ADHA Access — August 2012
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Guest Editorial
ADHA Past President
Learn from the Past and Move On:
New Opportunities Around the World
Many of us have heard that age-old expression, "A smile is the same in any language." It is so true. Having the unique experience to represent dental hygiene on an international level has given me the opportunity to be surrounded by smiles from many countries, many where my native tongue isn't spoken. Yet, we connect immediately with our smiles. Then with the help of translators, we begin our dialogue about dental hygiene and find that it too is the same—our challenges and opportunities. The level of challenges and opportunities may vary, but the issues are the same. Dental hygiene around the world is looking to increase direct access to dental hygiene services, expand the scope of practice to allow us to effectively serve the underserved populations of the world, protect the educational standards and remove unjustifiable barriers.
Around the world, dental hygiene is seeing new opportunities emerging. The market is driving change and dental hygiene is positioning itself to meet these changes. ADHA is a driving force for creating and helping to facilitate these new opportunities in the United States. Upon my installation as president of ADHA in 2003, I charged our Council on Education to develop a curriculum for a mid-level dental hygiene practitioner and worked with the ADHA councils and board to introduce resolutions to support these changes. In June 2004, the ADHA House of Delegates officially adopted resolutions to create an "advanced dental hygiene practitioner" position, an ADHA-developed educational curriculum for this position and an official definition of this position that was added to ADHA's policy manual. Since that time, Minnesota has implemented legislation and education and has graduated the first "advanced dental hygiene practitioners."
While the "advanced dental hygiene practitioner" continues to gain recognition and acceptance around the country and world, there are many other changes occurring in our various states that continue to move the profession of dental hygiene forward and allow us to be recognized as primary care providers. The number of states allowing direct access to dental hygiene services continues to increase, the number of states with self-regulation continues to grow and 45 states allow local anesthesia. Dental hygiene practice settings are increasing, and supervision levels are decreasing.
As I reflect back over the past 100 years of dental hygiene, it seems ironic that the profession was created to prevent disease and improve health, yet when regulation came about, dental hygiene went from a wellness model of care to a surgical model of care predominately controlled by an employer group with a vested economic interest in our education, licensure and practice. Dental disease is mostly preventable, but dentistry has spent most ofthe last 100 years focused on surgical treatment of disease rather than preventing it. This is being done with no research to support the restrictions placed on the profession and little to no regard of the effects on the health and welfare of the citizens that desperately need our services. Can you imagine our lives if medical doctors had taken the same surgical approach rather than the path of prevention and healing? However, we cannot dwell on the past. We learn from it and move on. Dental hygiene must work our way back to being the strongest advocates for oral health prevention and wellness.
As we look to the future, it is full of promise and potential. As the number of dental hygiene graduates continues to increase and the population size grows, opportunities will continue to arise and avail themselves to our profession. Individuals and communities are savvier and are looking for ways to prevent disease and cut costs. Dental hygiene can and will play a large part in the solution.
While we do not dwell on the past, we also cannot sit and daydream about the future. We must have vision, but opportunity calls for us to be present. Quoting Barron Baptiste, "If you are not now here, you are nowhere." To move ahead, whether a company, a family or a profession, it is imperative that each individual take ownership responsibility. This includes investing time, energy and resources in it. The level of investment will change as our circumstances allow, but at the very least, it should include membership in your professional association. We have increased strength and reach with increased membership. It takes a team to win. A team composed oftalented and committed individuals that each give their best and complement the efforts of others.
Being a dental hygienist and a member of the American Dental Hygienists'Association has allowed me to enjoy some of the best moments of my life. I have forged friendships that will last my lifetime and developed collaborations that have enabled me to become prosperous, productive and giving. I am constantly reminded that I have received these blessings because of the efforts and generosity of others who have worked before me, and with me, to better our profession. This has humbled me to do whatever I can to open the doors for the many others that will follow. I invite you to join with me as we begin the next hundred years!
Tammi O. Byrd, RDH, is the CEO/clinical director of Health Promotion Specialists, a statewide school-based dental sealant program in South Carolina. She practiced clinical dental hygiene for over 20 years prior to starting her business. Byrd is a past president of ADHA and currently serves as one of two delegates for ADHA to the International Federation of Dental Hygienists and as chair of the South Carolina Regulation and Practice Committee. She is also active with the American Association of Public Health Dentistry.
Learn from the Past and Move On:
New Opportunities Around the World
Many of us have heard that age-old expression, "A smile is the same in any language." It is so true. Having the unique experience to represent dental hygiene on an international level has given me the opportunity to be surrounded by smiles from many countries, many where my native tongue isn't spoken. Yet, we connect immediately with our smiles. Then with the help of translators, we begin our dialogue about dental hygiene and find that it too is the same—our challenges and opportunities. The level of challenges and opportunities may vary, but the issues are the same. Dental hygiene around the world is looking to increase direct access to dental hygiene services, expand the scope of practice to allow us to effectively serve the underserved populations of the world, protect the educational standards and remove unjustifiable barriers.
Around the world, dental hygiene is seeing new opportunities emerging. The market is driving change and dental hygiene is positioning itself to meet these changes. ADHA is a driving force for creating and helping to facilitate these new opportunities in the United States. Upon my installation as president of ADHA in 2003, I charged our Council on Education to develop a curriculum for a mid-level dental hygiene practitioner and worked with the ADHA councils and board to introduce resolutions to support these changes. In June 2004, the ADHA House of Delegates officially adopted resolutions to create an "advanced dental hygiene practitioner" position, an ADHA-developed educational curriculum for this position and an official definition of this position that was added to ADHA's policy manual. Since that time, Minnesota has implemented legislation and education and has graduated the first "advanced dental hygiene practitioners."
While the "advanced dental hygiene practitioner" continues to gain recognition and acceptance around the country and world, there are many other changes occurring in our various states that continue to move the profession of dental hygiene forward and allow us to be recognized as primary care providers. The number of states allowing direct access to dental hygiene services continues to increase, the number of states with self-regulation continues to grow and 45 states allow local anesthesia. Dental hygiene practice settings are increasing, and supervision levels are decreasing.
As I reflect back over the past 100 years of dental hygiene, it seems ironic that the profession was created to prevent disease and improve health, yet when regulation came about, dental hygiene went from a wellness model of care to a surgical model of care predominately controlled by an employer group with a vested economic interest in our education, licensure and practice. Dental disease is mostly preventable, but dentistry has spent most ofthe last 100 years focused on surgical treatment of disease rather than preventing it. This is being done with no research to support the restrictions placed on the profession and little to no regard of the effects on the health and welfare of the citizens that desperately need our services. Can you imagine our lives if medical doctors had taken the same surgical approach rather than the path of prevention and healing? However, we cannot dwell on the past. We learn from it and move on. Dental hygiene must work our way back to being the strongest advocates for oral health prevention and wellness.
As we look to the future, it is full of promise and potential. As the number of dental hygiene graduates continues to increase and the population size grows, opportunities will continue to arise and avail themselves to our profession. Individuals and communities are savvier and are looking for ways to prevent disease and cut costs. Dental hygiene can and will play a large part in the solution.
While we do not dwell on the past, we also cannot sit and daydream about the future. We must have vision, but opportunity calls for us to be present. Quoting Barron Baptiste, "If you are not now here, you are nowhere." To move ahead, whether a company, a family or a profession, it is imperative that each individual take ownership responsibility. This includes investing time, energy and resources in it. The level of investment will change as our circumstances allow, but at the very least, it should include membership in your professional association. We have increased strength and reach with increased membership. It takes a team to win. A team composed oftalented and committed individuals that each give their best and complement the efforts of others.
Being a dental hygienist and a member of the American Dental Hygienists'Association has allowed me to enjoy some of the best moments of my life. I have forged friendships that will last my lifetime and developed collaborations that have enabled me to become prosperous, productive and giving. I am constantly reminded that I have received these blessings because of the efforts and generosity of others who have worked before me, and with me, to better our profession. This has humbled me to do whatever I can to open the doors for the many others that will follow. I invite you to join with me as we begin the next hundred years!
Tammi O. Byrd, RDH, is the CEO/clinical director of Health Promotion Specialists, a statewide school-based dental sealant program in South Carolina. She practiced clinical dental hygiene for over 20 years prior to starting her business. Byrd is a past president of ADHA and currently serves as one of two delegates for ADHA to the International Federation of Dental Hygienists and as chair of the South Carolina Regulation and Practice Committee. She is also active with the American Association of Public Health Dentistry.
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