More than a cleaning: The hygienist’s new role
Dentists and dental hygienists are integral members of the oral health care team. Together, they can build strong relationships that improve patient outcomes. Lancette VanGuilder, president of the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA), shared her insight into the evolving dental hygienist role and how these professionals can deliver more preventive care to patients.
—Interview by Carrie Pallardy, edited by Bianca Prieto
How has the role of dental hygienists evolved and expanded to include more focus on preventive care?
Dental hygienists have really evolved far beyond just cleaning teeth, which we're excited about. Today, dental hygienists view themselves as prevention specialists, health coaches and early risk detectors. There are a few different ways that hygienists are really harnessing technology and different mindsets to really advance oral health. One of the things that dental hygienists are using now is advanced technologies like salivary testing to identify oral systemic connections, customizing home care strategies to provide person-centered care and driving really meaningful and long-lasting behavior change to improve overall health and longevity.
The other way that dental hygienists have evolved is that they apply critical thinking and conduct ongoing patient assessments to support comprehensive, evidence-based treatment. Dentists fix teeth and restore health; hygienists are really focused on preventing disease. So, this model really is a win-win for patients and providers. Patients are benefiting from a team-based approach where one focuses on prevention and one focuses on fixing and healing and treating. Both of these professions can support patient health and practice success.
Do you think there are overlooked opportunities to involve dental hygienists in preventive care and patient education?
I think where hygienists are being underutilized the most, they can really successfully run prevention-based programs. They can expand caries management strategies and provide minimally invasive care, things like silver diamine fluoride and povidone iodine. They can perform sleep and airway screenings. They can do chairside A1C testing. They can give vaccines in the dental office in many states.
One largely underutilized opportunity is the ability to embrace new care delivery models. Things like mobile and teledentistry platforms allow hygienists and dentists to work together and extend their reach and impact far beyond the four walls of the operatory.
Through mobile care, portable care and teledentistry, hygienists can now be embedded in community centers, wellness clinics and medical settings. Hygienists can reach patients who might never step into the traditional practice. So this expands the dental practice's patient base. It strengthens our referral networks and demonstrates your practice's commitment to access, prevention and whole-person care.
More dental practices are focusing on the connection between oral and systemic health. How can dentists create more collaborative relationships with dental hygienists to deliver comprehensive, preventive care to patients?
As a dental hygienist myself, I'm extremely passionate about this oral-systemic connection and integrating medical and dental together. Integrating oral and systemic health isn't just good dentistry; it's good medicine. When dentists and hygienists have great partnerships, they can really change people's lives.
Dentists can truly build collaborative relationships with dental hygienists first by recognizing that today’s hygienists are licensed professionals. They are not auxiliaries. Dental hygienists are equal partners in healthcare, and we all want our patients to thrive.
Allowing dental hygienists in your practice to explore and implement new technology, to really investigate and implement new care models, bringing care to people where they need it, is going to improve oral and overall health.
