Friday February 17, 2012

Utah Dental Hygienists Association Lunch-n-Learn
Date: February 17, 2012
Time: Noon – 1:45pm
Location: Marriott Downtown
Topic: Dental Marketing Tips For The New or Experienced Hygienist. Learn To Market Yourself To Patients and Employers
Presenter: Keverly Sugden, RDH

Members: you must login to get member discounts

75 S. West Temple

Map and Directions | Register

Description:

Come join us for the best Soft Tissue Laser Diode course in the country on Friday March 2nd, 2012 from 8-5pm, at Lexington Dental Heights.  Download the brochure for details.

Seats are limited and fill up fast so call Shari at 801-756-2006 to sign up.

Cost is $695 per person.  8 CEs and a certificate of completion will be granted to each individual participating. Looking forward to seeing you there!

4587 Cedar Hills Dr.

Map and Directions | Register

• The Hygiene Economy
• Whats New for the New Year
• Our New Website

February 25, 2012 – Downtown Chicago

Register for Only $99!

On Saturday, February 25 in downtown Chicago, ADHA will be hosting a one-day workshop on emerging trends in the dental hygiene workforce.

Come hear futurist Marsha Rhea discuss her research on the environmental scan of the dental hygiene profession as well as an expert panel in public health, education, research, corporate and administration.Table breakout discussions will provide the opportunity to ask the experts specific questions in their area of expertise.

Register today for only $99!

Registration Includes:

Presented by:       Sponsored by:

See the tribune article at:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/52834120-80/dental-hygienists-health-hygienist.html.csp

Utah law currently requires dental hygienists to work under the supervision of dentists (see Utah Code Ann. ? 58-69-801(3)). There are some public policy arguments to support this model. However, it is a model that many states are moving away from for equally, if not more, compelling reasons.

Tooth decay and gum infection are the two most common human ailments. With just a little preventive care, children can avoid these ailments throughout their lives. Dental hygienists are in an excellent position to teach preventive care. In fact, hygienists specialize in prevention while dentists specialize in treating the diseases that result from poor oral care.

Unfortunately, some dentists see teaching and training as being unprofitable — after all, it is not covered by dental insurance plans ?— so hygienists are relegated to cleaning teeth as quickly as possible. They might be able to talk about the importance of personal home care while they are cleaning, but no time is provided for education and hands-on training.

At about 6 months of age, the first baby teeth usually begin to show themselves. It is important for parents to gently brush those teeth. As more teeth come in, if food gets caught between the teeth, parents should remove it with dental floss. But it is critical that parents use proper equipment and techniques, or they are very likely to damage their child’s gums. Hygienists are the professionals who are best suited to offer guidance and advice.

Similarly, hygienists can help teach children to brush and floss their own teeth. Most children have the coordination to learn these skills by age 6. However, proper brushing and flossing are not simple matters. A good technique increases effectiveness, while a bad technique can damage gums and do more harm than good.

Hygienists can also apply sealant to a child’s permanent teeth. Dental sealant is the best preventive product to come on the market since brushes and floss. It is simple to apply and does not require the involvement or supervision of a dentist.

It is very important that children learn — at an early age — the healthy behaviors that will prevent dental ailments. After all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Our children deserve the opportunity to be taught preventive skills by trained professionals, to receive preventive treatment and to enjoy the many wonderful benefits of oral health. To put it simply, a clean and sealed tooth will not decay and gum infection will not begin around clean teeth. The result, as Dr. Louis H. Mayo, M.D., has said, is that “daily plaque control can add 10 years to your life.”

But children cannot control plaque without training. It is time to give hygienists the opportunity to provide this service without restraint. It is time for our Legislature to allow dental hygienists to practice independently of dentists. This model is called independent practice, and it allows hygienists to take time for training without sacrificing profitability because they are able to retain the full fee for their services rather than remitting it to their supervising dentists and working for an hourly salary.

Independent practice is already happening in some states. Implementing it in Utah would not cost the state or the taxpayers anything, but it would provide immeasurable benefits to our citizens, particularly our children and their parents.

*Boyd K. Tobler is a retired dentist and a resident of Lehi.

Link to actual article Here.

DART Radiology Certification is required for dental assistants in Utah to expose radiographs.

Weber State offers a board-approved course that meets the criteria stated in the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Practice Act Rules.

Training Dates:

November 5, 2011
January 21, 2012
March 24, 2012
May 19, 2012

Learn More

The American Dental Association (ADA) and Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) are engaged in a major technology project to update the software systems that support the National Board Dental and Dental Hygiene Examinations (NBDE and NBDHE). These changes will impact all testing programs during the month of January 2012. These changes will allow us to better serve you; we appreciate your patience and apologize for any potential inconvenience. The services that will be affected and corresponding dates are listed below:

DENTPIN® Application and Retrieval System:

§ January 19, 2012 (5 p.m. CST) to January 30, 2012 – No updates, retrieval or requests will be accepted or processed

§ January 31, 2012 – full system functionality resumes

Application Processing – NBDE (Part I and Part II) and NBDHE:

§ January 3, 2012 to January 19, 2012 (5 p.m. CST) – Normal application processing

§ January 20, 2012 to January 30, 2012 – No applications will be accepted or processed

§ January 31, 2012 – Normal application processing resumes

Score Processing – NBDE (Part I and Part II) and NBDHE:

§ Examinations taken January 3, 2012 to January 29, 2012 – No official score processing will occur

§ January 30, 2012 – Score processing resumes; however, there may be a delay in mailing/ transmission of score reports due to volume

Score Report Requests — NBDE (Part I and Part II) and NBDHE:

§ January 3, 2012 to January 19, 2012 (5 p.m. CST) – Normal score report request processing for individuals who tested prior to January 1, 2012

§ January 20, 2012 to January 30, 2012 – No score report requests will be accepted or processed

§ January 31, 2012 – Normal score report request processing resumes

Testing – NBDE (Part I and Part II) and NBDHE:

§ Testing at Prometric Test Centers (NBDE Part I and Part II) and Pearson Vue Centers (NBDHE) will be operational during January 2012, per normal test center schedules, for individuals who have received an eligibility letter prior to January 3, 2012 and scheduled a testing appointment.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS SCHEDULE AND SHARE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH STUDENTS, COLLEAGUES AND OTHERS WHO MAY BE IMPACTED! Visit www.ada.org for periodic updates to this information.

Please also share the important information below regarding recent policy changes for the NBDE and NBDHE. These changes will become effective January 1, 2012.

JCDNE Examination Policy Changes Effective January 2012

Ø Shorter Application Eligibility Period

Effective January 1, 2012, the application eligibility period for the NBDE Part I and Part II and the NBDHE will change from 12 months to 6 months.

A candidate will be eligible to schedule a testing appointment for a six month period following acceptance of his/her application to test. If a candidate does not schedule a testing appointment and take the examination within six months, a new application and fee must be submitted.

Ø Limit on Examination Eligibility

Candidates for the NBDE Part I, Part II, and the NBDHE shall be limited to successful completion of an examination within five years of testing or five examination attempts, whichever comes first. This policy will apply to testing attempts beginning January 1, 2012 or later.

Ø Information About Examination Irregularities May Accompany Score Reports

If it is determined that a candidate engaged in irregular behavior, information regarding this determination becomes a part of the candidate’s National Board record. In its sole discretion, the JCNDE may elect to send a summary report documenting the incident, with a brief statement provided by the candidate immediately following the decision by the JCNDE to report, to legitimately interested parties, including all persons or agencies to which the candidate has instructed that scores be sent, both presently and in the future.

Ø Complete Score History

Currently score reports include scores from the most recent testing experience. Beginning January, 2012, a complete history of scores will be reported to each state board or other entity requested to receive scores. This means if a candidate has taken an examination ten times, all ten scores will be reported.

Ø Time Limits for Retesting as a Result of an Appeal

If the Joint Commission grants a candidate the opportunity to retest as a result of an appeal, the candidate must submit an application to retest within 30 days of receipt of the JCNDE’s decision.

Upon processing of the application, the candidate will remain eligible to test for 90 days following the granting of an appeal and must retest before the eligibility expires, unless different conditions are specified in conjunction with granting the request for appeal.

Questions?

Contact the Department of Testing Services 800.232.1694, nbexams@ada.org

• Teacher Joy Moeller

I am a founding member of the Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy. This Academy is a leading, comprehensive mini-residency training for post-graduate health care providers wanting to become Certified Orofacial Myologists. Our mission is to offer the best foundation for health professionals to learn this critical therapy and bring its benefits to those who need it.

We offer a 4 day course with hands on training including marketing and advanced practice management information. Our goal is to have every student successful at developing a clinically and financially great practice. We offer further on-going assistance via the Internet with professional problems you may have. We also offer internships and study club meetings. We also have a networked referral system for receiving new patients from doctors in your area. We schedule several courses throughout the year at various locations across the USA.

An Introductory Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Course

• Presented by Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
  Presenters: Joy L. Moeller, BS, RDH and Licia Coceani Paskay, MS, CCC-SLP

2012 Course dates:

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT: Jan. 28-31, 2012
Calgary, AB, Canada: Feb. 26-29, 2012
UCSF, San Francisco, CA: Mar. 17-20, 2012

For more information and how to register:
Contact Marc Moeller at +1 (310) 382-7852 or marc@myoacademy.com