Providing the First Line of Defense Against Sleep Breathing Disorders

Kristen Robbins, MPH, BSDH, RDH, is an adjunct faculty member in the Dental Hygiene Program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry in Richmond. She directs courses on medically compromised patients and medical emergencies, and teaches in dental materials, theory IV, and junior clinical courses. In the VCU Graduate Periodontics Department, Robbins instructs both junior and senior dental hygiene students and serves as a clinician in the faculty practice. Her research interests include obstructive sleep apnea, the systemic connection between whole-body health and periodontal diseases, and ergonomics. Robbins is the immediate past president of the Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association. She can be reached at robbinskd@vcu.edu.

Kimberly Lintag-Nguyen, EdD, MSDH, RDH, is an assistant professor in the Dental Hygiene Program at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry where she serves as the committee chair for the Dental Hygiene Curriculum Management Committee. She also directs courses on infection and immunity, dental materials, and dental hygiene theory II, III, and IV. Teaching both junior and seniors in preclinical and clinical courses, Lintag-Nguyen’s research interests include patient and clinician health and safety, radiology, and student engagement. She is a member of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene’s Peer Review Panel. Lintag-Nguyen can be reached at lintagkb@vcu.edu.