
Trisha E. O'Hehir, RDH, BS
Editorial Director,
Hygienetown Magazine
Every day in dental practices around the world,
dentists and hygienists work together to diagnose
and plan effective treatment for their
patients. To bolster this natural collaboration,
feature stories, content from the message
boards of Hygienetown.com and Perio Reports
research summaries are presented in every
issue of Dentaltown Magazine. The goal of this
section is to present topics that will create discussions
between dentists and hygienists to ultimately
improve dental hygiene outcomes. |
October is National Dental Hygiene Month (NDHM) and the American
Dental Hygiene Association is continuing with last year’s family focused theme: “A
Healthy Smile Lasts a Lifetime.” This is the month to celebrate dental hygiene and
the benefits of dental hygiene for the public in general and for your practice in particular.
It’s a great way to begin a conversation with patients. Tell them that October
is NDHM and ask if they’ve heard any of the promotional pieces on the radio or
television. There are several public service announcements focused on oral hygiene,
oral health and the risks of sour acid candy and drinks.
Take NDHM outside your practice. Bringing practice-imprinted toothbrushes
to various community sites will spread the news about NDHM and about your
practice. Visit pregnancy classes with brushes and information about the importance
of mother’s oral hygiene when babies’ teeth erupt. Visit a preschool in your
area, with practice toothbrushes for the children. Tell them about dry brushing,
which kids prefer over strong-tasting toothpaste and encourage water instead of
sweetened juice drinks for the children.
Arrange ahead with a school, to present a brief NDHM program. Hygienetown
has some helpful discussions with long lists of fun activities you can easily
do with children, from having them try on gloves to testing the pH of acid candies
and drinks. Be sure each child and teacher receives one of your practice toothbrushes.
Other places to visit are retirement homes and assisted living centers. They welcome
visitors and can definitely benefit from oral hygiene instructions and donated
xylitol products to reduce plaque levels. It will warm your heart to drop by and leave
a basket of toothbrushes, imprinted with the practice contact information. It’s a way
to market the practice while sharing with the community; a win-win for everyone.
Halloween and NDHM provide the perfect tie-in for providing advice and
alternatives to sugary and acid covered candy. Some offices have initiated candy buyback
programs for kids to get rid of their candy in exchange for money or gift certificate
for things that don’t cause tooth decay, like games and toys. Many dental
offices offer $1 per pound to buy back the children’s Halloween candy. The offices
then ship the candy to Operation Gratitude which packages and ships the candy to
our military troops overseas. The children are asked to include a letter to the troops
in their candy. It’s an opportunity to reach out to the community by submitting a
press release to the local newspaper and local radio stations. These news outlets are
always looking for holiday specific news like this.
Send me an e-mail (trisha@hygienetown.com) or join the Halloween discussion
online and tell me about what you did for NDHM! |