DHQ LM-Dental Series

The theme for this edition is with the 'LM-Dental Midnight Sun Key Opinion Leaders'. This is a group of dental professionals that Kathleen Bokrossy and Beth Parkes met while in Finland last June 2023, while attending the Midnight Sun KOL Meeting with LM-Dental Instruments.

Every quarter (season), we will upload approximately 3 hours of CE into your very own personal portal. See below for more info on the Dental Hygiene Quarterly and in the meantime, here are the topics we have planned for you for 2024:

Volume 87

Oral Health of Chronic Kidney Patients (1 CE)

Tatiana Brandt, RDH, MEd (from Copenhagen)

Join Tatiana as she dives into the complex oral health issues faced by individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and their broader implications on systemic well-being. Learning Objectives:

Understand the prevalence and primary causes of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) globally.
Identify the various oral health issues commonly associated with CKD, including periodontitis, dental plaque accumulation, enamel abnormalities, and xerostomia.
Explore the complications arising from hyposalivation in CKD patients, such as mouth burning, speech and chewing difficulties, plaque buildup, and oral infections.
Learn practical solutions for managing oral problems in CKD patients, including appropriate dental hygiene practices and preventive measures.

Managing Anxiety within Ourselves and Our Patients (1.75 CE)

Ryan Ruter, RDH, MAM, BS, BA (from the US)

Join Ryan as he sheds a light on anxiety in the dental profession and how you can enhance yourself, treatment, and comfort of your patients.

Learning Objectives:

Recognize different parts of the brain responsible for behavior
Identify different categories and names of anxiety medications
Recollect medication effects to enhance, complement, or interfere with anxiety.
Develop skills to help change the relationship with anxiety in your patients.
Apply strategies to enhance yourself, treatment, and comfort of the patient.

Volume 88

Prepare for the Unexpected! Medical Emergency Preparedness (1.75 CE)

India Chance, RDH, CDIPC (from the US)

A life-threatening medical crisis can occur at any time. Are you and your team prepared to manage the unexpected? Join India and explore the framework to educate providers on the importance of obtaining a thorough medical history assessment.

Learning Objectives:

Recognize how to perform a compliant medical history assessment for each patient
Review signs and symptoms of common medical emergencies experienced during a dental visit
Discuss the components and implementation strategies of a response plan
Identify the equipment required when performing intervention efforts
Describe proper protocols and team dynamics when implementing a medical emergency response
Explain how to effectively document the intervention response in the patient’s health record

Digital Scanning for Examinations and Communication (1.75 CE)

Cat Edney, DH DT PG- DIP (DIST) (from England)

A comprehensive and interactive look at the power of the Digital team – how Dental Hygienists can integrate digital scanning and photography into the patient journey in order to support oral health education, co-diagnosis and team communication.

Learning Objectives:

Demonstrate and support the use of the iTero scanner and Align Oral Health Suite
Discuss the benefit of digital tools and how the Dental Team can use them for oral health education and communication
Describe various practice arrangements for implementing a digital patient journey
Facilitate discussion into how delegates can integrate digital scanning into their own practice.

Volume 89

SO you Think You Can Scale 2.0 The How The What The Why (1 CE)

Dr. Joy Void-Holmes, RDH, BSDH, MHSc, AADH (from the US)

Join Joy as she dives into the new theories of periodontology, emphasizing the distinct procedures for biofilm and calculus removal.

Learning Objectives:

Identify distinct procedures for biofilm and calculus removal in periodontal therapy.
Explain the importance of the oral-systemic link in modern periodontal treatment.
Demonstrate effective use of hand instruments, ultrasonics, air polishing, and lasers.
Evaluate recent advancements in periodontal instrumentation technologies.

Nutrition in the Dental Setting (2 CE)

Nina Farmer, Dip DH Dip DT Dip NT (from England)

As dental professionals we get to see our patients on a regular basis, we build trust and we notice changes in them. This puts us in a fortunate position to be able to help them. In this session, Nina will introduce you to safe nutritional advice that can be used in the dental setting with patients.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the need for nutritional support with dental patients and to be aware of the supporting evidence
Identify nutritional needs in their own patients
Apply safe nutritional support and to know when to refer to the appropriate person for a multidisciplinary approach.
List oral health considerations related to hormonal conditions
To be aware of lifestyle considerations that may be impacting patients

Volume 90

There’s No Excuse for Violence and Abuse! Abuse Awareness for Dental Professionals (1.5 CE)

India Chance, RDH, CDIPC (from the US)

Join India as she sheds light on abuse, discussing the prevalence of abuse among children and adults, defining types of abuse, and listing the signs and symptoms that an abuse victim could experience.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the different types of abuse and explain the prevalence of child abuse, intimate partner abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking.
Review the mandated reporter law that applies to Canada and who must adhere to this law.
List signs and symptoms of different types of abuse victims
Review mandated reporter procedures and how to implement a protocol in a dental office setting.
Discuss available resources for abuse victims where the Mandated Reporter law does not apply.

Avoiding Assumptions: Cultural Humility of LGBTQ Patients (2 CE)

Ryan Ruter, RDH, MAM (from the US)

Explore the impact of unconscious bias and stigma in the dental setting and learn strategies for creating an inclusive environment for LGBTQ patients.

Learning Objectives:

Identify familiar terms used by the LGBTQ+ community.
Recognize your unconscious bias and increase your emotional intelligence.
Identify affects in the mouth of queer people.
Modify strategies to enhance cultural humility within your office.

Bonus - Volume 91

Assess, Maintain, Retire, Replace: Mastery for Instrument Longevity, Selection and Optimization (2 CE)

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH, BSc

Maximize the longevity and performance of your hand instruments in this session designed for dental hygienists committed to clinical excellence.

Learning Objectives:

Assess the condition and longevity of hand instruments determining when to sharpen, maintain, retire, or replace instruments to ensure optimal performance and efficiency.
Sharpen instruments effectively to preserve cutting efficiency, reduce operator fatigue, and extend instrument lifespan.
Evaluate ultrasonic insert wear and assess intended use to ensure optimal performance and clinical effectiveness
Explore new instrument designs and hybrid instruments to enhance efficiency while minimizing unnecessary replacements.
Build customized instrument kits that support clinical workflows while maximizing instrument longevity and reducing costs.
Develop a strategic annual instrumentation budget and investment plan to present to practice decision-makers.
Empower dental hygienists with the confidence and knowledge to advocate for high-quality instrumentation, optimize instrument performance, and implement long-term maintenance strategies for clinical success.

Through the Lense: Dental Hygiene in the Digital Age (1.5 CE)

Lauren Long, BSc PGDip (Dist) (from Scotland)

The rapid evolution of digital technology is reshaping the field of dental hygiene, offering innovative tools and techniques to elevate patient care, improve efficiency, and streamline workflows. This presentation provides dental professionals with a comprehensive overview of how digital advancements, including intraoral scanners, artificial intelligence, and social media, are transforming traditional practices.

Learning Objectives

1. Analyse the impact of digital tools on clinical workflows and patient outcomes in modern dental hygiene practices.

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of digital technologies, such as intraoral scanners and digital photography in enhancing patient care and education. 3. Demonstrate the integration of digital solutions into treatment planning and daily hygiene workflows. 4. Develop strategies to effectively utilise social media platforms for patient education, professional networking and promoting oral health awareness. 5. Create a plan to incorporate emerging digital trends into future professional development and practice.

The Special Bonus Feature will feature recorded videos on instrumentation from LM-Dental including 'Chosen by the Clinician'.