Dental Hygiene Student Podcast with The Happy Flosser RDH

Today’s student is tasked with developing the skills required to deliver team-based, patient centered care. As the demands of our population continues to grow, our need for inter professional collaboration grows along with that demand. Let’s take a look at why IPC is important as well as what students should expect to experience in order to be prepared for this type of collaboration in the workfor...

The ADPIED process provides students and seasoned clinicians with a systematized guide or cheat sheet on the sequence of steps used in the process of care provided to patients. Understanding the components included in each step of the process of care allows a clinician to be an effective and efficient provider. ADPIED is considered the standard of care. In this episode we will review each componen...

One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to start off your clinical career learning proper ergonomics and patient/operator positioning. There are specific positions that clinicians need to consider when working in the clinical setting to maintain good ergonomics while providing patient care. Having foundational skills of proper operator and patient positioning ensures the clinic...

One of the very first skills you will learn about in your preclinical rotation as a dental hygiene student is all aspects of infection control. This topic covers the prevention of disease transmission and safety. As you begin to learn about infection control, you will soon discover that it is has evolved over time and will continue to do so during your career. It is important to understand the bas...

Dental hygienists are prevention specialists who are charged with increasing knowledge and creating behavior changes with their patients. Motivational interviewing is a skill based practice proven to be effective at strengthening personal motivation to achieving goals, make changes, and develop collaborative relationships from a compassionate space. In this episode we will review some of the micro...

The use of Local Anesthesia can be one of the most risky treatments provided by the dental hygienist. It is important to develop a comprehensive understanding of your patients level of risk to unplanned dental issues with the use of local anesthesia. In this episode we will discuss some of the key areas to keep in mind as you perform your assessment on your patient to keep the risk level low. Stud...

Pain management allows us to perform dental procedures without discomfort or pain for our dental patients. But what about our fearful patients? Or patients who are anxious about the needle? In this episode, we will review some of the basics around pain and management of our patients who present with fear and anxiety in the clinical setting. There are some effective strategies that can be used to h...

The mere presence of pathogens is not enough to cause disease. The host plays a specific and unique role in the progression, advancement, and destruction seen in our periodontal patients. How the host responds to periodontal pathogens is one of the most significant components of the disease process. Clinicians should have an understanding of risk factors that contribute to disease progression and...

There are three major delivery systems in the U.S. Federal, State, and Non-Government. It is important to understand how the delivery systems impact dental care delivery in our country. Students should study the main framework of government agencies as they relate specifically to oral health delivery. Consideration should be given to the framework of these delivery systems as well as the functions...

Dental biofilm is composed of a complex system of microbes that are found in the oral cavity. The dental hygienist performs a Carie’s risk and Periodontal risk assessment and should understand the connection of these risks to biofilm composition. It is important to understand the development process of dental biofilm and how it relates to the risk of disease development. Comprehensive understandin...

One of the prerequisites for many students trying to gain acceptance into a dental hygiene program is to conduct an interview of a dental hygienist and find out more details about the profession. In this episode, I share the experience of being interviewed by a student aspiring to become a dental hygienist. This gives you a little more background about me and the profession I love. This content wi...

The Lymphatic system is a complex network designed to provide filtration and excretion of toxins away from and out of a region. The dental hygienist should be very familiar with normal tissue presentation, function, abnormal clinical presentations, as well as understanding disease risks associated with the lymphatic system. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional resources: ...

Cranial nerve VII, IX, and XII are the remaining significant nerves of the head and neck that are closely related to dental hygiene. Students should develop an understanding of anatomy and function of these nerves prior to taking pain management. Clinical considerations and problems related to these nerves will also be covered. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional resource...

The Trigeminal nerve is known as Cranial Nerve V. This nerve has three main branches and serves both sensory and motor function. It is important for the dental hygiene student to have an in-depth understanding of the anatomy and function of this cranial nerve. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional resources:  Study Sheets: ⁠⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠⁠ Special...

The function of the TMJ is important for daily life for all patients. Dental hygienist evaluate the TMJ during the assessment process of each appointment and should note any deviations or discrepancies with the joint. It is important for the dental hygiene student to know the anatomy, function, and components that make up the TMJ. In this episode we will discuss the basics of the TMJ and clinical...

As you round the corner to the finish line in the dental hygiene program, a resume becomes a primary focus. There are some specific components that make a good resume. In this episode we will review some of the basics of resume and cover letter writing. We will also discuss ways to prepare for your first interview as a new RDH. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional resource...

The dental hygienist should be very familiar with the arteries, veins, and nerves that supply the head and neck region. This information builds upon previous content and is essential prior to taking pain management. Disease and infection can spread easily in the head and neck region as a result of the design of the anatomy. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional resources: ...

The dental hygienist treats a variety of patients and can expect to treat patients at risk for a medical emergency. In this episode Professor Lisa Centrella shared with us her information about the most common medical emergencies that happen in the dental operatory. It is important to know the steps to take in the event an emergency occurs and how to best manage the patient experiencing a medical...

For a very long time students have been required to take a live patient exam as part of the process of showing competency to obtain a license to practice as a dental hygienist. The manikin exam replaced the live patient exam to provide licensure during the pandemic. In this episode we will discuss the pros and cons of both types of exams as well as some of the misinformation about the exams to pro...

The bones of the skull are an important foundation for dental hygiene students to understand prior to taking local anesthesia and working with patients in the clinical setting who present with complexities to their medical history or disease status. This information will provide the student with the basic structures and landmark features located on the cranial and facial bones that make up the sku...

The use of drugs in healthcare create the need for some modifications to our dental procedures, patient management, medical consults, and treatment plan adjustments. Some alterations and precautions must be taken by the RDH to safely treat our medically compromised patients. This episode provides a basic review of medical conditions, the drugs used to treat those medical conditions, and the dental...

This episode will cover the remaining groups of muscles that complete the head and neck region. Students should understand location, origin, insertion, and action of each of the muscle groups along with which cranial nerve is involved in innervation of these muscle groups. Some clinical application and dental terminology connections will be discussed. As I say.... "Those who know will grow.&q...

The muscles of facial expression provide the dental hygiene student with the knowledge base to understanding changes, abnormalities, and developmental disturbances that occur in our patient populations. In this episode, we will review the anatomy of the different regions of the face. We will review the specific facial muscles and discuss the origin, insertion, and function of each of the muscles o...

As a licensed RDH we are bound by an oath to uphold specific standards of professional responsibility. We also have a moral obligation to our community - our patients - and ourselves. Our ADHA Code of ethics provides us with an ethical framework to make decisions that protect the health and well-being of every patient we serve. This episode will cover ethical theories and the code of ethics which...

Dry mouth impacts dental health in all aspects and can rapidly diminish the integrity of the dentition. Restorative work as well as periodontal health can be greatly impacted by xerostomia. The clinician should understand the role saliva has on the Dentition, how to spot xerostomia, and how to treat patients who suffer from xerostomia. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional...