories such as biochemistry, pharmacology, and more. A portion of the test focuses on professional scenarios, while the majority is based on independent, scientific facts. While the pass rate for this test is over 90% in Canada, it is important to prepare well in advance using resources provided during your post-secondary studies, along with outside sources. 

Comply with the CDHO’s Quality Assurance Program

Once you have passed your National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam and are ready to start practicing as a dental hygienist, the work is far from over. In Canada, measures are taken to ensure dental hygienists are upholding the standards that they learn during their studies. These efforts differ from province to province, however in Ontario, we operate based on the College of Dental Hygienists Ontario’s Quality Assurance Program. Under this provincial regulatory body, dental hygienists are expected to continue practicing in compliance with the corresponding rules and regulations throughout their careers. While this is a self-monitored system, reports of non-compliance could cause professionals to lose their license. At RDHU, we offer Quality Assurance coaching to ensure your practice is in compliance.

Specialized education

After entering the field, many dental hygienists feel the urge to hone in on their skills by pursuing further training and education. Areas of specialization such as laser training enables dental hygienists to further contribute to public health, earn a higher income, and explore new areas of interest. At RDHU, we offer both online and on-site courses at our facility in Burlington, Ontario.

Are you interested in pursuing a career as a dental hygienist? This exciting career is full of fascinating opportunities for personal and professional growth. If you are currently practicing as a dental hygienist, contact us today to learn more about how our courses compliment the basic dental hygienist requirements in Canada.

Will This Be the Year You Save a Life?

This week's blog brought to you by: Jo-Anne Jones, RDH

As I took my seat amidst my family, the chapel began to fill up very quickly. There was a faint playing of favourite songs accompanied by a slide show of treasured family times playing across a large screen. The balcony began to fill and eventually there were more chairs being brought into this setting that had witnessed much happier times. This was the day of the funeral for my cousin, Bonnie, who lost her life to HPV (Human papillomavirus) -related oropharyngeal cancer. This was not supposed to happen.

Several things have changed in the oral and oropharyngeal cancer world; the fastest growing profile of oral, and in particular oropharyngeal cancer, is caused by the Human papillomavirus. How common is the virus? The CDC states that almost every sexually adult will have one or more infections in their lifetime and most will be totally unaware. This has fueled a dramatic increase in HPV-related cancers in the head and neck. This has also prompted a strong ‘call to action’ from the Chief Dental Officer of Canada to the oral healthcare professional community to raise awareness, educate and promote evidence-based preventive and diagnostic interventions.

We are not powerless in our efforts! The CDC also states that 92% of future HPV-attributable cancers can be prevented by the HPV vaccine. Can you imagine a world where we have made this significant an inroad on a cancer that is spiraling out of control? In April of this year in Canada, the indication for the HPV vaccine has been expanded to include prevention of head and neck cancers. We need to educate each, and every patient seated in our treatment room of this ability to prevent one of the deadliest cancers in the body. Here's the disconnect...the vast majority of the public perceive the HPV vaccine primarily as a preventive measure to combat cervical cancer. And in fact, the public is partly correct. Due to screening and the vaccine, Canada enjoys one of the lowest cervical cancer rates in the world. However, did you know that HPV-related head and neck cancers have surpassed the rate of cervical cancers over a decade ago and is 4.5X more common in men than women?

For the first time, I have combined my most sought-after lecture of oral/oropharyngeal cancer survivor stories with a hands-on, ‘direct to clinical practice’ educational experience. I’m excited to offer this! I have always been a fan of rdhu both as an educator and as a colleague. The unique signature of rdhu in providing a hands-on experience, was the perfect choice to host this program. This is a memorable day...one you will never forget. The graphic images of the journey of oral/oropharyngeal cancer survivors and the families who have graciously shared the stories of loved ones they have lost to this disease, will make an indelible imprint on your mind. I seriously can never present these stories without feeling overcome by emotion. It is deeply humbling to be entrusted with sharing a time in someone’s life where they lived their darkest days and wondered if they would be able to pull through.

The historic etiologic pathways of smoking and alcohol consumption are represented in stories, however most stories I will be sharing were younger, vibrant people in the prime of their lives that were stricken with a life-altering cancer. This has caught both the medical and dental communities’ totally off guard. Being alive is a risk factor!

So, what will our day together look like if you choose to join me on Friday, November 25th? The morning will focus on visual stories of oral/oropharyngeal cancer patients. Each story will be linked with a different aspect of either the extraoral or intraoral examination with a strong clinical ‘takeaway’. This is where knowledge translation happens! The afternoon together will focus on best practices for earliest discovery. You will be introduced to all the adjunctive screening devices including the market leader, VELscope Vx as well as Identafi, Oral ID and BioScreen. We will also explore the unmistakable benefit of using magnification and illumination.

As your colleague, I truly understand the demands of clinical practice and the time constraints we are under. The extraoral/intraoral examination needs to be streamlined being both efficient and effective to reasonably incorporate into our appointment times. We will explore all aspects of the head and neck examination including oral cancer screening in the comfortable, collegial environment of rdhu.

Do you recall how to document an oral finding? We don’t find abnormalities every day and it is challenging to remember all the descriptive terminology and the components of recording an abnormal finding. Many tips will be shared to accomplish this, and breakout sessions will elevate confidence in this aspect of recordkeeping. Clinical resources will be provided to you to guide you each step of the way so you will never struggle again with documentation and/or referral management pathways. A number of client educational resources will be provided to assist you in elevating awareness.

We can make a difference! With earlier discovery through improved examination techniques, we can impact treatment outcome, survival rates, and quality of life. If you have ever made an oral/oropharyngeal cancer discovery on a client, you know full well that it is a gratification that cannot be compared to anything else we do in our clinical day. People are indebted to you for the rest of their life. Because you cared enough to assess effectively, sought education to keep you up to date and never missed an opportunity to screen, you found something that otherwise may have continued to go unnoticed.

So many of us take for granted that we will see our children graduate from high school, go on that first date, get dressed for their first prom, get that first coveted kiss from a grandchild...others will not have that joy. Our profession is strategically positioned to paly an integral role in earlier discovery of both oral and oropharyngeal cancer. I am confident that you will emerge from this day of education and will look harder, will palpate further, and prioritize this simple screening exam impacting many lives through your acquired knowledge.

Will this be the year you save a life?

Join us for this VERY Special Day on Friday, November 25th with Jo-Anne Jones at rdhu! You will be in for a treat!

Click here to learn more and to register! For the First 30 people who Register, Use the PROMO CODE: SAVEALIFE to receive $100 off! Thanks to Orascoptic and VELscope for sponsoring this session!

Thank you Jo-Anne for this moving and important message. We look forward to seeing you at rdhu on Friday, November 25th!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

I am here finishing preparing for my presentation that is happening this Friday in Toronto with Spectrum. We will also have an exhibit there and are happy to support this event!

One of the opportunities I am excited to share in my presentation is the Ambience Face Shield. I know many of you are familiar with this product as they have won 4 Product of the Year awards!

This is a story of innovation at its best!

Dr. Yamaoak is a practicing dentist in Vancouver and after returning to work and needing a face shield, he couldn't find one that fit over his loupes. His son, Zach is a Dyson Engineer. So together they created, after 58 prototypes, the Ambience Face Shield. They saw a need and they were innovative and came up with this!

This past Saturday, I presented for a group from Dental Corp on 'The 8 Simple Secrets on Being Indispensable in the Dental Practice'! This is a program that I love to share, which I have also turned into a series of articles for the Oral Hygiene publication. Part 1 of the series will be out shortly. If you would like to subscribe to this publication, it is free and always provides great content.

One of the 8 Secrets that I share is how you can become innovative!

Over the years, whether practicing clinically or running my dental instrument business (which I have now sold) or rdhu for the last 13 years, I always look at what is missing. What is the need and how can I improve this and fill the void? How can we improve X to deliver Y?

It doesn't mean that you have to come up with creating a revolutionary anti-glare visor which uses Nanotechnology for 10x less reflection than standard face shield visors and that with proper care, will last you 1 year or more before needing to replace the visor alone.

But it could mean that you are being innovative by taking the lead in a program and creating the program to implement into your practice. It is about taking stock of what's in front of you and making changes for the better!

It could be an Instrument Maintenance Program where you streamline each op with the kits that you need in a typical day. How many healthy or gingivitis clients do you see? How many perio clients based on your Staging and Grading assessment do you see in a day? By switching up your kits so that they aren't all alike, you will not only feel more engaged in your day, as you will be using different instruments; but it will help with costs (as we don't need so many instruments in every kit), and it will ensure that you have the instrument you need to provide the best care. I have attached a sample of the Decision Tree for Instrument Selection (in both Sharpen-Free and Stainless option) and a Worksheet fo you as a download below. If you would like to go over this more with me, I am getting together with a small group of dental hygienists (virtually with cameras on) on Sunday, November 6th. I would love for you to join me!

Another example of being innovative, could you lead a Laser Program for the dental hygiene op? Start with one op. Join us and get educated and trained on lasers. Implement the laser in the one op successfully, then go to the next op and do the same!

There are many ways that we can be innovative! Stay tuned for more secrets to being innovative next week!

To learn more about the Ambience Face Shield, please visit the Curion website!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

I was away on a Happy Retreat Girls Weekend this past weekend at my friend's cottage. It was a weekend full of gratitude, story sharing, forest bathing and yoga! It was so lovely. They also arranged for a couple of massage therapists to come in and treat us. I couldn't attend the full four days so only had the Saturday to Sunday with them and volunteered to take the last massage time available on Sunday as I wasn't in a hurry to get home.

My one girlfriend, Monica, tried to warn me that the female therapist was a little aggressive and to speak up, because she didn't.

The massage therapists were a couple and we each went in with another friend as the massage was set up in the bunkie. It was lovely overlooking the water; however, the pressure was WAY too much.

At first, while she was working on my legs, I was thinking, oh this is amazing! It is just what I needed! But when she started with the top half, the pressure increased substantially. I was super uncomfortable and tried to politely tell her 3 or 4 times that the pressure was too much. I didn't want to wreck it for my girlfriend that was beside me so I was kind and tried to blame the sensitivity on myself as to not insult her (Like what are you thinking applying this much pressure on a human body?). When my face was down I could hide the pain and all the faces that went with it; however, once I flipped over there was no hiding the expressions so I wiggled every which way in pain!

So yesterday, I had a day of, oh my goodness, uncomfortable pain. My neck, my temples, my whole upper body actually. Before we got started we were given cards with their info because they want to grow their mobile business and I was saying, oh perfect, we will have you up at our house for my sisters, etc. But after being treated, I will definitely not be putting my sisters' bodies in her hands. I can take a lot more than them! It is a shame and I did try to tell her and I obviously needed deep tissue therapy, which some of my friends were fine with it, so not sure what more I could have done. I just wasn't up for it that day and wished she could have understood my unique needs.

So, as I sit here, like I do every Tuesday and think of something to share, this comes to mind.

Read your client's body action. If they are squirming and eyes opening wide, chances are they are uncomfortable. Stop and assess. What is going on? Is it that your instruments are dull, and you are applying too much lateral pressure? Are your ultrasonic inserts worn? Are you using the correct instrument or insert for that application? Could you use Oraqix or a local?

Is there something going on with your client emotionally and today, feelings are a little heightened? Are there ways we could make things more comfortable today or perhaps we need to reschedule to a more optimal time?

Do you think most clients would quietly leave and not complain because they don't want to create a scene or hurt someone's feelings? Typically, this is the case! People in general would rather not say anything and leave and just won't return.

If we are lucky though, they may say something at the front desk and request another dental hygienist next time!

Most often than not, it isn't the dental hygienist who is inflicting pain. The majority of the time, the tools in his or her hands aren't in optimal condition and are responsible for the discomfort. Or, the ultrasonic tips have been worn out beyond the Active Tip.

This is why I feel so passionate about sharing instrument maintenance tips (and selection) to help you achieve the sharpest cutting edge and longevity of your ultrasonic tips.

I have a couple of courses that I present on instrument maintenance, 'Maintain Your Edge' and 'Sharpen Your Skills', that we offer virtually.

If you feel that perhaps you are hurting your clients with improper sharpening and damaging instruments or using worn out tips, or if you feel that you would just like to learn a quick and easy method to sharpen instruments, I would love for you to join me for my next program:

Sharpen Your Skills: Online Date: Sunday, November 6th (4 hours with a start time at 11am EST).

You will receive an rdhu Sharpening Kit and the Post-it pad Sharpening Guide that I created many years ago and is a 'must have' when sharpening, and also an Ultrasonic Wear Card prior to the course date.

I would love for you to join me. Videos will be on so it can be very interactive and we can work together.

I will also be in person at PDC along with Beth Parkes for this program, if you are planning on being at PDC in Vancouver in March!

Thanks for reading and off to the Epson Bath I go!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Why Dental Hygienists Can Benefit From Participating in Myofunctional Therapy Training

Are you seeing patients with abnormal lip, jaw, or tongue positions during rest, swallowing, or speech? Are these same patients complaining of snoring or apnea? Perhaps they thumb or finger-sucked far into childhood. Perhaps they have a genetic predisposition to abnormal or restricted growth patterns in their jaw. Whatever the cause, preventing and treating these craniomandibular dysfunctions can be life-changing for patients.

Depending on your Scope of Practice, some Canadian Registered Dental Hygienists can learn the crucial skills needed to significantly improve their patients’ lives by taking myofunctional therapy courses. This knowledge is invaluable to helping patients achieve proper oral postures and functions, and promoting healthy dental development, breathing, and speech.

What Is Myofunctional Therapy?

Like so many other “physical” therapies, myofunctional therapy is a carefully curated set of exercises done with the muscles of the face, mouth, and tongue. These exercises help to tone, relax, stretch, and strengthen the facial and oral muscles associated with facial posture, talking, eating, and breathing.

The importance of the appropriate coordination and strengthening of these muscles cannot be overstated. Myofunctional therapy can significantly improve a patient's quality of life, whether their craniomandibular dysfunction causes a speech disorder, swallowing difficulty, or even sleep apnea and snoring. In fact, myofunctional therapy is so effective, it is an excellent alternative to treatments like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, or surgery!

How Does Myofunctional Therapy Work?

Myofunctional therapy is a therapeutic “diet” of exercises designed to fix abnormal movement patterns of the mouth and face. These abnormal movement patterns can be caused by the following:

• blocked nasal passages
• a misplaced tongue position caused by environmental or genetic factors
• sucking and chewing habits past the age of 3

Myofunctional therapy uses neuromuscular re-training to bring facial and oral structures functionality back into the range of what is considered “typical”. These exercises teach your muscles, nerves, and brain how to work together to learn and maintain optimal movement. Specifically, they aim to improve the following:

• tongue position
• lip seal
• nasal breathing

Dental patients benefit significantly from treatment by hygienists with the knowledge to identify and treat these disorders. Hygienists who are interested in augmenting their education can take courses regarding the diagnosis and treatment of myofunctional disorders and integrate these therapies into the scope of their work.

Where Can Dental Hygienists Find

Myofunctional Therapy Courses?

There are many ways to access myofunctional therapy courses, both online and in-person. The most effective courses are a combination of the two. Rather than taking precious time off of work, registered dental hygienists can access myofunctional therapy courses online that are led by the industry's leading oral care professionals. Once online coursework is completed, a small number of in-person training days are required to solidify students’ understanding of the physicality of myofunctional therapy.

rdhu Offers Comprehensive

Myofunctional Therapy Courses

rdhu’s program is specifically designed for dental hygienists, and gives practitioners the confidence to incorporate myofunctional therapy at an entry level in their practice.

The program offered by rdhu consists of seven weeks of online training (one evening per week) to total 30-hours online. Thereafter, registrants will attend two days of in-person, hands-on training at our rdhu facility in Burlington, ON.

This comprehensive program is led by current myofunctional therapy experts for the benefit of providers seeking to practice myofunctional therapy safely and effectively. Our members are empowered with the understanding that new research in the field of myofunctional therapy is constantly growing, and that their own knowledge of myofunctional therapy should grow with the field.

Oral health and airway health are closely related. Dental hygienists can uncover and treat dental, breathing, and speech-related myofunctional disorders by attending myofunctional therapy courses. While these courses are not universally standard in oral hygiene programs, you can get this life-changing education now by contacting rdhu today.

We are in full swing here at rdhu, with our onsite experiential learning at our facility, our online live streaming courses, Dental Hygiene Quarterly (Fall edition just launched) and many off-site events and programs being delivered. It sure feels great to be back to learning!

Our Myofunctional Therapy and Ortho 101 for the Dental Hygienist both start this week.

If you are looking at expanding your skillset, we encourage you to join in! We have dental hygienists from different provinces join in on these specialty programs.

One of the great things about our profession are the opportunities that are available to us to expand our skill-set! For instance, even if you aren't offering Ortho in your practice, it is a great feather in your cap to have this new skill-set in your repertoire. You never know when you may made need ortho. Perhaps a new associate joins, or a new position in a different practice becomes available! Knowing the ortho fundamentals will help you feel confident that yes, you have some ortho training!

Our laser programs are filling up quickly. The Alberta date is full and we have started a wait list. We should have a date for you shortly! The Ottawa date has filled up. We just opened up a new date and are offering the night before as a hybrid program (Oct. 20)! The theory portion will be online and then join in on the Thursday night for the hands-on. If you are on the wait list for Ottawa, we have emailed you. Please let us know ASAP before we open it up to others!

If you would like laser training in your practice, be sure to reach out and we can make arrangements for you. Or...if you would like to bring your team to rdhu for a special day, we would love to have you on a day designed for you!

We have our rdhu presenters, Beth Parkes, Dani Botbyl, Anna Louise Tolan and Jo-Anne Jones presenting at TODS in Kelowna, BC. TODS runs from Thursday October 20 to Saturday October 22, 2022 . There will be hands-on workshops and lectures designed for you. Please click here to learn more and to register!

We have our rdhu presenters including myself, Beth Parkes and Kerry Lepicek speaking at Spectrum, in Toronto, on Friday October 28th. Click here to learn more and to register!

All of this learning and growing brings on such satisfaction and growth within our profession. Thank you for being a part of rdhu!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

I am really fired up this morning! It is a gorgeous sunny fall day here on Kawagama Lake and I started my morning with some yoga. After being away from home for a few weeks, I can already feel the difference in my step.

We took a trip out to Halifax to drive my daughter's car to her as she drove out with a friend and is in 4th year of Chemical Engineering at Dalhousie.

We were there just in time for Hurricane Fiona! We were fine but it was scary to be a part of that and to be facing the unknown once again.

We then came back and I stayed in the city to spend time at rdhu in Burlington and also to prepare for our event that was last Friday, September 30th with the ODHA, Crest & Oral B at the beautiful Dentsply Sirona Academy. It was so great to be with 40 dental hygienists for the day for some experiential learning! Dani Botbyl, myself and Beth Parkes all presented for the day. Our hearts were full.

It was definitely a highlight for us to be presenting in such a gorgeous state-of-the-art facility. If you ever get the chance or are planning a trip to Toronto, perhaps take a look at their CE schedule to see if there is something going on for you to participate in.

I am happy to be back to my routine and back to Designing my Day! As you know, when we don't design our day, someone else will take control of our day for us!

We are now into the last quarter of 2022. This year has seemed to fly by faster than most!

I love starting a new quarter. I have my new 3-month journal that I cracked open on the weekend and took some time to evaluate where I am with my goals for this year and what I need to do to really end 2022 strong!

Where are you with your goals?

My fitness goals are behind as I started my summer with my other ankle breaking, had a super busy summer with running my first fundraiser, hosting many guests and September was go-go-go. I now have 3 months to make myself a priority. Every day is a new day and we can reset the button whenever we want. No one is perfect. We all fall off our plans and thats okay. We can re-evaluate, reset and recreate SMART Goals.

• S - Specific
• M - Measurable
• A - Attainable or Achievable
• R - Realistic or Relevant
• T - Timely

This is a great time of year to assess goals in these areas:

- Health and Fitness - are you on track? (vitamins, walking, breathing, strength training, eating healthy).

- In your Workplace - are you happy? What can you do to either tweak your current situation just a bit to bring re-engagement to your practice or is it time to expand and see what else is out there? Or are you content? If you are content, we never stay the status quo. We keep learning and growing!

- Family - are you connecting with family members? Sometimes it takes an effort and some planning to ensure that you are paying attention to or connecting with a family member.

- Friends - have you set time aside to be with some of your besties to have a good laugh and reconnect?

- Spiritual - perhaps you meditate or belong to an organization or a church.

- Rest - Do you look for ways that you can rest? Perhaps a monthly spa day, meditation or set time aside to read with a nice cup of tea. Resting is so important and if we don't plan for some rest time, chances are we won't get rest!

- Hobbies - perhaps you are looking at adding some creativity to your life.

We have some exciting things set for this last quarter!

A FREE webinar tonight with Dr. Hyland and Kerry Lepicek, discussing all things Halitosis.

Have you considered becoming a Myofunctional Therapist? I am undergoing Myofunctional Therapy at the moment and can't believe the strength in the back of my palate and tongue.

Our FREE CE show The RDH View has a very engaging and inspirational guest joining us THIS Friday. We will be discussing Mouth Taping! We have over 200 registrants already! Click here or see details below.

Have you always wanted to expand your skillset to the field of Orthodontics?

We are thrilled to have Jo-Anne Jones (my bestie, besides Beth :)) join us for a hands-on experiential day sharing stories and expanding our skill on early detection for Oral Cancer Screening ~ The Ultimate Experiential Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer Workshop.

We have had sold out laser programs as lasers are becoming a must-have adjunct tool and skillset to be educated and trained on. Click on the link to access future dates.

We have a full line of Live Streaming Courses to help transform the dental hygiene experience! We hope you will join us and continue to push forward and elevate our profession.

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

We are really excited to announce that we are now carrying Oral Probiotics at wholesale pricing for the dental profession! BLIS Oral Probiotics from New Zealand!

Lorraine Gambacourt, presenter and laser trainer at rdhu, is super passionate about Oral Probiotics and has been pushing to make this happen!

Oral Probiotics is a great adjunct that we can add to our treatment plans for those clients who present with gingivitis, periodontal disease, xerostomia, yeast, caries and/or halitosis (and so much more…)!

Here is a blog about Oral Probiotics brought to you this week by Lorraine Gambacourt:

Oral Probiotics ~ Trending now in Oral Health!

Many of you know how passionate I am about Oral Probiotics!

What if…

· we could improve the quality of saliva, and reduce the potential for oral Candida to become opportunistic in the mouth?

· we could reduce the risk of dental decay and Candida in someone who suffers from xerostomia?

· we could help reduce the incidence of ear and throat infections, and help ward off the common cold?

· we could help to reduce the incidence of decay, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and halitosis?

· we could positively influence and sustain a healthier biofilm, by “repopulating” the oral cavity with healthy bacteria after conventional periodontal therapies?

Most people understand the benefits of gut probiotics, but few individuals and oral health professionals are aware of the preventive and/or supportive benefits to oral health that Oral Probiotics can provide.

In the fall of 2016, I attended a lecture and learned that Oral Probiotics would be an emerging trend in oral health in the following10 years. I found this fascinating so began researching the science behind the many beneficial oral probiotic strains as well as the products available! I began teaching what I learned, followed by writing two articles this year, as well as a full chapter on the topic, which was included in the book “Get Your Spit Together” which launched in January this year.

Oral Probiotics are specific strains of healthy bacteria that can improve oral health. They encourage the growth of good bacteria while stopping or interfering with the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Many things upset the balance in the oral microbiome, creating a “dysbiosis”, allowing pathogenic bacteria to thrive leading to the many conditions and oral diseases we frequently see.

Numerous studies have shown that Oral Probiotics can be extremely useful in the prevention or treatment of oral diseases such as tooth decay, halitosis, and periodontal disease. Some have also been shown to boost the immune system and reduce the potential for ear and throat infections.

While Oral Probiotics can undoubtedly provide significant benefits to oral health, it is important to point out that the timing of the recommendation is critical for optimal results. If an individual has significant oral infection, it must be addressed first followed by the introduction of Oral Probiotics in the maintenance phase of treatment.

Adding this adjunct to our treatment therapies can most definitely lower risk, help prevent disease, boost our immune defenses, and improve treatment outcomes.

So, six years after my initial introduction, I believe the time is NOW for us to recommend this oral health supplement! Join the many who see the addition of Oral Probiotics as an exciting and promising oral health strategy and decide for yourself whether Oral Probiotics could be the “missing link” to help sustain improved oral health outcomes!

rdhu is NOW offering BLIS K12 ™ FRESHBREATH, and BLIS M18™ (TEETH&GUMS) at wholesale pricing so you can have readily available to your clients!

BLIS K12™ is the world’s first probiotic specifically developed for oral health. The benefits extend far beyond fresh breath to include: Inhibition of P. gingivalis and P. intermedia; reduction/prevention of ear and throat infections; protection against Candida; anti-viral properties; reduction of periodontal pathogen-induced inflammation.

BLIS M18 ™ inhibits key periodontal pathogens including Aa, Pg, Pi, and Fn, and reduce periodontal pathogen-induced inflammation. BLIS M18™ can also reduce caries risk by breaking down plaque, neutralizing pH and inhibiting the growth of S. mutans.

Thank you Lorraine for sharing this transformational information!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

In Canada, professionals need to understand the dental hygiene continuing education requirements. This is because dental hygienists need to document their professional learning activities to meet continuing competence requirements. Failure to do so could result in the suspension of your professional permit.

Of course, all dental hygienists graduate from dental hygiene programs and pass the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board (NDHCB) exam. In most provinces, dental hygienists have to maintain a portfolio of continuing education courses and meet certain requirements for competency and course hours within a three-year timeframe.

Details of dental hygiene continuing education

In Ontario, for example, dental hygienists must engage in 75 hours of continuing education every three years. 80% of these hours must focus on direct learning and practice, while 20% can come from conferences and meetings. As a dental hygienist, you are responsible for ensuring your classes meet the continuing education requirements for your province.

This process can sometimes be confusing. You will be spending an average of 25 hours per year on continuing education, so you certainly do not want to waste time on courses that will not fulfill the requirements.

How to ensure you meet the requirements

Specialized institutions provide professional development courses that help busy professionals meet their continuing education needs while growing their skill set. For example, at RDHU, we offer both online and onsite courses that qualify for your continuing education portfolio. In addition, we offer training programs that show you how to use new technology. Currently, you can access soft tissue diode laser training through RDHU.

Here is a closer look at the options RDHU can give you to meet your continuing education needs.

How RDHU streamlines dental hygiene continuing education

At RDHU, we offer subscriptions, packages, and stand-alone courses. With these options, we make it easy to track your continuing education portfolio and break the professional development efforts down into manageable portions. 75 hours seems like a lot, but if you divide it evenly, it is only 2 or 3 hours per month. At RDHU, we make this type of ongoing education straightforward.

Here's how:

• Dental Hygiene Quarterly (DHQ). Our DHQ program is a subscription service that automatically provides 3 hours of continuing education each quarter. These courses focus on daily practice skills and knowledge and are available via DVD or online video. We send them directly to you, and you can watch them at your convenience.
• Individual online and onsite courses. If you need additional hours or would like to perfect specific skills, you can take stand-alone onsite classes at our Burlington, Ontario facility. We also offer live stream classes that you can attend from the comfort of your home. These include specialty courses like soft tissue diode laser therapy and myofunctional therapy.
• Packages. We also offer packages designed to help you quickly complete your continuing education requirements without extensive planning or the stress of tabulating your class hours every three years. All packages include the 12-hour DHQ program and additional courses of your choice. We also have a subscription for a quality assurance program to help you prepare to meet your QA requirements for Ontario.

The advantages of dental hygiene continuing education with RDHU

RDHU was started by dental hygienists, so we understand the unique needs of our students. This is why we make it easy to manage your continuing education through packages and offer both online and in-person courses while also offering useful training that will help you grow your skills and further your career.

Contact us today to learn more.

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What a great start to the new 'school' year! We are so excited for all the things that are happening at rdhu!

We just had a phenomenal CE show, The RDH View with Ondina Love, CEO of the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, on Friday. If you missed it and didn't register, feel free to email us and we will set you up to receive the recording. If you did register but didn't join us live, stay tuned, you will be receiving the recording shortly!

Ondina was so passionate about all the initiatives that are coming up across the country.

We discussed, The Federal Dental Plan, Seniors, and we discussed the workplace landscape.

We received really great messages during and following the session. You will want to see it!

The workplace landscape! I love talking about and hearing about opportunities that are available to us as dental hygienists. There are so many different positions we can take part in.

If you are feeling stuck, September is a great month to get un-stuck. It is time for a clean slate. Just like the kids starting school with their nice fresh workbooks, let's open up a new journal and get started ourselves! Write out what your dream job looks like and then make a plan on how you are going to get there. Whether it be looking at elevating or enhancing your current workplace or looking at other opportunities, it is a great exercise to go through to make change happen!

Would you like to add some new skills to your repertoire? Perhaps Myofunctional Therapy, Lasers, Ortho, Ultrasonics? Let's create something to start this 'new year'/ new beginnings!

We spend a third of our life at work. Isn't it time to make a change if you are one of the dental hygienists who isn't happy or feeling 100% satisfied in the workplace? Or if you are feeling a little stagnant, let's get you re-energized!

Happy September!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

This week’s blog is brought to you by Lorraine Gambacourt, RDH.

Become A Trailblazer!

In a blog that I wrote last year, I talked about how curiosity lights the fire within you, which can lead to great things! I have also blogged about the fact that we can all experience times where we feel unmotivated, uninspired, and lack the drive to work on professional or personal goals and dreams, particularly during the summer months! I want to remind you, that this is a normal part of the ebb and flow of life, the yin and yang of energy, and that when we take the time to relax, enjoy the outdoors, rest more, nap more, and simply “be”, and DROP THE GUILT attached, we will come out on the other side feeling energized, refreshed, and ready to take on the world!

For me, I have had a few months of inaction and lacking drive ( although I have been putting much of my energy into helping my son get his home move in ready—which I think counts as being productive!) Last week I felt a huge shift in my energy level and motivation! I felt like my mojo returned! I started working on my professional projects and interests, and finally fell like my creative juices are flowing again… YAY! I also thought about what I have achieved during this past year, (after a kind reminder from a friend) and noticed that the seeds of desire/interest and time I invested in certain efforts last year have led to some amazing accomplishments.

Think about the things you have been curious or interested in last year, and where that has led you. Have you made some changes? Implemented something new? Educated yourself about topics you are passionate about and can pass on to your clients? Are there some causes or goals you are passionate about that seem daunting, yet you want to see them realized?

I want to encourage you to be a trailblazer--to take that next step when something lights your fire and to be an advocate for the things you are most passionate about. What do you believe will make a difference in the world, or in the health outcomes for your clients? Trust your instincts. No matter how big the goal, it can be achieved!

We serve no one by playing small! We were all born to make a difference in some way. Think about what you are being called to explore, educate yourself on the topic, and implement change. One of my BHAG’s (Big Hairy Audacious Goals per Robin Sharma) is to see medical-dental collaboration become a common effort in every practice, so that physicians sit up and take notice of our efforts and begin to play a more active role in helping our mutual patients achieve optimal oral AND systemic health. Is this a goal of yours too? Imagine if we all took some steps in the same direction, how much quicker it could be realized…

In my upcoming 6 hour course, Influencing Oral and Systemic Health - A 4-Stage Approach, I will be sharing ideas and resources to help you in your collaborative efforts. I will also dive deep into four stages that can help you design the ultimate periodontal therapy program that will help your clients achieve and maintain optimal oral and systemic health outcomes.

I will also be sharing about two new and exciting Certificate programs that just launched in Canada which:

1) Support collaborative care and your recognition as an Oral-Systemic Educator.

2) Help you become a dental professional certified in dementia prevention and reversal.

And… if you have been wondering where Oral Probiotics fits into the puzzle, Part 3 will be devoted to this topic! Join me on Sept 8th !

- Lorraine

Thank you Lorraine for this week’s blog!

Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 31st is the last day of our Summer Learn and Save with Dental Hygiene Quarterly!

In case you missed it, we would love to have you join us!

Everyone who registers for the Summer Special will have their name entered into a draw. I will be going live on Facebook to announce the winner on Thursday, September 1st at 2:30pm EST.

All who have purchased the Summer Special will have a chance to win:

1. A rdhu Sharpening Kit

2. A Bamboo Beanie

3. An iPad!

Dental Hygiene Quarterly is rdhu's annual subscription. We no longer offer single on-demand courses. All courses are either LIVE online, in-person OR through Dental Hygiene Quarterly (online or in DVD Format). Past editions are available for those who need to catch up!

What's included and what is Dental Hygiene Quarterly all about?

- 12 Hours of CE every year (3 hours uploaded into your portal every season)

- An Activity Page to document learning and implementation into your practice

- Your own personal portal that stores the courses and your certificates (after a short post-course quiz)

- 10 hours of The RDH View also gets automatically uploaded into your personal portal

- Go live with myself and Beth Parkes to re-cap the Edition where we share our take-aways for the learning and discuss implementing into our practice.

- Have the option to join live on certain DHQ courses (when applicable) or wait and watch the recording (ie Kerry Lepicek's upcoming course on What's New in Caries Management? will be FREE for Dental Hygiene Quarterly Subscribers to watch live or wait and watch in their portal - just email info@rdhu.ca and we will send you the Zoom link to register).

Annual Subscription: $199 ($149 for CDHA members)

Summer Special: 3 Years for $333 (CDHA members) $433 non-CDHA

Upon Registration, you will receive the Summer 2022 Edition right away:

• Periodontitis, Dysbiosis and Inflammation: What’s The Connection? Presented by: Dr. Salme Lavigne PhD, MSDH, RDH
• The Dental Hygienist’s Role in Diagnosis and Treatment of Erosive Tooth Wear and Bruxism Presented by: Dr. Warden Noble, DDS, MS, MSEd

The Fall Edition will be launched mid-September:

• Dental Management of the Medically Compromised Client Presented by: Dr. Sanjukta Mohanta, DDS
• Protecting our Children: Keeping Them Safe With Early Detection Presented by: Doris Waite, RDH, Certified Myofunctional Therapist, Buteyko Breathing Educator

Click here to learn more about the Summer Special and register for the online version!

Use Promo Code: SSCDHA

DVD option ~ Click here!

Thank you for your support, and for being a part of rdhu!

I have really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with many of you over these summer months. I appreciate your kind words and feedback and excited for what is to come!

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

This summer has flown by! Can you believe we only have one week left of August?!

We are busy wrapping up the Summer Learn and Save with Dental Hygiene Quarterly. There is only one week left to register!

Everyone who registers for the Summer Special will have their name entered into a draw. I will be going live on Facebook to announce the winner on August 31 at 2pm EST. You do not have to be present to win.

All who have purchased the Summer Special will have a chance to win

1. A rdhu Sharpening Kit

2. A Bamboo Beanie

3. An iPad

Dental Hygiene Quarterly is rdhu's annual subscription. We no longer offer single on-demand courses. All courses are either LIVE online, in-person OR through Dental Hygiene Quarterly (online or in DVD Format). Past editions are available for those who need to catch up!

What's included and what is Dental Hygiene Quarterly all about:

- 12 Hours of CE every year (3 hours uploaded into your portal every season)

- An Activity Page to document learning and implementation into your practice

- Your own personal portal that stores the courses and your certificates (after a short post-test quiz)

- 10 hours of The RDH View also gets automatically uploaded into your personal portal

- Go live with myself and Beth Parkes to re-cap the Edition where we share our take-aways for the learning and discuss implementing into your practice.

- Have the option to join live on certain DHQ courses (when applicable) or wait and watch the recording (i.e. Kerry Lepicek's upcoming course on What's New in Caries Management will be FREE for Dental Hygiene Quarterly Subscribers to watch live or wait and watch in their portal)

Essentially, giving you 20 - 22 hours every year. 12 Hours of CE through the Dental Hygiene Quarterly and The RDH View is an extra bonus. You can use The RDH View as CE or just watch for awareness, fun, engagement and stay connected with like-minded RDH's!

$199 per year (CDHA members $149) Regular Annual Subscription.

Online Version: Summer Special $333 (36 hours of CE plus The RDH View): Use the CDHA Promo Code: SSCDHA to receive $100 off.

Click here to learn more and register for the online version!

DVD option ~ Click here!

Thank you for your support, for being a part of rdhu and for reading! Have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

First, my apologies for not sending out the On-Track Tuesday email yesterday! It has been a busy week, I took Monday off and thought perhaps we could skip a week. That said, I received emails and Facebook messages from some members asking if they missed it as they didn't receive it!

Hence, here we are today! The sun is shining and it feels like a much fresher day!

I love to hear that people enjoy the On-Track Tuesdays! Sometimes people enjoy things but don't actively engage in dialogue with us about it. Others will reach out and say they enjoyed that particular On-Track blog. So, thank you for sharing and reaching out.

This also reminded me of a concept that I continuously speak of, which is 'Consistency is Key'!

When you don't do something that is expected by a client, they notice. Perhaps you skipped the Oral Cancer Screening or didn't floss after the prophy. Client's notice. Perhaps you didn't send them a reminder about their appointment or send them home with their essential tools. Clients notice.

It is an important thing to think about and a good reminder to myself as well!

Consistency is Key :)

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

This week's blog is brought to you by Liisa Moore, RDH, QA Coach and Ortho Presenter!

We all know that no two dental hygienists are the same. Yes we all went to school, and have a governing body, but with all the different specialties within the field of dentistry there is no such thing as a 'know it all' when it comes to dental hygiene.

I have worked the majority of my career in an orthodontic office and am very confident in stating that I have extensive knowledge in the field of orthodontics. That being said I would never enter a perio clinic and start questioning or trying to give advice to the dental hygienist there about what treatment plan or instruments they should be using. We are all in this profession together, and I never had a problem sharing my knowledge as we are always learning and trying to advance our skills. With that, here is a short list of confessions I have from working in specialty offices.

If you don’t know….ask!

Is there a client in your chair that has an orthodontic appliance you have never seen before? A client you sent for a graft but yet still has not been done yet? Ask the client first but be aware of your wording. “I see you started treatment with Dr. Ortho since the last time we saw you, how are you liking your new appliance? OR “I see the referral we sent to Dr. Perio has been received by their office, do you have an appointment booked with them for your graft procedure? If the client gives a vague or unsure answer, call the referring office and ask to speak to a dental hygienist or other staff member for clarification. Try to avoid verbiage like “I’ve never seen this appliance before”, “it looks a little too big/too small”, “have you asked Dr. Ortho why he used this appliance and not the more traditional one?” We are all partners in client care and using this type of language around the client can leave them questioning their trust in their other provider.

Handle with Care

When treating clients in orthodontic treatment please be careful as some orthodontic appliances are very delicate. If there is an area that you are unable to treat properly due to an orthodontic appliance, contact the ortho office and ask to have it removed if the treatment is urgent or if it is a treatment that can wait, ask when the appliance will be removed and make note to complete the treatment once the appliance is out. Same rules apply when treating areas that have fresh sutures, packing, or surgical sites. Be mindful and try not to unintentionally tug or pull on them as you do not want to remove them earlier than what the referring doctor wishes.

Own it

If you do happen to break an orthodontic appliance while scaling or damage a surgical site, inform your client and recommend that they return to their specialist's office to have it repaired and or examined. Leaving an orthodontic appliance damaged can result in extending time in treatment, and disturbing surgical sites can lead to unwanted infection. “You had a moderate amount of calculus around your bonded lingual retainer this appointment. While I was completing your treatment plan some of the orthodontic cement attached to your wire came loose. I was able to treat the area and remove the calculus build up however you will need to see your orthodontist to have the cement replaced. Since you are prone to develop moderate calculus in that area perhaps while you are at your orthodontist office you could inquire about other retention options.”

Your clients might be annoyed that they need to make another appointment, at another office, however if you choose your language properly your client will see that you only have their best interest in mind and want them to get quality care from the proper professional.

Want to learn more about working in a specialty office? Call the office and ask to shadow the hygienist working in ortho, perio, surgical or a restorative hygienist to see what their days are like. Or join me for my next course Orthodontics 101 for the Dental Hygienist to learn more about all things ortho! See below for both theory only and experiential (hands-on) learning options!

Thank you Liisa for this week's blog!

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH President

This week's blog is brought to you by Liisa Moore, RDH, QA Coach and Ortho Presenter!

Staying “on track”

Summer is in full swing and many of us are taking holidays; which include, back yard BBQ’s, pool parties, beach days, and all the food and drinks that go along with them.

Not only as a health care professional but also a personal trainer, I get asked all the time “how do you stay on track?” Here are some of my tips for staying on-track during holidays:

Keep your sleep routine

Yep, even on holidays I get to bed at the same time at night and wake up early each morning. I admit I do not set an alarm clock when I do not need to work the next day, but more often than not I wake up within 30 min of the time that my alarm would usually go off. There is a big difference between getting up early in the morning because you have to (because you have to get to work) versus being well rested and wanting to. Use that extra time in the morning to read a book, listen to a podcast, go for a walk, or just sit and have your coffee in peace. This is my favourite time of day to enjoy, since mornings are usually go-go-go, at least in my house!

Move your body

Stay with your workouts! The best part about summer, in my opinion, is having the extra daylight hours. Go for a bike ride early in the morning before work, or take a nice walk with your spouse and family after dinner. Grab your best friend and have a stretch session in a back yard or park. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

Stay productive

Clean out the junk drawer, organize the pantry, watch that webinar, read the article. Do something productive each day even if it’s only 15 minutes. You will be surprised how much better you feel when relaxing after you have done that small task that you have been struggling to find the time to do during your busy work schedule!

Veggies veggies and more veggies!

Who wants to cook when its summer and scorching hot outside? Nothing beats a big salad or just having washed cut up veggies in the fridge. Have them with a healthy home-made dip or my personal favourite hummus. Get creative on how to incorporate more veggies into your diet. No burger buns? No problem! Use a broad leaf lettuce like romaine or iceberg to wrap your patty instead. Want a sandwich? How about portobello mushrooms, eggplant, or a bell pepper cut in half as your bread? Need to cool off? Blend some of your favourite fresh or frozen fruit with some frozen cauliflower for a refreshing smoothie and bonus if there are leftovers, freeze them in a popsicle mold (available at most dollar stores) for the perfect guilt-free treat!

Limit alcohol

There are many pre-mixed cocktails available now, and many of them now have nutritional labels…take the time to READ THEM! Look for cocktails with little to no sugar and also be mindful of artificial sweaters. My favourite “hack” is to make myself a 50/50 drink (this works with non-alcoholic drinks as well). I use my 32oz stainless steel tumbler and fill it with ice. I then pour in ½ of a pre-mixed low sugar cocktail and then fill my cup with sparkling water. For my kids I do the same with a store bought ice tea, lemonade or, sports drink such as Gatorade. The stainless steel cups keep your drink colder and you are getting ½ the sugar and calories with all the satisfaction of enjoying a drink. If beer is your beverage of choice look for light or low calorie/carb options. Again READ LABELS! My final rule is always drink 1 to 1. So after you finish your alcoholic drink have a non-alcoholic one to balance it out such as a sparkling water, or water with lemon, cucumber, mint or any other add it you would like. Get creative!

Most importantly limit stress. You are on holidays! Slow down, appreciate and enjoy them, so you can return to work refreshed and rejuvenated.

Thank you to Liisa Moore for her blog today! These are great tips and reminders as well!

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

This week's blog is brought to you by: Beth Parkes, RDH, BSc ~ Vice President of rdhu

How is your summer going? Time is flying by and I am determined to soak in and enjoy every moment of it!

Kathleen is on a well-deserved vacation this week, so I am here in her place until she returns.

Like many of you, I created a list of summer reading material that is providing me a reason to simply sit and take in the sunshine. I tried to create a mixture of fiction, dental hygiene research, and motivational or self-improvement readings. What is on your list, Pearl?

My current book “The Happiest Man on Earth” is a memoir of a holocaust survivor, Eddie Jaku, as he shares his story and the wisdom he gained through surviving unfathomable torture, pain, and sorrow. Something he said resonated with me today. Eddie was forced to endure terrible affliction and had his body pushed to its absolute limit being frozen, beaten and starved. This left him with a tremendous sense of respect and gratitude for what the human body is capable of. He said this of the human body “…it turns fuel into life, can repair itself, can do anything you need it to. That is why today it breaks my heart to see the way some people treat their bodies, ruining this wonderful machine we are all gifted…demolishing the best machine ever put on the Earth.”

Oh boy, did this one hit home. How many times have I been frustrated by the perceived limitations of my body. The unwanted pounds, the wrinkles, the need to rest before I am ready to. How about the neck tension after long clinical days, the inconvenient muscle aches following quadrant therapy. An inability to remove all calculus in an 8 mm pocket with exudate, furcation involvement and profuse bleeding like I would like to. (I realize this last example was oddly specific). What an astounding relief it might be to instead focus on the wonders that we are. How incredible to acknowledge instead that we can acquire such high levels of manual dexterity that we can work blindly below the gumline in the smallest of areas. How fabulous that our hands can help our clients heal and return to periodontal health. How incredible is it that we can teach our clients’ hands to promote healing and change in their oral health at home!

I have been inspired to recognize the strength and resilience of my body, rather than focusing on its flaws. I would love to invite you to do the same.

Let’s try to be more kind to the unbelievable gift we have each been given.

Here are 5 ways we can start to show our bodies kindness today:

1) Embrace the imperfections. See the stretch marks, the cellulite the wrinkles or the extra 10 pounds and thank your body for the story these pieces tell of strength, adventure, and fun.

2) Sleep: your body works hard. Rest and recover as a way to thank and acknowledge the efforts of your body.

3) Walk outside: Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise around. Just 30-60 minutes of walking a day can boost immunity, lower cortisol levels, ease joint pain, and counteract the effects of weight promoting genes. It is also an incredible way to acknowledge the beauty surrounding us every day and fill our lungs with fresh air.

4) Focus on whole foods: By focusing on eating whole foods, we provide our bodies with fuel in its natural state with all its vitamins and minerals intact. This avoids forcing our bodies to search for them through what remains within the processed version of the food.

5) Practice daily affirmations: By not only accepting yourself, but relishing in the wonder that you are, you signal to others and to yourself that despite imperfections, real or perceived, you are more than enough, just as you are, at this very moment.

I hope today you can be kind to yourself. You are incredible, and I think you are a wonder, just as you are.

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Beth

If you’re wondering where to go next in your dental hygienist career, you don’t need to look far. Opting for dental laser training can be a great way to get ahead and learn new skills. Plus, it will provide you with more opportunities and new treatments that can benefit your patients.

We’ll explain what laser dentistry is, how you can get training, and its benefits to patients.

What is laser dentistry?

Laser dentistry is a non-invasive, innovative approach to dentistry. It’s been used in many dental clinics since 1989 for various procedures. Laser dentistry can be a more affordable treatment option for patients who need to undergo hard and soft tissue dental procedures.

Hard tissue lasers

Hard tissue lasers treat teeth issues. The wavelength of hard tissue lasers can cut through enamel and is highly accurate. In fact, the lasers can remove small amounts of a tooth for shaping or in preparation for other procedures.

Some procedures hard tissue lasers are suitable for include:

• Cavity detection and removal
• Treating tooth sensitivity
• Preparing teeth for dental fillings and crowns

Soft tissue lasers

Soft tissue lasers use a light wavelength and are easily absorbed by hemoglobin and water. These lasers are typically used for soft tissue procedures dealing with the gums and help reduce bleeding, promoting a faster recovery time post-surgery and for specific cosmetic procedures.

Soft tissue lasers are mainly used for:

• Crown lengthening
• Reshaping gummy smiles
• Repairing soft tissue
• Removing soft tissue for treating sleep apnea

How can you get laser dentistry training?

If you’re looking to advance your dental hygienist career, getting a certificate in laser dentistry may be what you are looking for. Several places like rdhu offer online and in-person courses and training for a laser dentistry certification.

Training typically consists of a multi-part process that includes a mix of education courses and hands-on training. To get your laser dentistry certificate, you will likely need to complete an online exam for successful standard-level course completion.

Laser Dentistry Patient Benefits

Suppose you undergo all this training and are wondering what to do now. Well, you can apply the techniques you were taught and put them into daily practice. This will not only help you continue to gain new skills and advance your career but open up new treatment opportunities for patients.

Here are a few ideas on how you could apply your laser training to procedures.

Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy

Lasers can be a great way to target and treat diseased tissue and bacteria from periodontal pockets following therapy. The laser’s precision will allow you to remove diseased tissue without cutting away healthy gums or into the bone.

It provides patients with a more comfortable experience through a minimally invasive procedure that eliminates or greatly minimizes instances of pain.

Bacterial Reduction

Using a laser before cleaning or during a patient’s regular cleaning can reduce the presence of harmful bacteria in gum pockets. This can typically be done in a manner of minutes.

The benefits of bacterial reduction include:

• Improved oral health
• A stronger immune system
• Greater resistance to infection and gum disease

Oral Lesion Treatment

Lasers can also be used to treat herpes lesions and aphthous ulcers. Since patients should not be treated when they have cold sores, lasers can speed along their treatment, so they are ready for their rescheduled appointment.

Are you a dental hygienist looking to learn more about laser dentistry? Contact rdhu today to learn about our on-demand educational courses.

Have you ever wondered if you have a scarcity mindset rather than an abundance mindset?

Are you aware of the difference?

A scarcity mindset is a fixed mindset and is defined by feelings of competition and lack.

To have an abundance mindset is to believe there are enough resources to go around! There is enough for everyone!

Being in the position that we are, at rdhu, we see all types of mindsets with our members, our clients/practices and companies, to name a few!

If you're operating from a place of scarcity, you might believe that other's achievements mean you've somehow lost something.

People are often surprised to see us sharing free CE through different avenues. Free CE often compliments our CE courses as well. Why wouldn't we share? We will get asked, isn't that website your competitor, or aren't the associations your competitor?

The answer is no! They are not competitors! If we had a scarcity mindset they would be but we believe in abundance. Give as much as you can. Be the resource our members need and it will come back to us 10-fold in the positive. This is the way I have always operated. I always try to live a life of abundance as I feel there are enough resources out there for everyone. It is never a One-Size-Fits-All and we are happy to offer other resources to help our members. There's enough room for us all to play in the sandbox :)

When I owned my dental instrument company, and I presented instrumentation and maintenance, I shared the different types of instruments available. I truly believe you go with what works for you! What is comfortable in your hand? Do you like plastic, stainless steel or silicone? What meets your price point and still ensures that the quality is not compromised. And of course, it must be backed by studies! It wasn't about buy my instruments!

As an example, for the dental practice, many operate with a scarcity mindset and are afraid to refer out to a specialist even when it may be best for the client/patient. They try to offer all services to all clients and patients. When you operate from an abundance mindset you refer to the appropriate specialist having the confidence that your patient will return. Having an abundance mindset, giving and referring doesn't go unnoticed by your client base or by the specialist you are referring to. Chances are, they are not looking to steal your client but in fact will be referring patients back to you! I spoke once to a group of periodontists and this was definitely a concern for them. I shared strategies that they can implement into their practice and with possible referring offices around them. The fight is real!

Another example, many offices do not wish to carry the power brush and tools to help their clients maintain optimal oral health at home. Having an abundance mindset would be the office who has these tools on hand, includes it in ortho, implant or perio treatment, or offers their professional pricing to help that client succeed at home! We know what our clients do the other 8756 hours of the year when they aren't with us matters!

Another example could be with co-workers. We will have some co-workers who have an abundance mindset and help other co-workers thrive and succeed, while others live in fear, keep as a silo and live with the scarcity mindset.

When we all work together and believe there is enough to go around, believe that you will succeed when you help others succeed, and are open to collaborating with others and sharing, it is amazing how good it feels and how satisfying and successful your life becomes!

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

I hope you are enjoying your summer so far!

Our Dental Hygiene Quarterly Summer Learn and Save is well underway!

For those who have registered for the 3-Year Dental Hygiene Quarterly Summer Special, your name will also be put into a draw for a chance to win some pretty cool prizes (including an iPad)!

You know why I love the Dental Hygiene Quarterly? Because it is essentially the easy button for you to receive approximately half of your yearly Quality Assurance requirements without having to think about it. We deliver 3 hours of CE into your portal every season and it all gets stored there! Along with other resources you need to help achieve your requirements.

I like things that are automated because it is the Easy Button! My skin care line is even automated. My smoothie subscription. My vitamins. This way, I don't ever run out of things that I know I am going to need. I save so much time, money and never run out! It keeps me organized!

Dental Hygiene Quarterly is just that. An automated subscription to high quality CE that is evidence-based and designed for dental hygienists!

What can you do in your practice to be the easy button for your clients and even for your practice?

I love when I discover something that I can contribute to an office that takes away any extra work or planning. Whether it be for a particular person or the overall practice.

Scheduling your clients ahead so they never have to miss their timing when they are due for their re-care appointment, is one example.

Scheduling and systemizing an instrument management and replacement system is another example.

How about creating a perio program where if someone commits to such a program, you have their little gift bag waiting for them which includes a complimentary power brush head or interproximal aids, or whatever special home tool you have recommended?

Same for your whitening clients. Perhaps you offer a 'commit to your re-care visit and receive a take-home whitening syringe'. That is the easy button for these clients.

Think about ways that you can be the Easy Button for your practice and clients! I would love to hear what you come up with! For more information on the Dental Hygiene Quarterly Summer Learn and Save, click here or see below!

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

Every summer our team has an off-site 3-day strategy meeting where we get to step back and work 'on' the business, rather than 'in' the business.

It is our time where we look at the past year and celebrate our wins and also a time to reflect on what we can do to improve and grow.

We go through a variety of exercises to identify possible areas that we can expand on.

We also review our mission. Our purpose. I really feel that this mission drives us so that we are all working on the same page. We aren't just showing up for work to do our daily tasks. It is a driving force. Our reason. Our why.

Our mission is to engage and motivate dental hygienists, not only in Canada, but globally. We strive to inspire. To educate. To remind dental hygienists to continue to learn and grow in a profession we all love so much.

What we do as dental hygienists is so important. We are the foundation to facilitating overall health and can help transform so many people's lives.

Will you be taking some time with your team this summer to reflect on your practice? Do you have a mission in your practice that drives you? If you don't, perhaps now is the time to look at your why and the overall bigger picture.

You provide care and help so many.

You provide treatment and educate the public on oral health and essentially change lives globally.

What you do in your practice has a ripple effect on not only the clients within your care, but think of all your clients and the lives they touch and so on.

As dental professionals, we aren't about fixing a tooth or coming in for a 'cleaning'.

We are about improving and saving people's lives. We educate, motivate and elevate oral and overall health.

Where's that cape again?

I challenge you to have this discussion with your team and get everyone on the same page with a mission that drives you. That gives you that little extra step in your morning. You will see how much your practice will transform right from the front team all the way to the clinical team.

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

We had a Soft-Tissue Diode Laser program over the weekend and received the nicest email from our trainer, Lorraine Gambacourt yesterday.

This is in response to an email that Pearl sent Lorraine:

Great, thank you so much Pearl!

I know that I have told you this before, (and that Beth and Kath are aware of this) but it is always such a pleasure to work with you. You are AMAZING! So professional, so organized, and so efficient.. It's always a joy to work with you at rdhu!! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!

I hope you have a wonderful week off!

Lorraine

I wanted to share this with you because this is an example of sharing gratitude toward a colleague.

We have a full-time staff of 5 at rdhu who keep the engine running and then our core presenters and contractors.

One of the things that our team strives for is to not only provide a dream-come-true experience for our members who attend our webinars, courses and events, but also a dream-come-true experience for our presenters and corporate partners as well.

A great exercise for your business/practice is to go through the experience through that client profile/person's eyes.

So for us, what would that dream-come-true experience look like through our members' eyes? Through our presenters' eyes? Through our corporate partners' eyes?

We have gone through the exercise for each of these categories and are always discovering ways to improve and exceed expectations!

What is a dream-come-true-experience for your practice? Where can you exceed expectations?

- for your adult client (and you can break it down from there: active perio treatment, completing perio treatment, whitening client, surgical (pre and post) as an example)

- your teenage client (and again you can break it down into categories of teenage needs, interests, points of discussion)

- your child client...

- a parent of your client child...

- a vendor or supplier...

- a colleague...

- your DDS...

- a specialist who visits your office once a month...

- a temp dental hygienist...

It really is quite an interesting concept to explore.

Perhaps you will have some time over the summer to think about the different types of contacts you have and how you might be that person who helps create a dream-come-true experience.

Explore this as a team! Talk about it together and then go off and complete the exercise on your own. Come back as a team and share your findings!

This will elevate your practice (within your team and with your clients/patients)!

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

Laser dentistry is used today for a variety of sensitive, painful dental procedures. A dental hygienist can use a soft tissue laser to provide a minimally invasive, and more comfortable treatment option for their clinic's patients.

What is Laser Dentistry?

Laser dentistry is a non-invasive, innovative approach to dentistry. Used since 1989, dental clinics have used lasers for a variety of procedures. Laser dentistry may offer a more comfortable treatment option for both hard and soft tissue dental procedures compared to drills and other dental tools, making laser dentistry a growing request from patients. Especially patients who experienced higher levels of dental anxiety.

Hard Tissue Lasers

Hard tissue lasers are used for treating teeth issues. The wavelength of hard tissue lasers can effectively cut through enamel and is highly accurate. These lasers are able to remove small amounts of a tooth for shaping, or in preparation for other procedures.

Hard tissue lasers can be used for:

• Cavity detection and removal
• Treating tooth sensitivity (to seal the roots of the tooth)
• Preparing teeth for dental fillings and crowns
• Teeth whitening

Soft Tissue Lasers

Soft tissue lasers use a lighter wavelength than hard tissue lasers. This wavelength can easily be absorbed by both hemoglobin and by water. Hemoglobin is the protein found in red blood cells.

As their name applies, soft tissue lasers are used for soft tissue procedures dealing with the gums and are especially helpful for reducing bleeding, promoting a faster recovery time post-surgery, and performing certain cosmetic procedures.

Soft tissue lasers are used for:

• Crown lengthening
• Reshaping gummy smiles
• Treatment of cold sores
• Repairing soft tissue
• Removing soft tissue for treating sleep apnea

Benefits of Using Lasers in Clinics

Compared to traditional dentistry treatments, laser dentistry offers faster healing times, less pain for patients, and less post-surgical bleeding. For dental hygienists, lasers can be a great tool for improving the quality of treatment provided.

Here’s how a laser can be used for a variety of procedures, and how lasers may benefit these procedures. Always check with your regulatory body to determine what is in your scope of practice.

Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy (LAPT)

Following periodontal therapy such as root cleaning or scaling, lasers can be used to target and treat diseased tissue and bacteria from periodontal pockets. The laser’s precision allows a dental hygienist to remove only diseased tissue without needing to cut away healthy gums or into bone.

Laser-assisted periodontal therapy provides patients with a more comfortable experience through a minimally invasive procedure that eliminates or greatly minimizes instances of pain.

Bacterial Reduction (LBR)

Using a laser before cleaning or in addition to a patient’s regular cleaning can reduce the presence of harmful bacteria in gum pockets. This procedure only takes around four to five minutes to complete.

The benefits of LBR include:

• Improved oral health
• A fortified immune system
• Greater resistance to infection and gum disease
• Reduced risk of cross-contamination between healthy and diseased teeth and gums

Oral Lesion Treatment

Lasers can be used to treat herpes lesions and aphthous ulcers. Since patients should not be treated when they have a cold sore, lasers can help speed along their treatment so they are ready for a rescheduled appointment. Oral lesions can be treated in approximately two minutes with a laser or used to comfort a particularly painful lesion.

Desensitization

Tooth sensitivity is a concern for numerous patients. Sensitive teeth make it difficult to drink or eat foods at certain temperatures, and can even discourage patients from regularly maintaining their oral health. Using a laser, dental hygienists can help treat sensitive teeth through laser therapy.

Are you a dental hygienist looking to learn more about laser dentistry? Contact rdhu today to learn about our on-demand educational courses.

As the summer approaches, we are ready to enjoy some down time to reset and recharge.

What do you like to do during the summer months, but haven't done in awhile?

I think for me, I want to make a conscious effort to go out on the water more. If you know me, you know that I suffered from a terrible accident a couple of years ago, where I slid down our cottage ramp one icy morning, dislocated my foot, broke my leg, and shattered my ankle.

I haven't been as adventurous (physically) or active as I used to be, as I now have some limitations. But I am going to make the effort this year and get a little bit of the ol' me back! Carefully, of course!

I am also holding my first fundraiser on Saturday, July 23 for the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, and for Mooreland's Camp. This is a kids camp for the underprivileged and is on our lake.

It is a lot of work but I have learned patience over these last couple of years, not to stress and have faith that it will all work out in the end.

My good friend, Beth Parkes, and Vice President of rdhu, said the nicest thing to me a couple of weeks ago. She said, Kath, even if you don't reach your fundraising goal, what you are doing has created a ripple effect. There have been friends and family who have mentioned that since we started this fundraiser, it has led others to do something as well. So that is pretty cool to think. We can all give back in some way. Whether it is volunteering for an event, or delivering food to those who need it, there are many ways to give back.

The Huntsville Doppler, a local newspaper, shared the story today. Click here to read it.

One more weekend of hands-on courses at rdhu in Ontario and at Sinclair in British Columbia, then the summer months are here!

We have a few things in the making for the summer: The Dental Hygiene Quarterly Summer Special and our Beanie Special and Contest. See below :)

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

We are close to wrapping up the first half of the year for our hands-on programs at rdhu! This past weekend we had Ortho 101 for the Dental Hygienists with Liisa Moore and assisting Liisa, Linda Leclair-Seguin.

The weekend before, we completed our Myofunctional Therapy program, with Joe Siegfried.

There is one last hands-on program at our facility for Laser Certification with Lorraine Gambacourt on June 25th (see below).

It just feels so good to be back to in person full day experiential programs at our beautiful facility in Burlington, Ontario.

rdhu has become a destination where we have dental hygienists flying in from other provinces for their Professional Development!

We take a lot of pride, as a team, in rolling out a World Class Experience and are super thrilled to receive great feedback about the day(s).

Our Tell, Show, Do motto is something we strive to provide and intertwine with all of our programs, including online.

Tell me and I will forget...

Show me and I may remember...

Include me and I will learn and truly understand...

We strive to make sure that when you leave a course with us that you have clear next steps ready to implement into your practice and that you feel energized and excited to get back to practice!

The summer is just around the corner where we will not be offering courses and will be gearing up for the fall programs!

We still have a few courses remaining that you can register for. Please see below.

During the summer months we are offering our special Summer Learn and Save for Dental Hygiene Quarterly. This is for both formats offered, online and/or DVD. More information is found below!

Be sure to check out what is coming in the fall so you can prepare and end 2022 feeling strong!

As a team, our heart is full with gratitude as we wrap up the first half of the year.

Much thanks to you for being an integral part of rdhu.

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

If you missed our CE show 'The RDH View' with Dr. Kristin Yont on Friday, you may want to watch the recording!

It is on Mind-body Medicine, and it was received so well!

Here are some of the comments from those who watched it live with us:

• You grow the brain you want to use!
• This is very inspiring!
• I think most people are not aware of the stress they have in mind and body. Great conversation.
• Stop, Breathe, Reflect, Choose :)
• Awesome experience!!! Thank you
• Just breathe....literally! Thank you! :)
• Thank you for an amazing presentation and the meditation exercise was excellent!
• How can we take Dr. Yont's course? She is such a powerful speaker.
• Grateful for these presentations Kathleen and the entire team & for The RDH View! Thank You Dr. Yont! l love that tip of thinking of three things before bed. I'm going to start doing this with each of my kids when I put them to bed each night.
• Robyn and Oral-B rules!
• Thanks Dr. Yont! You're amazing!

This was one of the CE shows, I couldn’t help not to share! It was scientific, but at the same time intriguing and fun.

If you would like to watch and receive a 1 Hour CE Certificate (it's free!), click here to access your personal portal. If you don't have a personal portal set up with us, please email info@rdhu.ca and we can help you! This will also include the follow-up email that is discussed during the show.

If you would like to just watch it and not receive a certificate click here to access the general portal or our YouTube channel.

I think you will feel inspired and will have a few takeaways to implement into your practice and your life!

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

For dental professionals interested in expanding their knowledge and expertise, acquainting yourself with the latest innovations is crucial, like dental laser procedures and technology. However, knowing what dental laser training courses you need isn’t easy. Fortunately, at rdhu, we are the leading dental professional education resource throughout Canada and across the globe. With over 16,000 members worldwide, we proudly provide the first hands-on professional development service through innovative and interactive education solutions.

Here are the dental laser training courses you need:

An introduction to lasers

One of the first dental laser training courses you have to take in Canada is a laser certification course.

Ensure the course you take is accepted. Otherwise, you risk having to retake it from an accredited and approved provider. In Canada, Laser certification in the provinces that allow it within dental hygiene practice, require a course that is a combination of theory and hands-on learning.

During this course, you receive practical, hands-on training on operating a laser in a dental office environment.

This part of the course provides an opportunity to apply what you learned in the introduction to laser courses in a real-world environment using actual laser equipment. The course content also cover basic scientific principles and clinical applications of laser procedures.

This supplies students with knowledge and experience needed to pass the standard certification exam.

The laser certification course involves clinical training, and a certification exam. Ultimately, by the end of the course, you should gain a foundational understanding of:

• How lasers work and impact human tissue
• How to calibrate laser properties to achieve desired results
• Safety procedures when using dental laser equipment
• The principles of light and laser technology
• How lasers interact with human tissue
• How to safely operate lasers in clinical environments

Sign up now for a dental laser training course!

If you are interested in advancing your skills and boosting your confidence as a dental professional, at rdhu, we are the premier dental professional development centre in Canada. Created by hygienists for hygienists, we boast an approachable and supportive environment that helps hygienists worldwide revive their passion for the dental hygiene profession. Sign up now to get started!

To continue on with last week's topic of engaging clients, let's take a look at our messaging.

Whether we are communicating with the client in our chair, at the front desk, or through email, we are all competing in a world of distraction. We are not only competing within our industry, but also with friends, family and social media. We are all trying to get someone's attention for them to take action.

How we communicate will determine how successful the outcome will be.

We first need to understand the 5 Stages of Awareness and determine what stage your client is in in order for them to proceed with the care we are recommending. Otherwise, our recommendations may get lost in the distractions they are facing.

1st Stage: Unaware. Your client is not aware that they have a problem.

2nd Stage: Problem aware. Your client is aware that they have a problem but unaware that there are solutions available to help.

3rd Stage: Solution aware. Your client knows they have a problem and aware that there is a solution but is unsure of which one to choose.

4th Stage: Product aware. Your client is aware that there is a product or service you offer that can help them but they aren't convinced that your solution is best.

5th Stage: Aware. They know you have a solution to their problem. They understand their problem but haven't moved forward to making the appointment or the purchase of the product or service (treatment). They are very close but need you to make the offer and book their appointment.

When you go through these stages a couple of things come to mind for me. One is the time gap between our client's visits.

As an example, we can help our client become aware that they need a crown. They went through the unaware phase, to the aware phase all the way to you informing them of the best treatment option for them. You have shared the outcomes of what they will experience by getting the crown and also what they are potentially preventing (cracked tooth, loss of tooth, etc).

They are close to scheduling the appointment, but something happens along the way and the appointment doesn't get scheduled. No one follows up with them and 6 months passes. They come back to see you and they look at you and say "Crown? What crown?" and you have to start all over again!

What system do you have in your practice to make sure these things don't happen?

Can you ensure that something gets scheduled that day, even if to secure a spot for them? Or if they didn't book an appointment or cancelled, can someone from your practice send them a picture of their tooth that needs the crown and remind them of the outcomes that you have shared?

Does your front team understand that cancelling an appointment shouldn't be okay? It is much more than cancelling and "no problem we can "just" rebook that when you are ready!"

We see this all the time in practice where we experience the same cycle every time they come in and we are repeating what they need in order to achieve optimal oral health.

Think about the things you can implement in your practice to help close the gap between appointments so that you find yourself in Stage 5 most of the time.

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

Beth and I spent 3 days in an intensive virtual Business Master Class last week. We selected a lovely location of Niagara-on-the-lake so when we were able to get out for some fresh air, we were surrounded by blossoming trees and spring flowers!

I always believe in investing in yourself and in your practice with your team as it will offer you rewards beyond anything you would ever expect.

I love learning and looking for ways to share strategies that come to mind with our members. Whether you are an entrepreneur and own your own practice or an intrepreneur, where you are working in a practice, but treat and care for it like your own, you can share these with your team!

We do have other members who are on this email group who work in the industry and not in a clinical setting. These blogs pertain to all of us! It's all about people.

Let's start with how we view our practice!

Are you in the dental business, Pearl? If you are thinking, yes, I am in the dental profession, perhaps you start with one small shift to thinking, I am in the people business! At the end of the day, no matter what business we are in, it all comes down to the people we serve!

Dental practices often struggle to attract new clients or patients to their practice. One of the areas you can really focus on is with your existing clientele. What can you do to attract some of these clients to either come back to see you, if they haven't been to see you in a while, or follow-up with those who have yet to return for recommended treatment or maintenance appointments. We all have these clients who are sitting there waiting for you to reach out and remind them that they need to come in and see you! If you already have a process in place, kudos to you! But if you don't, perhaps run a list to discover:

- Who is your top 20% of clientele? These are typically the clients who bring in 80% of your revenue.

- Who hasn't been in since the pandemic? Perhaps send them a note, We miss you! Or an email. You can create a mass email and send through your system and make it look like it is one person from your practice emailing them. It would be great if it was from the DDS or you, the dental hygienist. Here's an example:

Hi ~Name~,

Have you switched dental practices?

Your name

This strategy works really well. It is simple and will have a high response rate. It isn't a lengthy email about all reasons why they need to come and see you. It is like you are having a conversation with them. Just like you would speak with them if you saw them in a coffee shop.

I will continue on with some gems that might help you in your practice next week. Until then, thank you for reading and have a great week ahead!

Please take a look below for what is coming up!

We appreciate your support.

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

It was great seeing many of you over the last couple of weeks at the Women in Dentistry Conference and the ODA ASM!

We had members from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast come visit us!

We truly appreciated you stopping by to say hello and share your experience and appreciation of rdhu. It means a lot to myself and our entire team.

Beth and I are at an off-site conference this week and looking forward to it. It is a Business Master Class and I can't wait to see what transpires from this!

Do you and your team ever participate in an off-site professional development venture together to look at ways to grow your practice or put systems in place?

Do you feel you are growing together and that each of your team members play a vital role in the success of your practice?

One of the words I heard many times last week was the word "just". "I am "just" an admin or front office or dental assistant or dental hygienist. I don't make decisions and can't get what I want or need".

Firstly, we all know that the word "just" shouldn't be used when you refer to yourself or anyone for that matter. When we "just" something or someone we minimize the importance of the role or who we are.

Secondly, if you don't feel that you are an intricate part of your team, how can you fix this? Can you start to make a plan so that you feel heard? Can you meet with the owner of the practice and share your thoughts? Everyone needs to feel heard. If you are squashed down by someone every day and can't make progress, make a change in your employment. It is never too late to find happiness in a new practice or role. I saw and spoke with many really happy dental hygienists this past week who absolutely love the dentist they work with. They are still out there! These dental hygienists are working in a practice where they can get what they want or need, they are heard and have major job satisfaction.

This is where we should all be. Happy with the people we work with and feel part of the practice success!

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH ~ President of rdhu

I wanted to give a shout out to Liisa Moore, RDH, who practices in an Orthodontic office in Sudbury, ON and is our Orthodontic course presenter and QA Coach!

Liisa is the type of dental hygienist who has stepped out of her comfort zone and is excited to do more, learn more and give more.

After watching a webinar over the weekend that I presented (and is recorded), with Beth Parkes, on 'The 8 Simple Secrets to Implementing Lasers into Your Dental Hygiene Practice/Department', Liisa was inspired when I spoke about delivering the 'wow factor' and making the best experience possible for your client.

Liisa emailed me this week's blog even before asking me if she can write for us this week. I just love when I see someone taking initiative and being proactive! This is truly the Easy Button experience for me!

Pearl, is there something that you can do in your practice to step out of your comfort zone, be proactive and be the Easy Button for your practice?

This week's blog is brought to you by Liisa Moore, RDH:

Let’s set the scene, you have your client in your chair about to start their appointment, when they mention they have been considering orthodontics for themselves or their child. If your office does not offer orthodontic treatment the place to start is with a referral to the orthodontist.

Let’s look at how to make the referral process as smooth as possible for your office, the orthodontic office, and your client.

The most important thing to include in your referral is of course, the client’s information, so please make sure address, phone number, date of birth and spelling of client’s name is correct. If your client is a child also highlighting or stating the preferred phone number such as “Mom’s Cell”, or “Dad’s work” is important. Having this information current and easily accessible ensures a quick response from the orthodontic office and the client getting an appointment booked in a timely manner.

If the client prefers to be called by a short form for example Bob instead of Robert, or if the client has a name that could be pronounced in different ways such as Mia, include a phonetic spelling beside the name on the referral; M-eye-a or Me-a. This will make life much easier for the receptionist making the first contact call and also show the client the respect of being addressed as they prefer to be.

Include any radiographs with the date they were taken. It does not matter how old the radiographs are, it is still important to include the most recent ones with your referral. Perhaps your client does not want radiographs taken or they may only have insurance coverage for them to be taken every few years. Having some radiographs is always better than none.

Ask the client what their chief concern is; spacing, crowding, pain while chewing etc. Also list what concerns you and or the dentist have regarding that client; malocclusion, impacted teeth etc. Having this information prepares the orthodontist to not only address the referring parties concerns but, the clients reasons for seeking treatment as well.

What type of treatment is the client interested in? Traditional braces? Clear aligner therapy? Having this information included on the referral can help the orthodontic team plan for the client’s appointment by not wasting time discussing treatment options that the client is not interested in.

Finally take the time to research the orthodontic office that you are referring to. Know the location, name of the doctor, and what kind of technology the office is using. Giving this information to your client gives them the opportunity to do their own research on the office by checking out their website and social media pages. Inter-professional collaboration is an important part of our profession to ensure the client has the most information possible and can make an informed choice regarding their oral health care.

To learn more on Orthodontics such as when to refer, orthodontic treatment options, how brackets and bands are placed, and much more join me for our next course Orthodontics 101 for the Dental Hygienist.

Thank you for contributing to the On-Track Tuesday blog, Liisa!

If you would like to send us a blog to share, please email to kathleen@rdhu.ca :)

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

We have an exciting and busy 3 weeks ahead of us here at rdhu! Not only do we have our live streaming courses being offered and laser training starting in Alberta and Ontario; but also, we have some in-person events happening that we are participating in!

For our courses and laser info, please find below.

Tonight, to wrap up Oral Health Month, Beth Parkes and myself are presenting for Dentsply Sirona. These are a Few of our Favourite Things! We will be discussing new technology (ie Lasers, Power) and will be sharing some strategies on how to streamline your instrumentation. It is from 8pm - 9pm EST and is free registration. Please find the flyer below (as a download) for more information!

Women in Dentistry are holding an in-person event this Friday! We will have a booth there, so please stop by and say 'Hi!" if you will be in attendance. Beth Parkes and Anna Louise Tolan are both presenting at this event also.

Next week, we are back to the in-person ASM with the ODA. You will find myself, Beth and Kerry Lepicek at the Curion booth! Please be sure to stop by and say hello. We will be sending out another email about ODA early next week.

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead!

Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Kathleen

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