office visit Continued from p.50 the pace is so fast. Most hygienists will drive home from work still feeling the sense of rush surging through their veins. It's no wonder why my three- or four-day workweek feels more like a full workweek. And for someone to understand this feeling and the energy we burn, you'd have to go through this process yourself. I know patients are attentive to the dynamics of our office. We are constantly being observed in our actions and even if we are moving fast in our steps to get things done, we remain calm and collected because we know we are always on stage. Have you developed a hygiene philosophy over the years? OTHER PRODUCTS Bonding agents * 3M Scotchbond Universal Handpieces * A-dec EA-53 Cements * RelyX Luting Plus * RelyX Unicem 2 Financing * CareCredit 52 JANUARY 2017 // dentaltown.com Hygienists are educators first before we are therapists. Most people think that I clean teeth for a living. Yes, I spend a lot of time cleaning teeth, but I'm also a teacher with a wealth of knowledge to impart. I listen and educate patients on what I see in their mouths and advise them on what they need to do to care for their oral health. All patients want to be heard, and we have to listen and address their needs. We can make recommendations. We can't force a patient to do a treatment or buy a product that they don't feel is necessary. That's where our educator hat comes in. What's been the most effective way of reaching patients? We use a lot of tools to help us get our message across to our patients. One of the best is our digital radiographs and intraoral photos. Seeing their teeth up close and personal usually provides enough evidence to show patients that a problem exists, and for them to take some accountability for their oral health. The way news is delivered to a patient is also very critical-you never, ever want a patient to feel ashamed of a dental problem. Patients are humans and you want them to always have their dignity intact. Imagine being judged for having gross decay if you grew up not knowing the deleterious effects of a chronic acidic oral environment. It makes me think about being 5 years old again and not knowing any better until a hygienist took the time to educate me. I was proud of my silver caps until I was teased by my older siblings for having rotten teeth and that really brought my self-esteem down. I rarely smiled then. Just ask my mom for my kindergarten photo. My point is to educate the patient. Show them what's going on in their mouth, make recommendations in a compassionate manner, and help them to get the healthy smile they need. ■http://www.dentaltown.com