Sharpening a Dental Hygiene Curette
Sharpening a dental hygiene curette is essential to maintain its effectiveness in removing calculus and providing optimal patient care. Follow these step by step instructionsto sharpen a curette properly:
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
Sharpening stone
Lubricant (if required for your stone)
Good lighting and magnification (optional but in my mind, is isn’t)
A stable work surface
Testing stick (for sharpness evaluation)
Step 2: Identify the Curette’s Blade and Angulation
A curette has two cutting edges (one on each side of the face) and a rounded toe.
Hold the curette with the face parallel to the floor so you can see the cutting edges clearly.
The ideal sharpening angle is 70–80 degrees between the stone and the lateral surface. Having a guide of some sort, either paper or something that connects to your sharpening stone or card is key.
Step 3: Position the Curette and the Sharpening Stone
Hold the curette in your non-dominant hand, using a stable grip.
Use your dominant hand to hold the sharpening stone.
The stone should be lined up at 110 degrees (use your guide to help)
Maintain a steady hand position to avoid altering the instrument’s shape.
Step 4: Sharpen the Cutting Edge
Start at the heel of the cutting edge and move toward the middle and toe using a short, controlled up-and-down stroke.
Maintain light to moderate pressure while sharpening.
Use a consistent stroke direction to avoid over-thinning the instrument.
Continue sharpening until you feel a slight “bite” when testing on a plastic stick.
Step 5: Sharpen the Rounded Toe
Curettes have a rounded toe that must be maintained.
Use semi-circular motions with the stone around the toe to keep its shape.
Avoid over-sharpening the toe to prevent flattening or shortening its lifespan.
Step 6: Test for Sharpness
Use a plastic testing stick to check sharpness.
A sharp curette “grabs” or bites into the plastic rather than sliding off.
If the curette is still dull, repeat the sharpening process in small increments.
Step 7: Rinse, Sterilize, and Store Properly
Rinse off any metal shavings.
Sterilize the instrument according to infection control protocols.
Store in a clean, dry place to maintain sharpness.
Sharpening a curette can definitely take time and practice, but it is so worth it to have a sharp instrument for both your patient and you as the clinician. I’m excited for you to practice your sharpening with these steps! If you’re a visual learner, we have several sharpening videos on YouTube, with lots coming soon.
Plus if you’re looking for a sharpening guide, we have our favorite in our shop. Get yours today!
xoxo Melia Lewis, MED, RDH
@meliardh
Anxiety and Dental Hygiene Go Hand in Hand
Last week, I was chatting with my coworker and fellow RDH just about life, catching up kids, and seeing that’s new. With this convo, I expressed I was feeling so anxiety with a busy work load, 2 daughters to support in all the ways and raise, speaking at 2 new meetings about new topics in 1 week, and just life. She replied in jest, "Of course you do. You’re a dental hygienist. All dental hygienists have some low grade anxiety burning inside of us."
Of course that made me laugh and not feel so alone in my anxiety mess, but I haven’t stopped thinking about that conversation.
All dental hygienists have anxiety. Would you agree? I’m not going to lie- I’ve been asking so many of my dental hygiene friends this week about anxiety and they all agreed- working in a patient facing profession with a tight schedule all day is a lot on the body, let alone adding the stresses of life like spouses, kids, family dynamics, community responsibilities, and more. We feel a lot as healthcare provider and care givers, and those feelings often come out as anxiety.
So do you agree with this statement? How can we support dental hygienists at this high anxiety time in our lives?
If you yourself have noticed you are having boughts of anxiety in your clinical day, here are a few things you can do to help ground yourself.
Breathe. Breath is so fascinating. It is the one we can physically/mentally control when are feeling scared or anxious that will automatically have a physical response. Slowing our breathing will automatically start slowing our heart rate and break that “fight or flight” response.
Pause and look around. With feeling anxious, it is always about the future and thinking about what’s next, what if, what would happen, etc. Looking around and seeing that everything is good right at that very second can bring you back to the present.
Feel the warm of the sun. In between patients (if there is a second) head to the window or out the door. Feeling the sun can held regulate the nervous system.
And remember, you’re not alone in this hygiene world and feeling all the feelings. I’m experience the exact same thing and working through it each hour with each patient.
xoxo, Melia
Waterline Shocking with A-dec
When I first thought of shocking the lines of our dental operatories, I definitely imagined a much more intricate process of getting the proper chemicals into our waterlines and becoming a chemist to perform this much needed maintenance procedure. However, thanks to A-dec, the products are so easy to understand and implement that it takes out so much of the stress of the process. To see the step in action, see our latest video all about shocking:
Here are a few things we’ve learned about shocking your units that have helped.
Put it on your calendar to test and shock. Do you feel like time is flying? Days and weeks fly by and before we know it, a month is gone and we haven’t tested our ops. So, setting a reminder right on your practice management software is the best way to keep on top of it.
Don’t be scared of the process. I think the 1st time I tested, I was very scared to find out the results. But it’s better now than never and get your op on a path of a low bacteria count. Ops fail all the time, which is why shocking is a thing. When you need to shock, know you’re in good company.
Place a sign (like the one that comes with the A-dec shocking system) on your chair while the solution is in the lines. Without fail, someone will forget or won’t be told the chair is out of commission for a while. Having the sign keeps the lines of communication clear.
Have you shocked your lines before? What have you learned as you’ve been doing it?
xoxo Melia Lewis, RDH
Better Visibility with the Hoopla Retractor
The other day, I had a patient scheduled with me for nonsurgical periodontal therapy. It had been many years since seeing a dentist, and they knew something was going on with their gingival since it regularly bled as they brushed their teeth. Even though the patient knew they needed care, being at the dentist and with a dental hygienist can be a nerve wracking experience. This patient was no different. They were nervous to be with me, nervous about getting an injection to be numb, and their anxious energy was filling the room. I don’t know about you, but I always feel a bit of heightened stress when the patient is very nervous. After explaining the injection, what it would feel like, and the possibility of feeling a “zing” feeling with the IA, I sat the patient back and started to retract the cheek. Even with the coaching, the prepping, and calming of the patient, their tongue had a mind of its own. This definitely added to the stress in the room, having a needle in the patient's mouth while trying to wrangle a tongue and explain to the patient to relax.
After several minutes of trying (and not getting very far), I needed reinforcements to help hold the tongue. Unfortunately, the dental assistants were busy right then, and I was on my own to complete the injection. So, I decided to try a retractor to hold the cheeks so I had a free hand to gently hold the tongue. And it totally worked! It was like having an extra hand there to see the injection site better, hold the patient, and have a smoother experience with this patient. I was definitely kicking myself after this experience that I didn’t grab the retractor sooner and save so much time and energy for both the patient and myself.
If you find that you’re in a procedure and need an extra hand, try retraction like the Hoopla from Zyris! They are easy to place and can be used for so many things we do during the day- from sealants, to air powder polishing, to injections. To learn more about the Hoopla, check out our latest video:
To learn more about the Hoopla and to find out how to get it into your office, please visit their website.
A huge thank you to Zyris for sharing our same goals of empowering clinicians to be their best with great products, and for supporting us at Hygiene Edge.
xoxo, Melia Lewis, RDH
Instrument Recycling Programs- 2024
If 2020 changed anything in dentistry (what didn’t it change?!), one big aspect was instrument recycling programs. They definitely were stopped, paused, or cancelled completely. However, now that we’re back into the swing of things in 2024, a few programs are back up and running! Here is the latest information on who’s taking instruments as of now to be recycled.
Recycle ten used stainless steel instruments (any brand) to receive one new Premier hand instrument.
Instruments must be sterilized and packaged in bundles of ten.
A $14.99 processing fee applies per submission, with unlimited submissions allowed
https://www.premierdentalco.com/instrument-recycling-program/
ProDentUSA Instruments for Change:
Currently closed
Nordent Trade-In Program:
Currently closedHu Friedy
Recycle 12, Get 1 Free
Recycle up to 60 Instruments annually
Up to 5 Free Instruments per year
Choose from 4 Scaler designs
Exclusive promos throughout the year
Real-time Order Status & Push Notifications
These programs emphasize sustainability by reprocessing metals for reuse, and they help dental professionals reduce waste while keeping their instrument inventory updated. For more information, check out the websites above.
Have you recycled instruments before? What was your experience?
xoxo Melia Lewis, RDH
Maintaining Your Dental Waterlines with A-dec
What can we do during the month to keep our waterlines in top shape and keep the bacteria counts below the required CDC amount? Lucky for us in our busy dental day, maintenance is very easy and can be applied to our ops with 1 easy step- a tablet!
Tabs contain a low- level antibacterial to help keep your waterlines clean. A few helpful tips with the tabs:
Always add your tablet to a full water bottle of fresh water. This will keep the balance between water and antibacterial at an optimal level. If your bottle is half full in the morning and you want to top it off to last you the day, empty out the existing water, refill, and add a tablet.
Give the tablet 2 minutes to dissolve before using the water. Giving time will allow the antibacterial to move throughout the entire bottle, and keep a great balance in your waterlines. When you’re replacing your water, do it 1st thing in the morning to give it time to dissolve before your patient is in your chair.
Drop the tablet into your bottle without touching the tablet. To prevent cross contamination from your hand to your bottle and keep the bacteria counts down, gently open the packaging and drop the tablet in while your hand is only handling the paper.
To see how to maintain in action, see our latest video:
We are so excited for you on this waterline journey with us, with a huge step being maintenance! A big thank you to A-dec for supporting us at Hygiene Edge and allowing us to shine a light on such an important and often forgotten about topic.
Don’t forget to check out the entire Series!
Part 3 coming soon: Shocking
Black Friday Deals for the RDH
I’m a sucker for a good deal. Who isn’t in this economy? Here is a round of some of the best deals, just for us in the dental community.
What deals are you scoring today?
Elevate Oral Care- The All Day Dry Mouth spray and gel are chefs kiss for dry mouth
CE Zoom- Great deals on a years worth of CE courses. We’ll be there!
December 7th Conference: Only $50 with promo code BLACKFRIDAY50!
Elite Yearly Membership: Just $195, and the conference is included FREE with promo code BLACKFRIDAY24!
American Dental Hygienists’ Association- Join the movement of protecting dental hygiene. $50 off for new members. Use code THANKS before December 3
Ergosharp- The best sharpening device. 30% off with BFF2024
Snap it Bella- Buy 2, get 1 Free.
Stoggles- 50% off
Graceys VS Universal Instruments
Here is a plea to have gracey instruments in your office. Hear me out- I know they’re an extra expense, you need to have 2 instruments per tooth, and they add extra mess to your tray. However, if you’re working on pockets greater than 4mm, these specialized instruments are key to reaching the base of the pocket. There is a huge difference between these two instruments, what they are used for, and how they each are utilized to treat very different patients. Let’s break them down.
Universal Instruments:
Design:
Blade Angle: Universal instruments have two cutting edges per working end. The blade is set at a 90-degree angle to the terminal shank.
Shape: The back is rounded, and the working end is semicircular in cross-section.
Cutting Edges: Both edges are used, allowing it to be applied to all tooth surfaces.
Application:
Designed for all areas of the mouth (hence, “universal”).
Commonly used for heavy deposits due to their robust design.
Examples: Columbia 13/14, Barnhart 5/6.
Technique:
Requires tilting the shank to achieve the correct blade-to-tooth angulation (70–80 degrees).
Effective but may require more precision to adapt correctly to curved surfaces.
Gracey Curettes:
Design:
Blade Angle: Gracey curettes have a 70-degree blade angle to the terminal shank, making only one cutting edge functional (lower edge).
Shape: Also has a semicircular cross-section, but the shank and blade are more angulated and area-specific.
Application:
Designed for specific areas of the mouth:
Example: Gracey 1/2 for anterior teeth, 11/12 or 15/16 for mesial surfaces, 13/14 or 17/18 for distal surfaces.
Ideal for fine scaling and root planing, especially subgingivally.
Provides better adaptability to root morphology and furcations.
Technique:
Easier to achieve proper angulation due to the pre-set blade angle.
Less effective for removing heavy deposits compared to universal curettes.
To learn more about graceys, the differences in graceys, and more, definitely watch these videos:
xoxo Melia Lewis, RDH @meliardh
Testing Your Waterlines with A-dec
Has there ever been a time when you’ve been sitting in a dental hygiene CE Course and have felt completely overwhelmed? Like the information is definitely important, but felt cumbersome to apply it to your clinical life? Waterline testing and shocking was that topic for me. I remember sitting in the webinar class 9 months pregnant trying to get some classes in before having a baby and life was quickly changing for me. I wasn’t super interested in the topic, but the speaker was amazing. I was blown away by the stats and facts about waterlines, bacteria, the importance of cleaning out our waterlines in the dental office, and how it was our responsibility to keep our waterlines below the CDC recommended 500 CFU/mL of water of heterotrophic water bacteria. I was also feeling very overwhelmed because we had not been shocking and testing at the office I was working at. I was feeling really awful, some shame, and didn’t know where to start.
However, once you actually see how it’s done and the steps broken down, it definitely doesn’t feel as overwhelming. We have loved going through each step with A-dec and seeing how we can easily perform testing, shocking and maintaining throughout our hygiene days when we already are stretched thin for time.
Honesty, the most important thing to remember when it comes to waterline testing is now is the time to start, and not stress about the past. I remember being so nervous to test my waterlines just in case something popped up that wasn’t desirable. However, knowing better means doing better from here on out.
If you’re feeling the same way about testing and shocking, we are so excited for this three part video series thanks to A-dec. During these series, we’re breaking down the steps to testing, maintaining and shocking to make it easy to use in your practice starting today. Plus, if you’re looking for an easy way to test out a shocking solution, A-dec has made it easy to order your very own samples. We actually used this sample ordering website to get the product to make these videos, which was very easy and shipped to us quickly.
This week, we’re introducing the 1st video of this series: Testing. Testing is crucial to know how to maintain your waterlines and very simple. Check it out below:
To learn more about the A-dec system of tablets, shocking solution, and more, please check out: https://www.a-dec.com/infection-control/icx
xoxo Melia Lewis, RDH
Podcast Features
This has been a busy few months for podcasting with the Hygiene Edge Team! We aren’t going to lie. We love a podcast to learn about new techniques, hear from others, and connect with professionals on a different level. It’s something about sitting in on a conversation that totally lets you get to know a person better.
Here is a list of some recent episodes! What ones have you listened to?
Jessica on Straight up with Steph- All about being an educator. This is perfect if you’re interested in education, learning more about education, or want to jump into an educator roll.
Jessica on Tale of Two Hygienists- Connecting Schools with Community
Shelley on Brush with Britt- Public Health Hygienist- Interested in learning more about mobile dental hygiene and how you can help a very underserved population? This is the place! Shelley has her own mobile practice and talks more about her experience.
Jessica on Brush with Britt- Emotional Resilience in Dental Hygiene School
Shelley on Straight up with Steph- Mobile Business and being an entrepreneur
What is your favorite podcast to listen to?