The American Dental Hygienists’ Association to Celebrate 2009 National Dental Hygiene Month this October

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association to Celebrate 2009 National Dental Hygiene Month this October

Chicago-Sept. 29, 2009—The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) announced today that 2008’s National Dental Hygiene Month (NDHM) format and its theme, “A Healthy Smile Lasts a Lifetime,” will continue through this year’s celebration this October.
 
“National Dental Hygiene Month is not only a vehicle for dental hygienists to spread the message of optimal oral health to their patients, but it is also a way for them to celebrate each other and their profession,” said ADHA President Lynn Ramer, LDH.
 
One way NDHM celebrates the dental hygiene profession is through event-dedicated weeks. Events will consist of Hygienists’ Appreciation Day during the first week, followed by two weeks of community service and finishing with Take a Potential Member to Lunch Day in the final week.
 
ADHA encourages all dental hygienists and other dental professionals and supporters across the country to participate in NDHM this October to stress the importance of developing the practice of daily teeth and mouth care starting in childhood, and to increase public awareness of the oral health-total health connection.
 
Implementing a daily oral health routine is vital in the prevention of tooth decay and periodontal disease at any age. Tooth decay, also known as dental caries or cavities, is one of the most common childhood diseases; additionally, 75 percent of Americans have some form of periodontal disease. Regular visits to a dental hygienist could detect early signs of the disease, as well as symptoms of many life-threatening diseases which appear in the mouth.
 
For further details about NDHM, go to www.adha.org/ndhm/index.html <http://www.adha.org/ndhm/index.html>. For more information about oral health issues, visit www.adha.org/oralhealth/index.html.
 
ADHA is the largest national organization representing the professional interests of more than 150,000 dental hygienists across the country. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. For more information about ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit ADHA at www.adha.org.