ADHA Access August 2012 : Page 24
Where Is Our Profession Headed? hat research was used to decide that ADHP is a direction that ADHA should pursue to create access to care? We have research that says dental diseases are SUHYHQWDEOHGLVHDVHV:K\ZRXOGQ¶WRXU¿UVWVWHSEHWR gain access to the populations to prevent a preventable disease? I suggest that we should gain access to the popula-tions that need intervention in a preventive manner, and that the easiest access to the greatest number of people needing intervention is found in our public schools. I believe that by giving dental hygienists access (in-dependent or collaborative practice) to areas without a dental provider we could create a population of patients who desire dental preventive services and understand the need for dental treatment in an existing practice. Loosening of the reins on dental hygienists would create access to care for the populations and more jobs imme-diately for dental hygienists. I believe that the focus of our ADHA should be mak-ing openings for the thousands of hygienists who have supported this organization—work for the many, instead of trying to create a new profession (ADHP—a profession based on treatment). If hygienists were practicing dental hygiene at the highest level, we could make the need W { Do we want to be a nation that is continuing to treat disease as health care? Or do we want to start creating health as health care? for treatment “obsolete,” which should be the goal of the ADHA and all hygienists. I was pleased to see that, at the ADHA annual meet-LQJ�f;$'+$¿QDOO\FUHDWHGVRPHZRUGLQJWRSURPRWH healthy foods in the public schools. Now, shouldn’t we focus on those who can’t take care of themselves, people in nursing homes and homes for the disabled? If, with the help of a dietician, we promoted xylitol in EHYHUDJHVIRUWKHVHUHVLGHQWV¿YHWLPHVDGD\�f;ZHFRXOG decrease cariogenic bacteria in these populations. ,DOVRVXSSRUWSURPRWLQJGDLO\SODTXHELR¿OPUHPRYDO by an aide. How much would you have to pay one per-son per given number of patients a day to perform this task for those who can’t and promote self-care for those who can? I envision assistants supervised by hygienists who would do periodic exams looking for decay, which might be treatable there with silver nitrate, ART/IRT. I believe this is a place for a dental hygienist receiving a salary based on number of patients, not on procedures completed. If hygienists focused on what we could do in the areas of prevention, I think we would get closer to end-ing this preventable oral disease than we could ever imagine. If the ADHP is all about creating more jobs, it is the wrong direction! You will create more jobs if the popula-tions have healthy dentitions, and that occurs with prevention. If the ADHP isn’t about jobs, what is it about? Do we want to be a nation that is continuing to treat disease as health care? Or do we want to start creating health as health care? If we want to create health, we have to promote healthy behaviors. If we want more jobs, why don’t we look for them in areas where hygienists could be used to end disease? Where could we intervene and prevent disease? Where is disease happening now? Where do we need to be to prevent the disease we see? Let’s be proactive, not reac-tive, in areas of disease. Health promotion should be our goal. Put hygienists in the public schools, with the goal to end dental disease, and you will create an end to cou-pons for dental treatment. Dentists will want to contract to treat the limited disease of these children, because these children will be real dental patients trying to achieve health. They will understand prevention and the cost of neglect. Their homecare efforts could be graded, and failure to achieve homecare goals will mean more time in remedial education, learning how to take care of themselves. Why do we want to promote treatment of a prevent-able disease? It is time we put effort into ending this preventable disease for everyone. Sarah McMonigle, RDH Port Townsend, Wash. By email Send letters to Access Mail, 444 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 3400, Chicago, IL 60611. Send email to JeanM@adha.net and identify your message as a letter to the editor. Your name may be with-held if requested, but unsigned letters will not be printed. Letters ■ may be edited for clarity and length. 24 AUG 2012 access
Where Is Our Profession Headed?<br /> <br /> What research was used to decide that ADHP is a direction that ADHA should pursue to create access to care? We have research that says dental diseases are preventable diseases. Why wouldn't our first step be to gain access to the populations to prevent a preventable disease?<br /> <br /> I suggest that we should gain access to the populations that need intervention in a preventive manner, and that the easiest access to the greatest number of people needing intervention is found in our public schools.<br /> <br /> I believe that by giving dental hygienists access (independent or collaborative practice) to areas without a dental provider we could create a population of patients who desire dental preventive services and understand the need for dental treatment in an existing practice. Loosening of the reins on dental hygienists would create access to care for the populations and more jobs immediately for dental hygienists.<br /> <br /> I believe that the focus of our ADHA should be making openings for the thousands of hygienists who have supported this organization—work for the many, instead of trying to create a new profession (ADHP—a profession based on treatment). If hygienists were practicing dental hygiene at the highest level, we could make the need For treatment "obsolete," which should be the goal of the ADHA and all hygienists.<br /> <br /> I was pleased to see that, at the ADHA annual meeting, ADHA finally created some wording to promote healthy foods in the public schools. Now, shouldn't we focus on those who can't take care of themselves, people in nursing homes and homes for the disabled? If, with the help of a dietician, we promoted xylitol in beverages for these residents five times a day, we could decrease cariogenic bacteria in these populations.<br /> <br /> I also support promoting daily plaque/biofilm removal by an aide. How much would you have to pay one person per given number of patients a day to perform this task for those who can't and promote self-care for those who can? I envision assistants supervised by hygienists who would do periodic exams looking for decay, which might be treatable there with silver nitrate, ART/IRT. I believe this is a place for a dental hygienist receiving a salary based on number of patients, not on procedures completed.<br /> <br /> If hygienists focused on what we could do in the areas of prevention, I think we would get closer to ending this preventable oral disease than we could ever imagine.<br /> <br /> If the ADHP is all about creating more jobs, it is the wrong direction! You will create more jobs if the populations have healthy dentitions, and that occurs with prevention.<br /> <br /> If the ADHP isn't about jobs, what is it about? Do we want to be a nation that is continuing to treat disease as health care? Or do we want to start creating health as health care?<br /> <br /> If we want to create health, we have to promote healthy behaviors.<br /> <br /> If we want more jobs, why don't we look for them in areas where hygienists could be used to end disease? Where could we intervene and prevent disease? Where is disease happening now? Where do we need to be to prevent the disease we see? Let's be proactive, not reactive, in areas of disease. Health promotion should be our goal.<br /> <br /> Put hygienists in the public schools, with the goal to end dental disease, and you will create an end to coupons for dental treatment. Dentists will want to contract to treat the limited disease of these children, because these children will be real dental patients trying to achieve health. They will understand prevention and the cost of neglect. Their homecare efforts could be graded, and failure to achieve homecare goals will mean more time in remedial education, learning how to take care of themselves.<br /> <br /> Why do we want to promote treatment of a preventable disease? It is time we put effort into ending this preventable disease for everyone.<br /> <br /> Sarah McMonigle, <br /> RDH Port Townsend, Wash.<br /> By email <br /> <br /> Send letters to Access Mail, 444 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 3400, Chicago, IL 60611. Send email to JeanM@adha.net and identify your message as a letter to the editor. Your name may be withheld if requested, but unsigned letters will not be printed. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.
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