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The article offers professional advice to a registered dental hygienist on preventive care for dental implants and fixed implant denture. Topics covered include the problems related to preventive care and implant patients, whether the use of ultrasonic scalers on implants is allowed and the view of dentist John A. Hodges on how the design of the implant denture can be problematic. Tips to remember when providing preventive care for implant denture patients are provided.

The article provides an answer to the question on the oral rinses which are truly virucidal to eliminate oral microbes during dental care.

An interview with independent practice dental hygienist (IPDH) Derrick Robertson is presented. He discusses the prevailing attitude of dentists in the U.S. toward IPDHs as of September 2018. He talks about their independent practice, office and staff, as well as their most expensive dental equipment. He cites some challenges they confronted in their own dental practice, as well as the things that bring them satisfaction in their profession.

The article focuses on the hygiene department as a major factor in dental practice success. Topics covered include the three main departments of dental practices as businesses, improvement in hygiene department efficiency and productivity, and how a dentist uses time as an important consideration in business success.

The author discusses information on issues related to dental hygiene. Topics discussed include whether it is common for tissue to reattach above the calculus level where the root surface is clean and smooth, close debridement of deep pockets and thorough removal of calculus, and the use of a molecular iodine product called ioRinse to eradicate pathogens.

The article provides an answer to a question on how dental hygienist staff meetings can be upgraded from being gripe sessions.

The author gives advice to dental hygienists for her final Staff Rx column for the "RDH Magazine." She relates her journey as a writer starting with the periodical "Dental Economics" and the role of dental hygienists in the U.S. in the subject matter for the column. She cites the lessons she learned from writing including conducting research on issues that are not part of her expertise. She advises dental hygienists against participating in office politics or gossip.

The article presents an answer to a question about dealing with an angry dental patient with periodontitis.

The article provides an answer to a question on the maximum blood pressure readings that should be considered by a dental hygienist to dismiss a patient from an appointment.

The article provides an answer to the question on how dental hygienists in the U.S. can improve the quality of their chart notes to better address possible complaints or lawsuits of patients.

The article discusses the efficiency and productivity of a hygiene department as a major contributor to the success of a dental practice. Topics discussed include the hiring of dental hygienist as a means to improve the efficiency of dentists, and benchmarks of the hygiene department which include gross practice production, discovery of restorative needs, and periodontal codes in hygiene codes. Also discussed are ways to improve productivity of the hygiene department.

The article provides an answer to a question on what is the legal responsibility of a dental hygienist working for a dental practice that provides substandard dentistry.

The article provides an answer to a question about scientific evidence on oral rinses' ability to inactivate viruses.

The author discusses tips and suggestions for dental hygienists when completing the final quadrant scaling visit with a patient. Topics mentioned include brief information about the code D1110, five codes to describe the definitive care provided by dental hygienists, and relation of tooth loss in periodontal patients to frequency of supportive periodontal therapy.

The article provides an answer to the question on the feasibility of using systemic antibiotics for periodonal infections and other possible remedies to periodontal patients who do not want to visit a periodontist.

The article looks at some common questions when developing a commission-based compensation plan for dental hygienists. Topics mentioned include evaluation of facts about bonuses before implementation of a bonus system, variability regarding offices and the amounts they write off, and implementation of commission-based pay for hygienists.

The article indicates that foods high in fermentable carbohydrates contribute to caries formation and that certain foods contribute to inflammation as well. It discusses the 2012 Forster Study published in an issue of the "Journal of American Geriatric Study" which examined the effects of improved nutrition or micronutrient supplementation. The article also suggests that it is reasonable to surmise that clinical outcomes of periodontal diseases can be influenced by a patient's diet. INSET: HELPING OUR PATIENTS UNDERSTAND.

The article discusses 'informed consent' which is the process of obtaining a patient's consent for treatment after informing him about all aspects of the proposed treatment. This practice was initiated to reduce the number of lawsuits filed by patients. Informed consent might be documented, but a verbal discussion with the patient is essential. Implied and telephone consent are permissible in some cases. The patient can refuse treatment or opt for alternate treatment through informed refusal.

The article discusses difficulties faced by dental hygienist using dull instruments in the practice especially during scaling work, which causes serious pain in hand, wrist, neck, shoulder, and back. Different blade shapes including sickle and curette are described. The benefits of motorized and manual sharpening systems and techniques of sharpening with a handpiece and cylindrical stone are discussed. New instruments introduced by American Eagle that stay sharp are also highlighted.

The article discusses proper topical fluoride applications and ethical use by dental hygienist to specific patients. Topics discussed include the question regarding a speaker's recommendation to generally apply fluoride to all patients for caries prevention, the guide published by the American Dental Association (ADA) regarding specific patients requiring fluoride treatment as in cases of multiple orthodontic procedures as well as the risk classification factors involved.

The article presents a question and answer about approaching a doctor regarding the dress code for dental hygienists.

The article reports on the importance of malpractice insurance coverage for dental hygienists. It states that malpractice coverage is very reasonably priced for hygienists, typically less than $100 per year for coverage. It mentions that before purchasing any type of policy, be sure that any exclusions set forth in the policy are understood. The areas of potential liability for dental hygienists are also discussed.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of testing positive for squamous cell carcinoma to cite the importance of intraoral and extraoral cancer examinations.

The article provides an answer to the question on whether the termination of a dental hygienist after her employer reopened amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. is legal, and the possible legal steps that should be undertaken to resolve the issue.

The author responds to a question about the things that dental hygienists can do to stay safe at work during the COVID-19 pandemic, which include wearing personal protective equipment and using surgical masks.

The article provides an answer to a question about the legality of implementing reduced work hours and pay at a dental hygiene practice.

The article provides an answer to a question on how to deal with a senior doctor who refuses to embrace technology to improve dental practice.

The article provides an answer to a question on how to handle a doctor who lacks management skills.

The article provides an answer to a question on how a dental hygiene practice can improve its recall system.

The author provides tips for registered dental hygienists on how to teach home care instructions to rude patients. Topics mentioned include lack of motivation or willingness by patients to do simple home care tasks, how to connect with rude patients on a different level, and the 1961 song "Mama Said," by the Shirelles.

The article presents questions and answers related to standard of care for new and existing patients with regard to periodontal screening and recording (PSR) compared with full comprehensive periodontal charting and where the standard can be found.

The article presents an answer to the question of a dental hygienist feeling a possible burnout and whether there is still hope for her.

The article provides an answer to the question regarding the scheduling by the dentist and office manager of 3 scaling/root planing (SRP) patients back-to-back on a routine basis and whether the dentist is correct in stating that insurance companies only accept vertical bone loss when deciding whether or not to pay an SRP.

The article presents questions and answers related to the safety of digital radiographic equipment used in dental clinics in comparison to film-based models and the used of lead aprons and collars to protect against radiation.

The article presents answers to a question on dealing with broken dental hygiene appointments.

The article discusses the importance of close monitoring the periodontal patient's progress after completing definitive root planing and scaling, and the protocol to follow for periodontal maintenance visit. A list of the components of the protocol for periodontal maintenance visit is presented. It also discusses the efficiency of interdental brushes in removing interdental plaque, use of phase contrast microscopy to monitor microbes, and use of water irrigation devices to remove microbes.

The article explores the question facing dental professionals on whether or not to premedicate patients who have certain heart conditions or joint replacements with antibiotics prior to dental treatment. Other topics discussed include the early signs of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, several resistant organisms that have been identified and the response by agencies to the increase in antibiotic resistance.

The article presents common problems seen in resumes of job seekers applying for a dental hygienist post. Topics discussed include the importance of giving out credible, willing-to-cooperate references, having a greatly produced resume and having a good social media presence. Also mentioned are the significance of possessing good telephone skills and the issue of location.

The author provides a comparison between prophylaxis and periodontal maintenance. Topics discussed include the difference between preventive and therapeutic care, the indecision that hygienists encounter when there is a mixture of healthy sites and disease sites, and the reinforcement of home care in periodontal maintenance visit.

The author conveys her thoughts about bonus plans in dental practices, including an example of how to figure a bonus. Topics mentioned include her proposal for doctors to institute fee increases each January 1 and give pay increases that are appropriate on April 1, calculation of the average adjusted production for a three-month period, and labor costs as one of the largest costs to dental practices.

The article provides an answer to a question on patient scheduling issues in a dental hygiene practice.

The article provides an answer to a question on separate fee charges for periodontal charting.

The author conveys her thoughts about a frustration by a dental hygienist on being compared by a patient to a previous hygienist. Topics covered include the tiptoeing-through-the-tulips technique, whether patients should expect painless preventive appointments, and levels of skill developed by dental hygienists in calculus detection and removal.

The article provides an answer to a question about privacy rights of U.S. dental hygienists under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

The article provides tips for a dental hygienist on how to solve the problem of running behind schedule and offers some strategies for correction. Topics discussed include things one can do to make the operatory more efficient, periodontal charting as a valuable component of a dental hygiene visit, and a breakdown of the various tasks in a typical visit.

The author discusses some important issues that registered dental hygienists should consider regarding scaling and root planing for patients in the workplace. If a patient refuses definitive treatment, the refusal should be documented. Dismissing anyone who does not agree to definitive therapy is said to be the safest route. The author said that social media has emboldened patients to post negative reviews that can lead to great damage to a practice.

The article provides an answer to a question on whether periodontal disease is contagious, with topics mentioned such as periodontal pathogens, communicable diseases, and periodontitis.

The article presents question and answers related to when patients should be referred to a periodontal clinic from a general clinic.