Hygiene Edge Hygiene Edge

Dental Hygienist Spotlight: Katie Bayle, RDH

We love clinical practice. We need great RDHs working in the op, seeing patients, helping them with their oral health, and educating to improve their overall health. But, seeing dental hygienists break out into something else definitely warms our heart. Katie is a clinical dental hygienist that saw a need in her community and has now started her own professional whitening business. Interested in starting your own? Katie has some great advice and can definitely help you in your journey.

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How long have you been an RDH?

I have been an registered dental hygienist for 4 years, with 8 years prior dental assisting experience. I knew this was my future when I idolized the cool, older neighborhood girl who was an ortho dental assistant!

What kind of practice do you work in?

I am practicing two days a week in an amazing family practice, where I get to work with my best friend as my colleague. I knew if we could survive dental hygiene school together, working would be a breeze! More importantly, I am running Salt City Whitening on Saturdays and basically working on it every day that I have off.

What inspired you to start your business?

After 12 years a dentistry, I had hit a wall. I felt I grew all that I could in a clinical hygiene setting and had a desire for something more. After seeing marketing for teeth whitening on social media, I started to notice that majority of people providing it are licensed esthetician’s, nail technicians, etc. None of these people (bless them) had dental knowledge. I thought, why aren’t there more people like me in this whitening world? I have a college education in something DIRECTLY related to teeth whitening... What was stopping me from being a trusted source that people could turn to for their teeth whitening needs? So, I saved my money up, and started my business. Now I get to have an adorable work suite, a positive space, and clients that I love!

What’s your favorite part of being a dental hygienist?

I love that I have a career that can help fuel my creativity and passions outside of the op. I strongly believe that in my years of working closely with patients, it opened my eyes to how much people struggle with self confidence. I, myself, spent a long time working and learning to accept myself as I am, flaws and all. I really want to help people find that within themselves as well. Providing teeth whitening is the foundation of that, and could easily be the foundation of something that you’re passionate about as well!

So, my favorite thing about being a dental hygienist? The birth of Salt City Whitening! Fast forward to today, and I am providing a service that I’m knowledgeable in, have a platform to promote body positivity, and it’s all my own.


Any advice for someone wanting to start their own whitening business?
GO. FOR. IT. This is something you are well educated on, can make a difference in someone’s confidence, and you can pour your heart and soul into. Ask yourself, what is holding you back from something that you could be so great at?


Thank you Katie for letting us chat with you about your new venture! To see her business and find out what she’s up to, make sure you follow Salt City Whitening on Instagram at @saltcitywhitening.

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Employment Hygiene Edge Employment Hygiene Edge

13 Things You Should Do In a Working Interview To Get The Job

13 tips to nail your working interview

1. Call patients by last names with a smile

THE FRONT DESK IS WATCHING FOR PROFESSIONALISM


2. Offer to numb patients

YOU’VE GOT THE SKILLS


3. If downtime, let them see you cleaning the floors and baseboards

SHOW YOU’RE A TEAM PLAYER


4. Explain everything you are doing on the patient

THE OFFICE IS LISTENING TO ALL THE THINGS YOU SAY TO THE PATIENTS SO LET THEM KNOW YOU PROVIDE A HIGH STANDARD OF CARE 


5. Ask patients to give you a review

AT THE END IF YOU’VE CONNECTED WITH THEM ASK THEM TO LEAVE A REVIEW WITH THE FRONT DESK


6. Make sure the mand. anterior linguals are spotless 

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH, CAN YOU DO THE MOST BASIC AREAS WELL


7. Complement the dentist

THE DENTIST IS LISTENING, FIND A RESTORATION THAT WAS DONE LAST TIME ON A PATIENT AND TELL THEM HOW GOOD IT LOOKS 


8. Set out gloves and set mirror/explorer aside

SHOWS YOU ARE TIME SAVVY 


9. Find to clean or offer to clean an assistants room 

THE ASSISTANT HAS A SAY TOO, MAKE FRIENDS


10. Schedule recall (6 months and 1 day) 

SHOWS YOU CARE ABOUT THE SCHEDULE


11. Stay on time

TOP 2 IMPORTANT OF THIS WHOLE LIST


12. Take a note card to write down names and processes 

YOU DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO ASK OVER AND OVER


13. Know how to take and retake a radiograph

MAKE SURE THOSE RADS ARE PERFECT EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO RE- TAKE IT


CHECK OUT OUR LATEST VIDEO BELOW WHERE SHELLEY DISCUSSES THESE 13 TIPS TO NAIL YOUR WORKING INTERVIEW. 


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Hygiene Edge Hygiene Edge

First Day of Hygiene 101

Congratulations to the class of 2022! You made it through 2+ years of dental hygiene school, finding all your own patients, multiple board exams, and all through a world wide pandemic at the same time! Looking back, can you believe it? 

Now that you’ve finished that huge obstacle of dental hygiene school, you can jump right into working in a practice! YAY! Sometimes that first day of work can be a bit daunting. Going from school, having lots of help, supervision and time, to being on your own can be a bit overwhelming. But you can definitely do it! So many new grads have done it (we did back in the day!) and you can too. We’ve compiled a few things we’ve gathered over the years to help make that first day of working a bit easier.

  1. Small notebook and pen. This is so handy to have to write a few little notes on. If the office has a different software than you’re used to and explains how to open a chart, take a retake, etc, write it down! In the middle of the day, you may need that reminder. It’s also nice to not be taking these notes on your phone, so you don’t have to pull out your phone in front of the patient or a staff member. Also jot down names of people in the office, any specifics you’d like to remember, how to take a pano, or notes about patients they mention.

  2. Snacks or a lunch. It’s tempting to plan on leaving during lunch to take a little break to decompress. However, it’s hard to know how much time you may even get for a lunch! It’s the worst to be working a full time, have a very short break in the middle of the day, and end up being starving. Have some snacks on hand to get you through the day, just in case you end up being behind and seeing patients during lunch, if you have notes to catch up on during that time, or lunch ends up being shorter than you originally planned.

  3. Fully charged loupes light. That may seem obvious, but check your battery the night before. It’s always so hard to be working in a new space, and then end up losing your light in the middle of the day. Some newer offices don’t even put overhead lights in anymore since everyone wears headlamps. You could even ask before going in for the day to see if they do or do not have them to know what to plan for.

  4. Thank you note. If you end up loving the office that you’re working at for the day, leave a thank you note and maybe even a treat at the end of the day, letting them know how much you appreciate them taking the time to let you come spend a day at the office. You could include your business card or contact information in the note as well so they can easily get a hold of you to give you the job!

  5. Any little thing that you love to work with. Obsessed with your own slow speed handpiece from school? Bring it. Like those prophy cup holders and have a few? Bring them along. It’s always nice to have something comfortable with you to make your day go a bit smoother. Just make sure you grab them at the end of the day. If you use it on your last patient, I’ve honestly wiped and bagged them, brought them home unsterilized, then sterilized them at either the next office I worked for at the beginning of the day, or went back to the university I went to school to quickly have them done. I have forgotten and lost instruments along the way, so keeping an eye on this precious items is important.


Welcome to such a great profession and we are so proud of you! Congratulations on making it through your schooling, and into a practice to start changing your patients oral and overall health. You can definitely make it through your first day of work and we’re excited for you!


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Hygiene Edge Hygiene Edge

Instruct Conference

Tonight’s the night! We’re so excited to be part of the 1st ever Instruct Conference with Educators Platform. Jessica is the MC for both evenings, Shelley is speaking tomorrow night, and Melia helped with the behind the scenes to make the conference tick! Are you coming?

We want to say thank you to our amazing sponsors that are helping make this conference happen!

Immersify Education

Dental Hygiene Academy with Andy RDH

Kilgore International

Ambience PPE

Aerosol Assist

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Hygiene Edge Hygiene Edge

Simple Safety Tips with Zirc Dental

How are you holding on after 2 years of all the things?

If these last two years have taught us anything, it is that staying safe and keeping ourselves safe as practitioners is such an important part of our career. If we want to continue to work in a safe environment and with a happy body, we need to take charge of that responsibility. 

Our patients want the same thing. They want to come to a safe space, where they can be medically treated in a safe environment without worrying about themselves or the provider that’s treating them. They’re a mix of anxious and excited to be back to their regular routines like coming for their 6 month recall exams. How can we help ease their fears and ours being in the dental office?

Enter in Zirc Dental. Lucky for us as dental hygienists, Zirc has created so many amazing products that can help us stay safe. Small changes, like using a cassette or using overgloves, can make a big difference in how we practice and how we can keep ourselves safe and free from things like instrument sticks. This latest video is full of helpful and easy tips you can do tomorrow to help keep everyone safe.

To learn more about Zirc and how their products can easily fit into your practice, as well as make it more safe and effective, check out their website or contact Brittany at brittany@zirc.com.



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Hygiene Edge Hygiene Edge

RDH Spotlight: Ashley Heenan, RDH, BS

We were lucky enough to meet Ashley a few years ago at the Chicago Midwinter meeting as we were wandering around the exhibit floor. It’s always so fun to connect with other dental hygienists, especially ones that started their own business and making their own paths. Learn more about what she’s up to, how she started in dentistry and more below.

How long have you been an RDH?

I’ve been an RDH since 2007 after I graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago Hygiene program. I’ve practiced and held managerial roles at a general office as well as at my father’s periodontal practice.

 What inspired you to be a dental hygienist? 

My inspirator to become a dental hygienist was my father, a lifelong periodontist. I went to school for business but knew I belonged in a different sort of office, the dental one. I thrive when connecting and helping patients, which was a staple at my father's practice. The stories and relationships with these patients are what keeps me putting on the scrubs. As I educate them about oral care or brighten up their smiles, they teach me too. Thus, new hygienists must invest in the patient. It’s never just about oral care. Be present and listen, be mindful of the human aspect because as much as this work is medicinal, it’s also conversational.

 

What transitioned you into being an entrepreneur?

I’ve always had an itch to create and innovate, be entrepreneurial if you will, within the dental field. Whether it’s assistants or dentists, hygienists or staff, an educational investment encourages a greater dental community. It’s inherent in the nature of medicine to always evolve and learn. Thus, my company, Dental AssistEd, offers continuing education courses for the entire staff. From coronal polishing and pit and fissure sealants to sexual harassment, BLS and opioid training, it’s committed to advancing staff education whilst helping meet their administrative requirements. Also, I recently launched an eco-friendly, all-natural products company which includes bamboo toothbrushes, non-BPA and Teflon dental floss and picks made from corn starch. Check them out at udouproducts.com

 

What's the best and worst part of being an entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurship is a continual head spin, but the best part is having a hand in all upstream and downstream processes. But, that’s also the hardest part.

 

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Cool Products Hygiene Edge Cool Products Hygiene Edge

Things-Ma-Bop Round-Up

Check out our latest round-up of cool gidgets and gadgets below: 


If your patients are wanting to ditch plastic oral care products, send them to U do U Products. 


Loupes that help you see down WITHOUT bending your neck, yup they are a thing and they are amazing. I have the ones from Lumadent called Ergo Prisms and I LOVE THEM!!!


There is a fun new way to sharpen with the stone upright. Check out the Stoney Pony.


Need some cute scrubs that don’t break the bank, these from Mandala are a must!!


A new product made just for those who have a hard time threading floss under braces, bridges, lingual bars and all on 4 dentures is the Autoflosser


You still need a face shield, I really like this one from Ambience PPE.


Bib clips are for the birds, use the Tapkin with the bib clip built in. 


The Nitebite fits on #7-11 and can be molded right in the hygiene chair, a great way to prevent grinding/occlusal wear and increase production in the hygiene department at the same time. 


Active by Orthogum is a new cool gum that doesn't stick to your braces or clear aligners when chewing it.


A friend of mine recently had to get a root canal and the dentist used the MR. Thirsty from Zirc  instead of a rubber dam and said it was 100% better. 


If you know of any other whose-its and what’s-its out there we’d love to feature them! Drop us a comment.  


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Hygiene Edge Hygiene Edge

New Dental Terminology You Need to Know

Dentistry is always adapting and changing. Now that I have lots of experience under my belt it is fun to say, “when I first started working _____________was a thing.” I find it fascinating when seasoned hygienists tell me that they once didn’t wear gloves for procedures or that they had to wear dresses to work/ school. It makes me grateful for the progress that we have made. Therefore I made a short list of some of the terminology updates that we have recently seen. Just as we have changed plaque to biofilm, and pyorrhea to periodontitis we will adapt to this terminology as well. What changes have you seen over the years?

1 https://aap.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/JPER.16-0642
2 https://aap.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/JPER.17-0733


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Hygiene Edge Hygiene Edge

Biolase Epic Hygiene Laser and Laser Bacteria Reduction

I’m not going to lie. When Biolase reached out to us about using their Epic Hygiene Laser and learning more about the technology, we were thrilled. This was a dream for us! I’ve been laser certified for years, and have used the laser on and off over my career as a dental hygienist. I even did my research poster on lasers and periodontal disease back when I was a 2nd year dental hygiene student years ago. Let’s just say the poster didn’t win anything since there wasn’t much to be found about lasers in dentistry, but now after the years, there has been such an improvement in how often they are used, how they work, and how seamlessly we as dental hygienists can integrate and utilize them every day and with every patient. Laser bacteria reduction is one of those functions that we can utilize as dental hygienists to increase health in most of our patients, to increase the standard of care.


Laser Bacteria Reduction (LBR) is so handy for us as RDHs as it takes only 5 minutes to complete, which we all know a hygiene appointment can be tight for time. It can be used on patients with localized to generalized gingivitis to help increase healing and decrease pocketing in these inflamed and infected areas. Along with home care, you’ll find better results with your patients that have inflammation.

A couple key points about LBR:

1. The Biolase Epic Hygiene Laser is the only hygiene-only device that has FDA clearance to perform this procedure. If you decide to start using this procedure, make sure you’re using the right unit, and that it has preset settings specific to the safe operation of Laser Bacterial Reduction, like Epic Hygiene does.

2. LBR can be used preprocedurally to help decrease aerosols compared to traditional ultrasonic methods, help prevent cross contamination of bacteria, and improve healing results in patients.

3. Each state or province has different laws when it comes to lasers, what can be performed, and what dental hygienists can do with lasers. Make sure you check with your state professional association and your practice act before using a laser to make sure you legally can!

If you’re interested in learning a bit more about lasers, what they can do, and how they can help your dental hygiene practice, definitely check out the new Biolase Hygiene Academy website for all the latest information. Biolase has launched a Hygiene Academy to bring together a community of like-minded hygienists sharing tips and tricks! Come “Spill the Tea” and join me on the forums!

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Hygiene Edge Hygiene Edge

Simple Ways to Make it Through the Week

How are you feeling this week. No really. Like how are you feeling? If you’re like me, you’re probably a bit burnt out. For some reason, the toll of the last almost 2 years has been catching up, and trying to stay on top of all the things is tricky! Patients are overdue and presenting with more calculus or disease than ever before (not to mention their stress levels and change in daily schedules has completely switched up their home care routines). Offices are either busy busy busy or completely dead with last minute cancellations due to illness and exposures. Public schools are going back and forth from in person learning to online learning, which we know as educated moms get the brunt of the homework help. It’s a lot! We as dental hygienists aren’t the only ones feeling the impact of all the changes, but there are simple things we CAN do during the day to make our hygiene day a little bit better.

  1. Take a CE Course. I know, I know. Sometimes the last thing you need is something else dental related on your plate. But, learning something new could help inspire you to change up how you practice or help your next patient you see in your chair. I have loved learning about airway the past few years. The best part of learning about airway was 1 pedo patient that was having a hard time with sleep and learning at school and the caregiver was out of options as they’ve tested him for everything. However, after a simple airway test through our recommendation, they found out that he was having sleep apnea at night, got his tonsils removed, had ortho and oral myology, and was now thriving in school. With some simple suggestions and referrals that went along with my personal research, it was able to change someone's life. That definitely makes being a dental hygienist worth it.

  2. Take it one day at a time. I’ve noticed these last few years that the more I look into the future, see how much I can’t plan for and control, the more anxious I get. So, taking it one day at a time and planning on accomplishing 1 thing a day instead of 10 has helped a lot. Have I not accomplished as much as I’d like? Yes. But, practicing this self care has been helpful for my mind.

  3. Get a new pair of scrubs or lab jacket. Nothing is better than a new something to wear, even if it's just to work. It’s always nice to have something new and fresh to wear.

  4. Get some sleep. Make sure you turn off your phone at a decent hour to make sure you can get some sleep. Heck, maybe make a charging station outside of your bedroom to keep the scrolling temptation at bay in the evening. Getting a great amount of rest will help recharge the batteries for the next clinical day.

You got this, RDH! This is as crazy time of life with lots of changes, but we can get through this together, one day at a time.

What are you doing to get through each day as a dental hygienist?

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