Teaching Dental Health: Recent Data Shows Oral Hygiene Has Impact on the Whole Body
Oral hygiene is not often a news-worthy topic. Though this field is critical for individual health and wellbeing as well as an important subset of the healthcare industry, there is not typically cause for headlines in this category.
However, the New York Times published a sprawling article in April 2023 titled, “Why Oral Hygiene Is Crucial to Your Overall Health.” The article serves as a terrific primer as to the importance of oral health beyond just the oral cavity.
This is an area of research that is growing in prominence, as the article calls out. Though dental educators and instructors may know this to be true, it seems the scientific community and the broader public is beginning to catch on. Read on to learn how you can apply some of this new work into your classroom.
Teaching Dental Hygiene: An Oral History
You can’t discuss dental hygiene education without introducing Esther Wilkins. Wilkins, originally from Chelmsford, Massachusetts, is widely known for her work in the field of dentistry. She was the original author of Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist—its 14th edition out in June 2023—known widely as the first comprehensive text on dental hygiene, originally published in 1959.
Before that, the book was provided for Esther's students at the University of Washington as a series of individually copied, topic-related handouts, organized as the book is today, using an easy-to-read outline format. Over the next 60 years, Esther wrote and supervised the revision through 12 editions.
“She set the standard for how everybody began to teach dental hygiene, and that was the tipping point,” said Ann Battrell, the chief executive of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, in Wilkins’ New York Times obituary in 2016.
“I don’t think people appreciated dental hygienists until she came along and made sure they did,” said Dr. Tim Hempton, a periodontist at Tufts who shared an office with Dr. Wilkins for a decade.
So wide were her contributions to the industry that one of the most common tools used is named after her: The Wilkins/Tufts Explorer.
Teaching Dentistry into the Future
Obviously, technology, best practices, and even some concepts have changed since Wilkins published her first textbook 64 years ago. As an instructor in the field of dental hygiene, you know the importance of staying up to date on the latest research, techniques, and technologies. You also understand that finding the right textbook is essential for providing your students with a comprehensive education. That's why Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist, Fourteenth Edition by should be on your list of required reading for your courses.
"Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist" is a comprehensive textbook that covers a wide range of topics. It includes new sections on airborne transmission of disease (including coronavirus), new information on respiratory protection, new data on infection control related to aerosol generating procedures, and updates related to silver diamine fluoride (SDF).
One of the things that sets this textbook apart from others is its focus on evidence-based practice. The authors emphasize the importance of using scientific evidence to guide clinical decision-making. This approach is in line with the standards set by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), which requires dental hygiene programs to use evidence-based practice in their curriculum.
A few key features of the new edition include: Updated information on the transmissible diseases on infection control, an added section on airborne transmission, information on Covid-19, and tables for hepatitis and human herpes virus. It also has information on engineering controls and ventilation, particularly those related to aerosol generating procedures.
The online resources that accompany the book are another valuable tool for instructors. Students and instructors can access a wide range of resources, including quizzes, animations, and videos. These resources are designed to help students reinforce their understanding of key concepts and prepare for exams. Instructors can also use these resources to create interactive and engaging lessons.
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