It’s National Dental Hygienist Week!!

Dental Hygiene News
The month of April is Oral Health Month, and this week we celebrate National Dental Hygienist Week. This annual event is sponsored by the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA), an organization that represents more than 24,000 dental hygienists across Canada.

Check back every day this week for information focusing on the importance of good oral practices, the oral systemic link, and information to help you understand the role your dental hygienist plays.

First let’s take a moment to review a very brief history of dental hygiene as a profession.

timelineDH

So what exactly is Self-Initiation? And why is it so awesome?

Self-Initiation simply means that a Registered Dental Hygienist that has met the requirements set out by the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO) can be authorized to work without the need for any supervision by a dentist. As you can see in the timeline, this happened for Ontario in 2007.

This was is a big deal!

Not only does this legislation benefit us Dental Hygienists that wish to expand our options regarding where and how we practice, more importantly it benefits you.

Here are just a few reasons why self-initiation rocks:

  • Increased access to care, there are now dental hygienists that will travel to you. Are you a busy parent and want to have your regular oral care done in the comfort of your home? There’s DH’s that will do that. Are you concerned about the lack of oral care that your parent is receiving in their long-term care facility? There are DH’s that will travel to them.
  • Does the thought of walking into a dental office give you so much anxiety that you avoid it all together? There are DH’s that own clinics that are completely independent of a dentist, a great place for people with phobias to start getting back on track.
  • Decreased cost. Because there is no dentist, independent dental hygienists use a fee guide that is developed specifically for them. These fees offer some cost saving to you.
  • Longer appointments and customized care. There are many traditional dental offices out there that offer great personal service, but a common complaint that we hear is that people feel like just a number at their previous office. Dental Hygienists that choose to practice independently are passionate about their field and clients and have the benefit of scheduling appointments in whatever length they feel is needed.

As an Independent Dental Hygienist practicing in a store front clinic here in Etobicoke I can only hope that my clients feel they are receiving above average oral care, I love that I am not restricted by a dentists scheduling and billing policies and instead am able to focus completely on my clients’ needs.

We would love to hear your feedback. Are there any reasons we may have missed? Do you have any concerns that we can help address?