Editor’s Note: A Living Treasure

Yesterday, Esther Wilkins, RDH, DMD, and I spoke to an audience of 250 dental hygienists in San Francisco for International Dental Seminars. Esther spent the morning giving a great update on periodontal disease, caries, remineralization with fluorides, and many other pearls of wisdom. She was down to earth, funny, and full of useful information. Using an overhead transparency and colored markers, she gave absolutely the best explanation of subgingival biofilm that I have ever seen. Over the years, I have heard Esther speak at least a dozen times. Amazingly, each program is better than the last and I learn something new every time.

I continued the course by describing new technologies like the dental endoscope and the DetecTar probe, the latest hand and ultrasonic instruments, and advanced periodontal instrumentation techniques. Although I always enjoy speaking, this program is one of my favorites because Esther and I always have a chance to catch up personally and professionally.

Dr. Wilkins has been a dear friend, colleague, and mentor for 30 years. From 1973 to 1975, I shared an office with her and “shadowed” her as a young assistant professor in the Periodontology Department at Tufts School of Dental Medicine in Boston. She is truly an icon—the “mother” of dental hygiene in this country and throughout the world. Her textbook The Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist taught most of us the fundamentals of our profession. She has just completed the 12th edition of her book, which will debut at the American Dental Hygienist’s Association Annual Session in Dallas in June.

Continuing education programs, like the one Esther and I spoke at, are possible because of the generous corporate sponsorship that supports dental hygiene. Not only do these corporations dedicate hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to support major meetings, they also support publications like Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. Dimensions continues to grow and serve you through corporate sponsors that know you appreciate this publication. How do they know which journals to support? The number of the “SEND IN THIS CARD TO RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION” cards that you—the reader—return is the indicator. Did you know how important that little card was? I certainly didn’t. When I told Esther about the subscription cards at dinner last Saturday night, she said, “I never knew that. Anna, you have to write about this in your next issue. Dimensions is so good and we need to tell everybody to return their cards as soon as possible because I am sure the readers don’t realize how important this is.”

So I have notified all of you on direct orders from Dr. Esther Wilkins—dental hygienist, periodontist, teacher, mentor, editorial advisory board member, friend, and Mother of Dental Hygiene. I know I speak for all dental hygienists when I say “Thank You Dr. Wilkins” for your wisdom, your dedication, and your love of our profession. You truly are a living treasure.

—Anna M. Pattison, RDH, MS
apattison@belmontpublications.com