Dental Hygienists do Make a Difference

Objectives:

1. Discuss why dentistry and medicine are historically disconnected.
2. Discuss why registered dental hygienists can’t work outside of dental offices in South Dakota independently.
3. Illustrate areas where hygienists can and are making a difference in hospitals, long-term care facilities and assisted living facilities in our state and other states.
4. Discuss how the overall health and well-being of all people can be significantly enhanced by improved oral health.
5. Point out how improved oral health can lessen the financial impact of healthcare organizations in South Dakota.

Presenter:

Pat Aylward, Founder, Toothology Inc.

Pat Aylward has worked as a collaborative supervision dental hygienist since 2014. She has over 40 years of experience as a registered dental hygienist and a certified dental assistant in two countries and two states. The practices she has worked with have varied from a one dentist practice in general dentistry to corporate dentistry in a large organization which included every specialty of dentistry. She has worked as a clinical dental hygienist with patients of all ages, many nationalities and ethnicities. For decades she has presented oral health lectures to the public. Most recently she started a nonprofit called Toothology Inc. focused on improving oral health through education.