In this video clip, I’m using a medium Isolite mouthpiece (attached to a Kona Adapter 2.0) and a wide HVE tip. This is the setup I used in the past, but only when air polishing. But post COVID-19, this may become my setup for ultrasonic scaling too. DryShield mouthpieces (my preference) can be used in…
Many years ago I remember watching an episode of the tv show King of Queens starring comedian Kevin James. In one of the scenes, Doug (character played by Kevin) was in the bathroom brushing his teeth. As a dental hygiene student at the time, I remember thinking, “His brushing technique is awful!” Fast forward to…
When I graduated from dental hygiene school in 2007, the job market in my area (Massachusetts and Rhode Island) was pretty favorable for us hygienists. If you had a license (and a pulse) finding a job was relatively easy. But then the 2008 recession hit and the strong demand for hygienists suddenly dropped. And the…
A few weeks ago, while browsing my Facebook feed, I came across a news story about a male dental hygienist who recently had his license revoked. The reason for losing his license? He was guilty of “sexually abusing” a patient. What did this monster do you may ask? According to the article, he had the…
Jerry Seinfeld has a great joke that goes something like this. According to a recent study, the two biggest human fears are death and public speaking. But here’s the most interesting part. Death came in second place. Second! Public speaking beat death for the top spot. Which means……people rather be the person in the casket…
If you listen to the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) Podcast long enough (I’ve been a fan for many years), you will notice a particular theme that keeps popping up—life optimization. Joe comes at it from many different angles—fitness, diet, mixed martial arts, stand up comedy, hunting, pool (billiards), family, friendships, etc. Joe is so passionate…
1. Treat your hygienists like professional colleagues Let’s be clear. I’m not saying your hygienist’s formal education is equal to your formal education in scope or depth. All I’m saying is that hygienists are well educated individuals who see themselves as dental professionals and want to be treated that way. Treat your hygienist the same…
1. “Do” most of the exam for the dentist and relay your findings when he or she arrives. I’m not saying you should legally “diagnose”. I’m saying you should, to use the current buzzword, “co-diagnose”. For those who hate buzzwords and prefer plain language like myself, just make the exam easier for the dentist! We…
1. Reimbursement rates are too low (especially for adult coverage). And in some cases, reimbursement doesn’t even cover the cost of doing business. So in essence, the dentist is being asked to reach into his or her own pocket to pay the patient’s bill. That’s ridiculous. 2. The no show rate is crazy high. In…
Have you only used standard saliva ejectors? If so, then you and your patients are missing out on some cool saliva ejector technology. Two of my favorite saliva ejectors are the Total Comfort saliva ejectors and the Comfort Plus saliva ejectors. What are the primary benefits of these saliva ejectors? One, they significantly reduce “tissue…