Top 5 Modern Hygienist Articles of 2017

With the New Year right around the corner, we felt it was the perfect time to take a look back and reflect on 2017.

Dozens of articles were published on Modern Hygienist this year, but these five were the ones that caught everyone’s attention. You, the readers, were interested in stories about ergonomics, salary statistics and tales about the worst dental patients ever, among others.

The top 16 worst dental patients ever

By Laura Dorr

So, you’re having a great day. Everything is going smoothly.

And then ... THAT patient walks in. The one who seems absolutely determined to ruin your day, totally tick you off, leave you dumbfounded or absolutely gross you out!

We polled you, our readers, for your stories of the patients that will always stick out in your memory - for all the wrong reasons. From the infuriating to the disgusting, the bizarre to the absurd, your tales did not disappoint. We heard about a man that gets his teeth cleaned by his bird, a fellow wielding a box-cutter knife as a dental tool, some very amorous patients and a chronic finger-biter  and much, much more - all of them tales of patients that no dental hygienist wants to deal with!

Here are the worst of the worst stories that we compiled.

To read the full article, click here.  

The latest hourly and annual salary numbers for dental hygienists

By Robert Elsenpeter

When you look around a dentist’s office, you see more dental hygienists and dental assistants than you do actual dentists. And with more than 100,000 dentists in the country, this should tell you something about how prevalent jobs are for hygienists. We took a look at the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to see what that means for job opportunities and salaries.

To read the full article, click here.

5 ergonomics tips that could save your career

By Laura Dorr

Back pain after a long day? Cramping hands? Aching neck?

Every dental professional has been there at one point or another. From poor posture and heavy loupes to stressful sustained grips and uncomfortable seats, there are numerous ways to wear down your body in the dental practice. It may feel like chronic pain is just a part of the job - but it doesn’t have to be.  We compiled a list of five articles we feel all dental professionals should read.

To read the full article, click here.  

New gingivitis code helps you provide ethical care

By Kathryn Gilliam, RDH, BA

Our patient presents with moderate generalized inflammation, evidenced by moderate generalized bleeding on probing, with light to moderate supra gingival calculus, light to moderate subgingival deposits, and generalized pseudo pocketing with no radiographic evidence of bone loss. How do you treat this patient, and what code do you use?

To read the full article, click here.
 

The 5 worst ways to ask for a raise

By Lisa Newburger, LISW-S

What’s more important than recommending what you should say when asking for a raise? Talking about what you definitely should NOT say.

Research has shown over and over again that money isn’t the most important thing to employee satisfaction. But, if you feel you are underpaid for the work you perform, then “nice colleagues” and an “understanding boss” just don’t cut it. We held a focus group to find out what professionals  thought were the five worst ways to ask for a raise.

To read the full article, click here.