Modern Hygienist - February 2009 - (Page 29)

MENTORING | career Priorities.. Adriana knows what’s important: 1) Good home care. She recommends Philips Sonicare’s power toothbrushes. 2) Be healthy, be generous. She’ll accomplish both by climbing in the Hustle Up the Hancock event to benefit the Respiratory Health Association. 3) Be clear. Intraoral cameras help her better see problem areas and better educate patients. 4) Eat well. And when possible, eat Mexican! coming back with her understanding attitude, friendliness and patience. Perhaps the most significant patient in her life is her own father. Suffering from Type II diabetes and a history of periodontal disease, her father, Angel, had no idea there was any connection between diabetes and gum disease until she brought it to his attention. “People with diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease than people without diabetes because diabetics are more susceptible to contracting infections,” she says. “Those people who don’t have their diabetes under control are at a higher risk for contracting some type of gum infection.” It was Ms. Saldivar who talked to her dad about the connection between a healthy mouth and healthy body, and because of her advice, her father’s periodontal health is stable, and most importantly, his diabetes is under control. Ms. Saldivar’s knowledge of “healthy mouth, healthy body” does not just come in handy in educating her father, but with all of her patients. She is passionate about educating her patients about overall health and the connection between mouth and body. “The mouth is a window into the health of the body. It can show nutrition deficiencies or general infection. There is a potential link between periodontitis and systemic links so that is why prevention is an important step in maintaining overall health,” she says. HER DENTAL HOME In her six years practicing dental hygiene, Ms. Saldivar has worked at Water Tower Dental Care for five. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago on the Magnificent Mile, Water Tower Dental Care has been a personally rewarding place to work for Ms. Saldivar. The two doctors she works for, Drs. Daniel Aneszko and Rana Stino, have become mentors to her. Along with teaching and keeping the whole team up to date on dentistry, the doctors also provide a relaxed and comfortable setting for patients, giving them nothing but positive experiences. SCALER? CHECK. PASSPORT? CHECK. In addition to practicing in Chicago, Ms. Saldivar enjoys traveling to remote villages to provide dental care. Last March, a team of six from Water Tower Dental Care, including Ms. Saldivar, traveled to the Dominican Republic to provide free dental care to those in need. She describes their time there as a “life-rewarding experience that I will never forget.” It is clear that Ms. Saldivar has a passion and a love for both her job and her patients. “I love my profession because it’s a personally rewarding career. The desire to help others and make changes to better their health is a great accomplishment.” When asked where she sees herself in five years, she gladly sees dental hygiene continuing to play a major role, saying “I really enjoy what I do and still see myself practicing in the future.” mh Although the Dominican Republic is often thought of as a vacation destination and little else, it is estimated that 30% of its citizens live below the poverty line. These are people in need of basic medical and dental care. PHOTO: MICHAEL VOLTATTORNI; MARTIN HOSPACH, JUSTIN LIGHTLEY, ANGELO CAVALLI/GETTY IMAGES February 2009 | modern hygienist 29

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Modern Hygienist - February 2009

Modern Hygienist - February 2009 Contents Editor's Letter Letters News Modern Solutions Caring for Kids The DNA Difference A Healthy Perspective The Economic Impact on You How Single Moms Make it Work Ad Index Classified Economy 101

Modern Hygienist - February 2009

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