Tanya L. Smith, RDH, BS
Tanya L. Smith, RDH, BS, has been a clinical dental hygienist in private practice in Tucson, AZ, since graduating from Rio Salado College in 2011. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene at Northern Arizona University, Summa Cum Laude, in 2014. A regular volunteer at St. Elizabeth’s Health Center Dental Clinic, she also enjoys writing, research, and traveling in her spare time.
Poked: Protocol Hygienists Must Follow After Dental Sharps Injury
Dental hygienists are among the 5.6 million workers in health care and related occupations who are at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious material (OPIM) such as saliva in dental procedures.2 Dental professionals handle dental scalers, burs, anesthetic needles, orthodontic wire, and other hazardous materials daily.
Dental facilities should have a clear protocol for sharps injuries...
A Dental Hygienist’s Refresher on Tuberculosis
One of the most important aspects of an appointment is reviewing health histories with patients. Every dental hygienist has experienced that moment, where one checked box sends our minds searching for the right questions to determine if it is safe to proceed with treatment for both the patient and ourselves.
Tuberculosis tends to be one of those recurring conversation topics...
Scleroderma: How Dental Hygienists Can Approach Oral Symptoms
Scleroderma is an autoimmune connective tissue and rheumatic disease that causes inflammation in the skin and other areas of the body, including the face and mouth. Oral manifestations of scleroderma may directly affect a person's ability to maintain optimal oral health. Dental hygienists may be the first health care provider to note scleroderma.
Early detection, medical referral, and treatment are...
A Dental Hygienists’ Refresher on Periodontal Probing
Dental hygienists learn early on that the periodontal probe is essentially our greatest tool in the assessment of periodontal health. Periodontal probing creates a record of health or disease over time that dental hygienists can reference to, evaluate healing, or determine the possible need to implement a more aggressive treatment plan. Including dental radiographs, a complete periodontal evaluation allows...
The Amazing Oral Health Benefits of Pumpkins
Cooler weather, colorful leaves, and warm drinks around a fire are some of the indications that autumn has arrived, but none are more emblematic than the appearance of pumpkin-inspired treats and décor over-flowing from store shelves. Many sweet treats that come to mind may not strike you as dental hygiene-friendly, but the pumpkin is surprisingly good for your oral...
Salivary Diagnostics Can Help Bridge Systemic Health for Dental Hygienists
In dentistry, saliva has traditionally been more of a nuisance than anything else. Dental hygienists know the constant struggle of trying to keep patients from choking during a prophy or attempting to keep a tooth dry when placing a sealant.
Yet, what if saliva holds the key to integrating medicine and dentistry? Salivary diagnostics is an insightful tool that dental...
Oral Cancer: Update on Dangers of Smokeless Tobacco for Dental Hygienists
The Oral Cancer Foundation states the average age of a first-time smokeless tobacco user is just 10 years old. As seen with the recent trends in vaping, tobacco companies consistently use flavoring and fun packaging to entice younger customers to buy products that are ultimately addictive and damaging to their health.
Smokeless tobacco users absorb two to three times the...
Keeping a Grateful Heart in Dental Hygiene
Dental hygiene is a highly rewarding profession that allows us to serve our communities. We help patients maintain an important part of their overall health, sometimes contributing to transformations that allow people to smile again. We grow with our patients and their families over time, and those we work with on a daily basis become like family. However, as...
Understanding the Monetary Value of the “Essential” Dental Hygienist
Dental professionals could have never imagined a time when dental offices across the country would close with only emergency services deemed essential. The shutdowns imposed on dental offices were meant to shift personal protective equipment to where it was needed most. This created conversations in the dental community on social media filled with worry, confusion, and anger.
Most shocking were...
Considerate Care for Hearing-Impaired Dental Patients
Disabling hearing loss, defined by the World Health Organization, is hearing loss greater than 40 decibels in the better ear of adults or greater than 30 decibels in children. Four hundred sixty-six million people worldwide are affected by some degree of hearing loss. Due to increases in hazardous noise exposure such as continuous city traffic noise, personal music players,...
Oral Lichen Planus: Treatment & Management
Dental hygienists see a range of oral lesions on any given day in clinical practice that takes us back to the pages of our oral pathology books. The ability to identify and differentiate oral lesions is one of the most important skills we learn. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a very common dermatologic disease which can affect the skin...
7 Self-Care Options for Dental Hygienists to Extend their Career
Dental hygiene is consistently among the top professions at risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) that affect the soft and hard tissues of the body. A one-year prevalence rate of MSD in dental hygienists ranged from 60% to 96% who are experiencing some form of neck, shoulder, wrist, hand, or back pain. These injuries occur from the precise, repetitive movements...
Oral Benefits of Tea Tree Oil
Dental hygiene is a profession of life-long learning with new studies and discoveries constantly providing a plethora of information and products to help patients navigate various oral conditions. The steady stream of research and treatment options can be helpful, but keeping up with the safety and efficacy of these products can be hard for dental hygienists and patients alike. ...
Expanding Sensitivity Options
Dentin hypersensitivity is consistently a top chief complaint dental hygienists hear from patients. Levels of sensitivity and the underlying causes of this condition can vary widely making it important to create a personalized treatment plan for each patient. Dentin hypersensitivity is characterized by short, sharp pain from exposed dentin in response to thermal, evaporative, tactile, osmotic or chemical stimuli...
Mentorship in Dental Hygiene
I entered my first job in the dental field, a front desk position, with no prior dental experience. I was anxious, shy, and eager to learn. Almost daily my dentist would say, “You need to educate yourself!” It was irritating to hear at times, but I have since realized the value of that statement and the unassuming mentorship I...
A Dental Hygienist’s Role in Early Childhood Caries Prevention
Early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases, and possibly the most preventable. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) defines ECC as a significant chronic disease resulting from an imbalance of multiple risk and protective factors over time1. In the United States, 3-6% of children under the age of 6 are affected by...
Is Malpractice Liability Insurance Necessary for Dental Hygienists?
Malpractice is defined as “a dereliction of professional duty or failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage.” Dental malpractice is a deviation from the standard of care, failure to diagnose and/or treat a patient resulting in injury to them.1
Dental hygienists are licensed professionals...
HIV Update for Dental Hygienists
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) became an epidemic in the United States in the early 1980s causing great concern for many healthcare workers. Today, after almost forty years of research, infection control guidelines and universal standard precautions are set in place due to the epidemic to ensure clinicians and patients are protected with proper PPE, no matter their health status....
Dental Patient Transportation Issues? There’s an App for That!
Dental offices all experience a certain number of broken and missed appointments that can become a common source of frustration. Transportation issues have long been a concern in relation not only to lost production for dental providers but as a major barrier to access to care for many patients. According to federal government research, 3 million people a year...