Improve Your Oral Cancer Screenings
Looking for a new and simple way to up your hygiene appointment? What about focusing on oral cancer screenings and adding a device to help you see suspicious areas? We recently tried out the OralID system from Forward Science and loved it. It's light weight, easy to use, and doesn't require special filters. Check out our latest video showing how it works.
Do you use any oral cancer screening device in your office? What do you use? Let's talk about it below!
Dental Hygienist Spotlight: Deborah McGlynn
Name: Deborah McGlynn RDH, BS
Where you went to school/graduation year?
Clark College, Vancouver, WA. Graduated 1981 from Dental Hygiene
University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Graduated 1983 with BS
What are you doing know?
I work in private practice 3 days per week
Train dental hygiene students and hygienists privately on clinical skills and ergonomics,
I am the Managing Director and Continuing Education Officer for my company DH Cubed, LLC
What was the inspiration of your new business?
I started DH Cubed, LLC because as a personal dental hygiene trainer of 17 years and a dental hygiene educator for 13 years prior to that, I began to realize every person I gave private lessons to needed help on the same fundamental concepts. I started to brainstorm on how I could get this live training to more people. This is what inspired me to begin to develop the experiential, innovative training we have developed at DH Cubed.
I am very passionate about bringing ergonomics to dental hygiene to decrease the work related injury rate that is present. The basis of our training is to increase skills and efficiency while decreasing pain and injury for dental hygienists.
Any funny stories from practice?
After being a hygienists for 36 years it’s hard to pick just one funny story, given the nature of working with people right?! But, one of the funniest things that sticks in my mind is the time I was working on a 8mm pocket on #16D!!!!!! HARD!! Right? I was struggling and thinking so hard about what I was feeling and trying to get into the pocket, let alone get to the base of the pocket! About 10 minutes into this struggle I realized I had my left fulcrum finger for my mirror anchored up the patients left nostril…holding on for dear life!!! I couldn’t believe it! What was I going to say to the patient or how was I going to get my finger out of his nose gracefully!! What must he be thinking? To save both of us embarrassment, I just quietly removed my finger, changed my glove, and went back to working on the distal of #16. I didn’t say a word!
To this day I still don’t know what that patient must have been thinking!
Any advice for a brand new hygienist?
Never give up! Never give up on yourself and never give up on your patients. There are days when this job is really difficult. You have to deal with patient’s fears, stressors they may be experiencing by being there or just in their lives, your stressors, working in a tight confined space in the mouth, let alone the mess their mouth may be in.
Never give up! This career is so rewarding. I love the challenges it gives me. The challenge of calming the patient down and having them smile at the end of the appointment, the challenge of getting their mouth really healthy and having them take on the responsibility of taking care of their own health, the challenges of connecting with that teenager that barely says anything while in your chair, the challenges of keeping yourself motivated…and on and on and on….
You can make your career whatever you want it to be! Why not make it great!
Want to win a OneTen for yourself, plus receive 2 free CE's when you learn about all sharpening and their product? "Like" the DH Cubed Facebook page, then comment below how you currently sharpen (sharpening service, paper guide, eyeball it, etc.) We'll pick a winner next week!!
What Your Patients are Saying About: AP24 Toothpaste
If you're on social media at all, you've probably seen the posts- the ones with amazing whitening results after a few days of using a new unnamed toothpaste. Let's dig in a bit more on this new product that so many people were talking about and selling through social media.
1. AP 24 toothpaste is from a company called Nuskin, a multilevel marketing company that sells different skin care products. People sign up to be a distributor of the products then do their own promoting of them. That is definitely why it grew so fast on social media since individuals would make their own claims and take their own photos and it caught on to others.
2. If you're wondering what's the deal with the toothpaste and if it actually will live up to it's claims, look at the ingredients. Here is a breakout of each ingredient and what it is used for:
Sodium Monofluorophosphate- fluoride to help protect enamel
Water- prevents drying of product
Hydrated Silica- tasteless, white, gelatinous substance that has a slight abrasiveness
Sorbitol- sugar substitute for flavor
Alumina- slight abrasive
Glycerin- prevents drying of product, can contribute to a flavor-extending effect, helps with preservation
Tetrasodium- tarter control agent removing calcium and magnesium from saliva
Pyrophosphate- emulsifier and thickening agent
PEG-12- mild abrasive, prevent water loss and acts as a stabilizer for the product
Dimethicone- antifoaming agent
Poloxamer 338- surfactant
Poloxamer 407- surfactant
Cellulose Gum- thickener
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate- foaming agent
Flavor (Aroma)- taste
Sodium Saccharin- artificial sweetener for taste
Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)- coloring to make the product white
As you can see, there isn't an actual whitening ingredient in this paste like a baking soda or a hydrogen peroxide. So the whitening claims are a little fishy to me.
3. From the Nuskin fact sheet, the AP24 toothpaste as an RDA of 70-80. Studies have shown that toothpastes under an RDA value of 250 are acceptable to use. Based on the abrasiveness, this toothpaste is safe to use.
4. The paste is very similar to other over the counter toothpastes but has a higher $20 price tag. We've had patient's swear by it and it has helped their gingivitis because they will use it! One patient reported that since they spent $20 on a toothpaste, they were definitely going to use it all. Hey, whatever to help our patients keep up with their home care!
Since social media isn't going anywhere anytime soon, a new dental fad will probably pop up in a few months. And when you see it, don't be shy to dig a little deeper on the claims that are being made. Doing a little research will help you become the best hygienist and be able to accurately educate your patients on safe and healthy oral hygiene practices.
Have you tried the AP24 toothpaste? What was your experience? What have you patients been saying about it?
Dental Hygienist Spotlight: Susan Cornwell
Name: Susan Cornwell
Schooling: I attended Western Carolina University from 92-94 and then transferred to Asheville Buncombe Community College for 94-96 where I received my Associates in Allied Health.
Where do you work now? I have worked in specialty offices such as perio, pedo, clinical health department setting and for the last twelve years for Dr. Jason Shook which is a great general dentist office. I currently work three days a week and also occasionally do temp work in the Western part of North Carolina. I am also the OSHA coordinator for our office for the last 5 years.
What's one piece of advice you'd give a new hygiene grad? I have had some work related aches and pains and wish I could tell my younger self to learn all you can about ergonomics in the dental office and do it!
I have three great kids and my oldest is working as a dental assistant at a local orthodontic office. Dentistry is a field where you can be set in your ways or open to new ideas and techniques. I choose to stay motivated, to never stop learning. I choose to get to know my patients, to help people have good dental health and love their smile. Its the prettiest thing we will ever wear.
Thank you Susan for being spotlighted on Hygiene Edge! If you or someone you know would like to be recognized for being an amazing hygienist, let us know! Email hygieneedge@gmail.com
Celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month
It’s October- the best month of the year! How are you celebrating National Dental Hygiene Month? We have a few ideas that will make the month a little more fun, help educate your current patients, and may even bring in a few new ones.
1. Film a simple video on proper brushing, floss, and how to use an interproximal aid and post them on your social media accounts. With the holiday season coming up, your patients definitely need a refresher to keep their oral hygiene habits up.
2. Do a toothbrush trade in. Have people from your community, patients or not, be able to come to your office to trade in old toothbrushes for new ones. You could include OHE cards in the bags, as well as business cards. Advertise your event with a Facebook ad.
3. Get all your hygiene friends that are still in your area together for lunch. Bring old photos of your hygiene school days because nothing is better than seeing you all together in the same colored scrubs that you still can’t wear to this day.
4. Make tiaras out of medium toothbrushes, since no one should be using them, for the hygienists (that includes yourself!) in your office.
5. Contact your local news or radio station. See if they’d be interested in doing a short segment on oral hygiene habits or dental fads. These segments are usually casual and only a couple minutes. It’d be great exposure for hygienists, for our office, and for your resume! If you need ideas on what to talk about, email us!
6. Read a new book! Right now we are reading Teeth, an interesting look at dental care in America, how it has changed over the years, and the important role of dental hygienists.
7. Are painted rocks popular where you are? Paint some rocks with a dental theme or dental facts and hide them around your town. Put your office name on the back and even a hashtag so you can see where they end up!
Make October the best month by setting a few new traditions for yourself and your office. Hygienists are smart, kind, and educated and definitely deserve being celebrated!
What do you do to celebrate the month?
Win A Hygiene Career Makeover for National Dental Hygiene Month
We, and several other companies, love dental hygienists. That is why for National Dental Hygiene Month, we are doing an ultimate giveaway to one hygienist in need of a hygienist makeover.
The contestants of this competition are entered by NOMINATION. So think of your best dental hygiene friend and nominate them by telling us why they deserve a hygiene makeover in the comments below or by emailing us at hygieneedge@gmail.com. The lucky winner will receive the following awesome products/services:
1. Resume Creation Service through gethiredrdh.com
Doug Perry is a highly-recommended career coach who works one-on-one with dental hygienists to create attention-grabbing resumes, cover letters, and other job search materials that get results. He also works with dental industry speakers and consultants to create marketing plans and materials (including websites), to successfully launch their career. Visit his website at www.gethiredrdh.com. You can reach him at doug@gethiredrdh.com or (801) 683-9664.
2. TWO of American Eagles XP Blackjack Instruments
That means no more sharpening!! Check it out in our video HERE.
3. One Set Of MAEVN Scrubs From The EON Collection
Our Eon Brand introduces COOLMAX® fabric technology by Invista. This technology employs specially engineered fibers designed to draw moisture away from the skin, keeping the wearer cool and dry. This wash and wear material is wrinkle-resistant with minimal shrinkage. The lightweight, soft and breathable mesh material combined with our styling gives you a touch of performance while maintaining a professional look. Check out the Eon line here to find your perfect style.
4. Dental Hygiene Nation Water Bottle Here
Keep hydrated between patients with your own "tooth fairy juice." Drinking water throughout the day is the first thing to go when it's busy, but it is so important to keep your body and mind alert.
5. A CordEZE Wristband
This handy invention by a dental hygienist manages cords for power driven scalers and definitely helps with hand ergonomics. Check it out in use in our video HERE.
6. Hygienist Necklace From The Hygiene Edge Store
Because who doesn't need something simple and cute to wear along with your scrubs everyday?
We want to give a special thanks to our generous donors gethiredrdh.com, American Eagle Instruments, Maven Scrubs, and Dental Hygiene Nation.
The winner will be announced on October 20, 2017. The winner will have 1 month to claim their prizes. Entries accepted from the US only.
The Dental Hygiene Scoop
Here is the scoop on interesting things about oral health that you may have missed this month.
1. Hate probing? Find out HERE about an up-and-coming technique where patients will swish with ink from a squid that flows into the pockets; then an image is taken that reads all the probe depths. YAY, we will be even more loved by patients, and we will all have calibrated probe depths.
2. A teething ring for erupting 3rd molars is a real thing. A dental student invented the EZteether for those whose wisdom teeth are coming in. Check them out HERE I suppose it is slightly more sophisticated looking than having your 17 year old chew on a baby teething ring.
3. Get ready for patients asking about CNN's report about a study about fluoride exposure in utero is linked to lower IQ in kids. RDH magazine wrote an awesome article on how to address this with your patients HERE.
4. This month the Modern Hygienist reported about the 8 crazies dental emergencies HERE. The one about a tomato seed sprouting in the gingiva is GROSS!!!!!! What is the nastiest thing you have found in the mouth? Mine was a fingernail wrapped around the facial of 20. EWWW
5. What is an RDA value? Check out our video HERE, as patients are asking about how abrasive toothpastes are.
6. I love new products! Check out the Optragate HERE, and get those cheeks out of your working way.
What I Learned From Taking Clinical Boards Years After Graduating
Earlier this year, my husband David was looking for a new job. He’s in marketing, and was interviewing all over the states. After he was considering a job in New York, I had a little panic attack about moving and not being able to practice because of my boards credentials. So, I decided to sign up to take the CDCS board exam 8 years after graduating hygiene school. And I’m not going to lie, I was nervous. I feel comfortable with my scaling abilities, but the paperwork, having a qualified patient and organizing everything made it a little overwhelming. Here are a few things I learned with this experience:
1. Read the Candidate Guide multiple times. I know that seems so simple, but read it! Three or four times even. It tells you everything you need to know, like patient arrival time, paperwork needed, and instrument requirements. Knowing all this before the exam definitely helped decrease stress on the day of since I knew exactly what was expected.
2. Know the grading scale. Every exam grades differently. Some have an assessment aspect, some have higher point values for calculus errors, some take points of for time. Know exactly what you’re going to be graded on for your specific test so you aren’t worried about something day of that won’t effect your overall score.
3. Come prepared. If you can, bring an extra set of scalers. Most schools will have extra instruments that you can loan. If you’re planning on this, bring a sharpening stone since you never know how sharp they will be. It does take time away from your exam if you drop an instrument, so ask before the exam starts to have some close to you just in case something happens.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The floor monitor and site employees are there to help! They can answer your questions about anything from paperwork to patient requirements. This isn’t the first time someone has asked them a question and, honestly, you’ll probably never see them again, so ask away!
5. Ask your colleagues. Before my exam, I didn’t know anyone who had taken CDCS before. That definitely made me nervous since I didn’t have anyone guiding me through the process. I was able to reach out on some of my local dental hygiene groups, and so many people responded with support. I had hygienists who took the test within the last year go over my selection, walk me through the check in and check out process, answered some paperwork questions I had. Another reason why I love dental hygiene- we are all in this together!
6. Use all the time if you need it. In practice, we never get 2 hours to complete one quadrant of periodontal debridement. However, using the full 2 hours was so helpful! I was able to take my time, explore tooth by tooth, and chat with my patient about post op instructions and home care. Letting myself take the entire time made it less stressful.
If you’re thinking of taking clinical boards long after graduation, you can do it! It will definitely be a little stressful, but you will push yourself and grow in a new way. Hygienists are smart and resilient and you are no different. Good luck!
If you have questions about clinical boards, please email us! We’d love to help. hygieneedge@gmail.com
Did you take boards years after hygiene school? What was your experience? What did you learn?
Start Early to Save for Retirement
Thank you to James Jolley for great retirement information for hygienists!
It’s never too early to start saving for retirement. The sooner you can start saving for retirement the longer your hard earned money has the ability to compound. Even if it’s as little as $50/month you could see the rewards pay off in retirement.
To demonstrate how your money can compound over time here is a hypothetical story of two hygienists named Georgia and Sienna. These two friends are recent college graduates who are both working for practices that do not offer a retirement plan for their dental professionals. They both decide that they will need to add to their retirements on their own but choose to at different times in their life. For this scenario they will both earn a consistent 5% on their investments. They will be putting their money into a tax-advantaged account such as a Traditional or Roth IRA.
Georgia’s story
Georgia has always believed that you should “pay yourself first” and to save at least 10% of her earnings. Georgia is 23, employed, and has decided to open an IRA and to start contributing. Georgia is planning to invest $5,500 a year in this IRA for the next 10 years (for a total of $55,000). After that time, Georgia will not make any further contributions to her IRA.
Sienna’s Story
Sienna, on the other hand plans to wait until the age of 45 to begin savings for her retirement. She plans to add $5,500 each year until she reaches the age of 65. The total investment over the 21 years equates to a $115,500 investment.
Both are now 65 and ready to retire. So which one is more ready for retirement? Sienna’s $115,500 IRA is now worth $206,278. Georgia’s $55,000 IRA has a value of $363,418 a difference of $157,140 and that is investing $60,000 less than Sienna!!!
Time and the power of tax-deferred compounding proved to be a benefit for Georgia. Traditional and Roth IRA’s are great tools to start putting money away for retirement. As a refresher, Traditional IRA’s are not taxed until you begin taking distributions. Roth IRA provide tax-free distribution as long as the account has been opened more than five years and the owner is over 59 ½. By investing your earnings in a Roth or Traditional IRA it allows you to potentially accumulate retirement savings faster than a general account where taxes would be charged annually on earnings.
No matter your age, I’d suggest to start putting money aside as soon as you can into a tax-advantaged account. As I have shown in this scenario, the time value of money is an important aspect in reaching your retirement goals.
James Jolley is a Financial Advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors in Salt Lake City, Utah providing retirement planning for medical professionals. He can be reached at 800.662.3733 or by email at james.jolley@wellsfargoadvisors.com.
Wells Fargo Advisors is not a tax or legal advisor.
Traditional IRA distributions are taxed as ordinary income. Qualified Roth IRA distributions are not subject to state and local taxation in most states. Qualified Roth IRA distributions are also federally tax-free provided a Roth account has been open for at least five years and the owner has reached age 59 ½ or meet other requirements. Both may be subject to a 10% Federal tax penalty if distributions are taken prior to age 59½.
The opinions expressed here reflect the judgment of the author as of the date of the report and are subject to change without notice. The material has been prepared or is distributed solely for information purposes and is not a solicitation or an offer to buy any security or instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. Additional information is available upon request.
CAR-0617-05553
How To Find Patients In Dental Hygiene School Student Essay Winner
Congrats to Ashley Stroupe, the winner of our student essay contest, for writing the amazing article below on how to find patients in dental hygiene school. She wins a national boards study program from StudentRDH.com, being published here on Hygiene Edge and $100. Also, she and ALL of those who submitted an article receive our, "Tips To Passing Clinical Boards," book because we love you!
Congrats to Ashley Stroupe, the winner of our student essay contest, for writing the amazing article below on how to find patients in dental hygiene school. She wins a national boards study program from StudentRDH.com, being published here on Hygiene Edge and $100. Also, she and ALL of those who submitted an article receive our, "Tips To Passing Clinical Boards," book because we love you!
How to Find Patients for Dental Hygiene Students By Ashley Stroupe
Finding my own patients is at the top of the list for dental hygiene school stress. Here are my tips, tricks, and advice for fellow stressed-out dental hygiene students struggling to recruit patients.
Family and Friends
Start with the people you know best…your family and friends. They are willing to help you out for school and you are comfortable with them (which gives you one less thing to worry about during the appointment).
Obviously, family and friends can’t always be patients. Some of the reasons being:
Your family lives in a different state
You have recently moved and don’t know many people yet
The people you know work jobs during the week
You need very specific criteria for a patient such as a certain calculus level, pediatric patient, or a patient with a faulty amalgam restoration
When you are faced with one or more of those situations, or have simply exhausted your “family and friend bank”, don’t worry—there are many other ways to find patients.
Social Media
This has not always been an option, so now that it is—take advantage! Social media is one of the best ways to find patients, however, it is important to know how to use it.
Facebook- write an informative post with a photo. Share, share, share! Facebook is an easy way to get the word out to many people at once, but it is also saturated with posts of all variations. To ensure your post is being seen; be sure to re-post it frequently, share it, and encourage your friends to share it for you.
Instagram- post an eye-catching photo, meme, or funny picture and include a caption with how to get more information on being your patient.
Twitter- all you need is a straight-forward, simple tweet. Then just add a link to another social media forum you have posted on, a website, or contact information to find out more about being one of your patients.
Pinterest- create a Pinterest account and fill it with boards about dental hygiene school, funny dental hygiene pictures and jokes, quotes, ideas, tips, etc.
YouTube- make a short, informative video about what services are provided in your school’s clinic. A great idea is to create a video simply walking from the front entrance/waiting room area to your operatory/unit and showing them the chair they would be sitting in while explaining the things that would be included in their appointment.
The appointments at my school cost $35, are three hours, and take more than one appointment. Many people have a difficult time understanding the difference between the services provided at a school clinic and a “regular dental hygiene appointment” that only takes about an hour. Explain in your video the appointment will include: going over medical and dental history, taking vitals, dental charting, perio charting, X-rays, an extraoral exam inspecting facial muscles, lymph nodes, and TMJ, an intraoral exam, an oral cancer screening, patient education and nutritional counseling, the “regular cleaning” prophylaxis they might be used to including scaling, polishing and flossing, or possibly a “deeper cleaning” also known as scaling and root planing which includes local anesthetic if needed, fluoride treatment, sealants if needed, and an exam by the licensed dentist we have in the clinic. Also mention in your video that this is a learning facility and the instructors must check behind students, which also adds in time, however, the patient can have a piece of mind knowing they have had the most thorough dental hygiene appointment of their life. After potential patients see the different services and care they will receive, they will be more understanding about why $35 is a great deal, and why it takes more than one appointment.
Nextdoor- This has been one of the best ways to find patients because it targets people in a specific geographic location. Nextdoor is a free, private social network for your neighborhood. It is a way for people located in your specific community to share news about local events, lost and found pets, crime and weather alerts, etc. It has a classifieds section for people to find, sell, and give away items. Post a listing that says, “Need Dental Cleaning? No insurance necessary!” This helps grab the attention of many people and you can provide more details about what the cleaning involves or how to get more information. Other users can reply to your listing or send you a direct message. You can also choose to have email alerts sent to you when someone is interested in your listing.
Create a unique #Hashtag that you can use to link all your posts from different social media forums together. Some examples are: #SmilewithAshley or #AshleysHygienePatients. You can also include your hashtag on your business card or a flyer. Use other hashtags such as #Hygiene, #Dentalcleaning, #NeedPatients in your posts so that your information can be found by users searching for specific theme or content.
Business Cards & Flyers
One of the best things you can do to find patients is create your own business cards. I ordered mine on Vistaprint. You can get 500 business cards starting at just $9.99. Put your name, dental hygiene student, phone number, email, school’s clinic phone number and address and any other details you would like. Flyers can have the same information or be more detailed about what the cleaning includes and you can staple your card to a flyer. Flyers should be bright to catch attention. You can post them around and hand them out to people.
Keep cards with you- Keep some in your car, purse, or backpack because you never know when you might need one. I was glad to have a few on me when I met an Uber driver that had recently moved to Charlotte. I told him I was back in school to be a dental hygienist and he and his wife needed an affordable cleaning.
Trade business cards- Trade your card with others who are in an industry looking for patients, clients, or customers. This could be your hair stylist, a photographer, or a personal trainer.
Give cards to current patients- I created a line on my cards to write in the date and time of a patient’s next appointment. I also gave them a handful to give to people they know.
Get around town- Go to places nearby your school clinic. Bus stops, restaurants, coffee shops, gyms, small businesses, churches, by community mailboxes in apartment/condo complex, etc. Leave your business cards or a flyer. Elementary, middle, and high schools are great if you are looking for a pediatric patient and if you have clinic in the summer (while they are out of school). Retirement communities are a good place to go because the people living there do not have to work during the week.
Restaurant employees- Many people who work in restaurants do not have dental insurance. They also typically have not been to the dentist in a while because of this, which can be good for meeting criteria of patients with certain calculus levels or periodontal requirements. Many employees work nights, enabling them to make it to appointments during the day.
Local grocery stores- Ask the manager if you can set up a table out front of the store. You can have a sign that reads, “Affordable Dental Cleaning with No Insurance”. Pass out cards and flyers and have a sign-up sheet to get the contact information of people interested in being a patient and contact them immediately without having to wait for them to call you. You can also ask the store manager if it would be okay for you to post a flyer in the toothpaste/toothbrush aisle for customers to see when they shop.
Dental office- People who work in dental offices can most likely relate to being in school for something dental-related at one point in their life and may have had to look for patients of their own. Go by local dental offices and ask to speak to the office manager or dentist. The dental office I did my observation hours at was fantastic about helping students. While I was there observing, a new patient came in with no insurance. She needed a few fillings, which the dentist would do for her, but she also needed scaling and root planing, and he told her about the school clinic which could save her a lot of money.
Non-profit Dental Clinic- If there are any opportunities to volunteer at clinics in your area, it is an opportunity to provide patient education and get potential patients. I volunteered at the North Carolina Missions of Mercy clinic in Charlotte, where people waited in line for free fillings, extractions, partials, etc. I provided some patient education and talked about the importance of regular hygiene appointments as people checked into the clinic. Many people are just simply unaware that there are schools with hygiene clinics and affordable cleanings that don’t require insurance.
Apartment complex- Go to the leasing/front office of local apartment complexes and leave some of your business cards. You can even create a small bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and a “Welcome to the Neighborhood” note along with your card and/or flyer.
School campus- Walk around campus passing out flyers and cards because many students do not have dental insurance and usually have some time available during the week to be a patient. Post some flyers in the library and hand out your card at school festivals and events. Give some of your cards to teachers you have already had to pass out to their new classes of students. It is a great idea to give some cards to teachers of prerequisite subjects of the dental hygiene program, such as anatomy and physiology. It is a good idea for students who are trying to get into the dental hygiene program to be a patient so they can see what they would be doing as a student clinician.
Wear your scrubs- Although I did not do this on purpose, it worked! I went to the mall in my scrubs and employees working in some stores asked where I worked, which opened the conversation to being a dental hygiene student and giving out some of my cards.
Primary care physician- Give some of your cards to your doctor to give to other patients. I had a patient who told me it was her doctor who was telling her she needed to get to the dentist. This is becoming more common, especially with the links between periodontal disease and systemic health.
Local Orthodontic Offices- Sometimes Orthodontists see young patients that can benefit from more dental cleanings than insurance covers per year. Go by the office and ask the orthodontist to give your card to the parents of young patients that need extra cleanings.
Safety
One of my instructors recommended to get a Google Voice number so that people do not have your personal cell phone number. Google Voice allows you to call a patient from your cell phone and it will not provide your actual number on a caller ID. When patients call your Google Voice number from your business card it rings through your mobile phone. I also created an email address specifically for dental hygiene patients. In addition to strangers not having my personal email, I was able to check that email address and have only emails about people wanting to be patients or confirming appointments already scheduled.
Thank you to everyone who entered! Keep an eye out for next year for our next student essay contest.