Patient Education

Patient education is one of the most important parts of the dental hygiene appointment. To maintain optimum oral health, it is crucial for everyone to do their part- the hygienist, as well as the patient. Not only educating patients on how to maintain their oral health mechanically, but also with nutrition. Patient education also includes informing the patient on the oral systemic link. Many people are not aware that the mouth is linked to the body and that oral disease can effect their overall health, and vice versa. It is the dental hygienist's role to educate the patient on this topic.

Through my first year of Dental Hygiene, we focused a lot on nutrition for oral health. I learned the various vitmins that improve oral health as well as deficiencies that could affect oral health. I had the opportunity to formally present one of my patients with a nutritional counseling plan. Click here for the full nutritional counseling report and here for the nutritional plan that I came up with for my patient. I believe that this project along with other experiences during clinical patient care has increased my competency in the area of patient education.

I had the opportunity to provide oral cancer screenings on the Mesa Community College Red Mountain campus. We promoted oral health by passing out fliers educating about oral cancer and by providing oral cancer screenings. We also took blood glucose tests and educated students on the oral systemic link between diabetes and oral health. 

We also provided oral cancer screenings and glucose screenings on the MCC baseball team. We taught them about the link between tobacco and oral cancer and encouraged them to quit using tobacco to improve not only their oral health, but their overall health as well. 

Another important part of patient education is being able to educate the patient on the risk tobacco use and the link to periodontal disease and oral cancer. I completed a course and am now certified in tobacco cessation.