Dental Hygienist Exhibits a Knack for Innovation

A longtime educator at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Dental Hygiene Program, Sandra Horne, DHA, MHSA, RDH, is passionate about her profession, which involves not only educating future generations of dental hygienists, but also serving as an officer with the Mississippi Dental Hygienists’ Association (MDHA) and serving as a reviewer for the widely used textbook Darby and Walsh’s Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice. She also proved herself to be an innovator during the global pandemic, handling the attendant challenges with panache.

Horne recently took time out of her busy schedule to tell us a bit about her work in the field of dental hygiene.

1. You obtained your dental hygiene license in 1981. What was your early career like?

I worked full-time in private practice until 1997. In my first job, I was the dentist’s first dental hygienist. We treated a variety of patient populations. In fact, it was there that I recognized a case of “juvenile periodontitis” in a brother and sister.  

2. What path did your career follow after that initial experience?

In 1997, when I worked part-time in private practice and as a clinical instructor at UMMC, I discovered my love of teaching. But I needed a master’s degree to teach didactic courses, so I enrolled in UMMC’s Dental Hygiene Degree Completion Program. 

Once I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene, I was offered an academic position that included didactic and clinical education with the stipulation that I earn a master’s degree. Subsequently, I earned a Master of Health Services Administration at Mississippi College and Doctor of Health Administration from UMMC. 

3. Since 2016, you have been a professor in the School of Health-Related Professions. What does your position entail?

The Dental Hygiene Program was established in the School of Health-Related Professions (SHRP) prior to completion of the School of Dentistry (SOD). In 2017, the program transitioned to the SOD. I teach didactic and clinical, for both schools, and serve on various committees.  

4. How did the school and you, as a professor, deal with distance learning that was necessitated due to the pandemic?

The dental hygiene faculty already had experience in teaching online with our Dental Hygiene Advanced Standing Program. However, I teach dental hygiene instrumentation, which would be a challenge to teach during lockdown. But I had an idea. I thought if I could find some type of strong magnetized mount that would hold the typodonts and another device that would hold the students’ cell phones over the typodont, maybe I could teach instrumentation skills online. After hours of searching online I found what I needed to make it work, which allowed me to make videos for students to watch before going live-stream with faculty. Students were also able to submit practice videos for faculty to evaluate. This was a game changer. 

5. What do you see as your major career accomplishments? 

I enjoy lecturing and making courses exciting for students. Pushing myself to find a way to teach instrumentation online during lockdown was huge for me, so much so that my chair nominated me for American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) Educator of the Year. That was the pinnacle of my career. 

As the profession of dental hygiene has evolved in Mississippi over the years, I have been active in the MDHA, serving as president and as a delegate. I’ve also served on committees within the ADHA, and was a student chapter advisor for many years. I have had a fulfilling career over the past 40 years.