Contents

The Difference Between Life and Death

Dental hygienists are on the front lines of early oral cancer detection. By Kyle Isaacs, RDHEP, BHS

Instrument Design for Optimal Hand Health

Lightweight, large diameter, and tapered shape are key to improving the ergonomics of hand instrumentation. By Jessica Suedbeck, RDH, BSDH, MS

Harness the Benefits of Artificial Intelligence

Discover the transformative potential of AI in dental practice, from enhancing clinical documentation to revolutionizing diagnostic image analysis. By David T. Wu, DMD, DMSc, W. Benton Swanson, BS, Rodrigo F. Rangel, DDS, MS

Incorporate Loupes Into Your Practice

Loupes offer a wide variety of benefits to oral health professionals, so why aren’t more clinicians using them? By Olga Gnatovych, RDH, MEd, Marija L. Cahoon, RDH, MS, Andrea Beall, RDH, EdD

A Cost-Effective Solution for Dental Caries Treatment

Silver diamine fluoride offers a practical, affordable, and minimally invasive option to arrest dental caries. By Sharon Giron, BSDH(c), Madison Farnham, BSDH(c), Kimberly Lintag-Nguyen, EdD, MSDH, RDH, Marion C. Manski, RDH, MS

Recognizing Signs of Child Maltreatment

Dental hygienists play an important role in identifying child abuse and neglect, and need to know effective strategies for assessment and reporting. By LaTesha McLee, MSDH, RDH, Kimberly Lintag-Nguyen, EdD, MSDH, RDH

Explore the Interplay Between Periodontal Infections and Systemic Health

A better understanding of this association can help improve patient care and health outcomes. By Sonika Masih, BDS, MS, RDH

Advanced Strategies to Tackle Dental Caries

Explore cutting-edge preventive therapies and personalized interventions for high-risk dental caries patients. By Mary Austin Smith, DDS, MS, Martha H. Wells, DMD, MS

Investing in Prevention

Preventive dental care can play a crucial role in reducing oral pain and its associated economic burden By Jill Rethman, RDH, BA

Glove Fit in Hand Brace Wearers 

I would like to use a thumb brace to hopefully reduce work-related pain. Does this pose a threat to the fit of my gloves? By Kandis V. Garland, RDH, MS

Put an End to the Journey of Splatter

Pac-Dent’s prophylaxis solutions enhance the safety 
and efficiency of oral health professionals. By Claudia Walder, RDH, BSDH, BA, CDA

Discovery EXPO Launches This September

Discovery EXPO for Hygienists, hosted by Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, is an in-person 2-day event — September 13 and 14, 2024 — with exceptional speakers and content supporting the dental hygiene community. Discovery EXPO will present highly desired content focused on periodontal health, anesthesia, caries control, and di­agnostics, as well as other key topics in [...] By The Editors

Grant Funds Address the Oral Health of Patients With Disabilities

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health has allocated $1.25 million in funding to 10 organizations to address systemic barriers to oral health for people with disabilities. The recipients are: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Foundation to improve the dental delivery system to better serve people with disabilities as they transition from childhood to adulthood. Alameda Health [...] By The Editors

Dental Hygienist/​Dental Therapist Appointed to National Boards

Wilber Ramirez-Rodriguez, RDH, BSDH, DDS-Perú, an associate professor in the School of Dental Hygiene Studies at Pacific University Oregon, exemplifies a profound dedication to service and dental education. As the mobile clinic director of the Smile Care Everywhere program, he helps underserved communities receive the dental care they need. Recently appointed to two national boards [...] By The Editors