April 2018 Newsletter

NEWSLETTER 2nd Quarter 2018

Inside this Edition: 1 - President’s Message 3 - DXII Representative

Issue No. 177

Spring is SHOWING UP and so is your Association.

by Beverly Frye, President

From the Desk Of...

4 - 2018 Lobby Day 5 - Membership Spotlight 6 - IOH/Flat Matt 7 - Educator of the Year Award 8 - Spring Component News 13 - Training Opportunities 14 - Welcome Members 15 - Unsung Hero

Save These Dates April 13-14, 2018 Symposium for Oral Health Professionals, Bellevue Embassy Suites October 13-14, 2018 House of Delegates Kitsap Convention Center February 4, 2019 Lobby Day in Olympia

In these early days of spring we are looking forward to the promise of warmer days and enjoying new growth for our Association.

The first quarter of the year has blown by quickly; and with it a tremendous amount of work has resulted in some big payoffs for our profession and our state Association.

After a few long winter months of pouring over several applications and entertaining numerous interviews, our Association’s search committee found a rare gem. I am so pleased to introduce our new Executive Director, Pamela An. Pamela comes to us with skills and organization that complement our Association beautifully. I am very excited about the future of our Association and her journey with us. You will have an opportunity to meet her in person at this year’s Symposium for Oral Health Care Professionals in Bellevue on April 13 and 14 (https://goo.gl/UFaaMv). Please join me in welcoming Pamela to our wonderful family of WDHA professionals.

The first few months of the year also brought with it many opportunities to create new networks and further build our relationship with the Department of Health, the Health Care Authorities, and several other state and community leaders. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of taking the time to show up, be at the table, and be part of the conversation. Your Association leaders have been showing up and representing the interests of every hygienist throughout our state on many different fronts. This encourages other community leaders to recognize and understand the value of the dental hygienist as the vital community partners that we are. Your Association has shown consistency in attendance at a variety of meetings and has been highly prepared to speak on a plethora of broad topics of conversation. Because of this your leadership is being invited to be part of discussions and solutions that direct and design health systems in our state and country. Had we not shown up, we would not be considered for these opportunities. This demonstrates positive movement for our profession and the public.

(continued on next page)

It is essential to the people we provide care for to be part of these conversations in order to help make systems and treatments more cohesive and accessible. It is also a benefit to our profession to share the knowledge and positive impact of what we provide to long-term public health. If we wish to be recognized for what we contribute, for the depth of our education, and for what we are capable of, we must push past obscurity and show up at every event that concerns our profession. I invite each of you to help share our voice and educate the masses.

As volunteer leaders, making the time to show up is not always easy. We juggle long work days and family life and give where we can.

For some that might mean showing up to supporting your profession through membership, this is fundamental to our success and should not be understated. It is what drives us and what gives us credibility to policy makers. Others might have a little more time to offer and can help attend meetings or contribute to the Association’s inner workings on state and local level. It ALL matters and is all cumulative in its effect. I have witnessed the impact that all of you make collectively, and it fuels my resilience to push through the tired days and the long meetings. I want to graciously thank each of you for being part of making your local component successful by showing up and taking the time to connect and build relationships with other hygienists, by representing us at meetings and state and local events, by being active in student mentorship, and last and most importantly, showing up to be a supporting member of our profession and our future.

Are you interested in finding out more about what is going on in your state as it happens? As an effort to keep hygienists in our state connected and informed we have launched a FB group page. Please join and visit for frequent updates on your profession and the work the Association is doing to keep our profession protected, relevant, and moving forward.

Look for Washington State Dental Hygienists’ Association group page and join. https://www.facebook.com/groups/332262307267084/

Have ideas and suggestions for your state leaders? Please email me at beverlyfrye@comcast.net

I would love to hear from you. Until next time, share with yourself the care and joy you provide others every day. You are special and you deserve it.

WDHA NEWSLETTER Mailing Address:

PO Box 389

Lynnwood, WA 98046

Telephone: E-mail: Web site:

425-771-3201

wsdha@comcast.net

www.wsdha.com

Send articles, letters to the editor, etc. to WDHA by mail or e-mail. All articles must include author’s name/telephone number. Final decisions on Newsletter content is the responsibility of the Editor. Articles are due one month prior to publication: March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1.

As a constituent of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, WDHA adheres to ADHA’s policy not to endorse products or services, including products and services advertised in Association publications. WDHA does not endorse opinions; nor confirm accuracy of information published herein. WDHA does not guarantee the efficacy of any product.

2018 WDHA OFFICERS

President:

Pres.-Elect:

Past President:

Vice President: Secretary:

Treasurer: Speaker:

Beverly Frye

Jennifer Zbaraschuk Renee Berberena Lori Burke

Elizabeth Klaas

Vonna Castiglione

Marilynn Rothen

Advertising is accepted for this publication. Complete a contract available on-line at www.wsdha.com. Advertising will be accepted based on policy and discretion of the Editor.

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Message from your ADHA DXII Constituent Advisory Committee Representative Lisa Bryant, RDH, BSDH

Hello Everyone!

My name is Lisa Bryant. I have been a dental hygienist for about four and a half years. I work in a public health model of care facility in Alaska that treats Alaska Native and American Indian populations. I absolutely love my profession!

I am the current President of the Alaska Dental Hygienists’ Association (Alaska DHA), Alternate Delegate for Alaska at the American Dental Hygienists’ Association’s (ADHA) House of Delegates (HOD), Unleashing Your Potential (UYP) 2015 Attendee, and most recently, elected as your District Twelve (DXII) Representative to the newly created ADHA Constituent Advisory Committee (CAC)!

Thank you all so much for your vote of support!

I am so excited to be able to participate in this newly created ADHA committee and look forward to serving you and working with the ADHA Board of Trustees. My role as your representative in this committee is to listen to you and relay your needs about charter agreement compliance so that I may help ADHA assess and prioritize support for your needs to include reviewing and giving input on resources that may be helpful to you. This is a newly created committee that is likely to evolve as we work with and learn from each other. It is truly an honor to have been selected by my peers; I am so appreciative of this opportunity. I am also very grateful to those who continue to be positive influences and mentors in my life, who continue to push me out of my comfort zone so that I may reach new heights and grow professionally!

As such, I am determined to be a good listener and advocate for you as your new DXII Representative on ADHA’s newly created ADHA Constituent Advisory Committee. Special thanks to Jennifer Zbaraschuk of WDHA for for asking me to share a little bit about the CAC position and me in the WDHA’s newsletter!

My contact information is below if you have questions, comments, and/or concerns. Thank you so much for this opportunity!

Sincerely,

Lisa Bryant, RDH, BSDH

From the Desk

lbryant_rdh@yahoo.com 907-441-8727

of Pamela An

Hello WDHA!

I am excited and honored to join the association as your new Executive Director. I want to thank everyone for your warm welcome. I want to especially thank Gene Patterson and the Board for their support in helping me transition into this position.

I moved to Washington from Southern California this past Summer. Like many of you I am thrilled that Spring is here and Summer not too far behind. My background has been primarily in the Financial Services industry . I have always had a strong passion for healthcare and wanted to work for a non-profit. I am very thankful for this opportunity and am lucky to be working alongside passionate and committed members.

I can’t believe the 2018 Symposium for Oral Health Care Profesionals is only a couple of weeks away. I am looking forward to meeting everyone! In the meantime, feel free to drop by the Central Office anytime you’re in the area.

- Pam

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2018 Lobby Day

by Kathy Trudeau, RDH

On the last Monday in January, many dental hygienists and dental hygiene students traveled to Olympia to represent the WDHA by showing support for the House Bill 1364 and Senate Bill 5224. These bills are the key in developing a dental therapist provider in Washington State to improve access to oral health care. There were many positive comments about the bills going forward this legislative season, but it was a short season and the bills have not moved forward. District 4 hygienists heard positive support from two representatives who previously opposed dental therapy bills, this was a common theme as we answered many legislators’ questions.

Many students were accompanied by hygienists to mentor them during their appointments with their legislators. Two students from Seattle Central College met with Rep. Chopp. As constituents they were assertively supportive of the dental therapy House bill. Both students walked out of the meeting with a $300 scholarship from Rep. Chopp. He commented to student Danielle Mora that they just didn’t give up! WDHA is not going to give up on dental therapy either. Stay up to date with Capitol News from lobbyist Melissa Johnson.

Reg & Prac Chair Colleen Gaylord & Lobbyist Melissa Johnson

Hygienists and Hygiene students preparing for Lobby Day

Beverly Frye, WDHA President 4

Members from Eastern WA DHC

Membership Spotlight: Sarah Luetke

by Renee Berberena, RDH

Sarah Leutke first became interested in community health during her hygiene school years. She attended hygiene school in Rochester, Minnesota, where she was exposed to numerous opportunities for community outreach. Right next to the school, was a federal prison where students did their community health rotations.

While Sarah was cleaning an inmate’s teeth he shared his journey of how his drug dealing led to prison. Sarah really felt that she had the ability to communicate on a more personal level. Her gut was telling her that she could have a unique career path as a community hygienist. She was in a position where she could be a caregiver, and also learn about individual life stories which are so interesting.

Sarah was given another opportunity to become very involved with a non-profit that one of her instructors ran. Her dental hygiene instructor worked with Mayo Clinic to secure a building, and then reached out to the community for volunteers. Since Sarah did not have school on Fridays, she used this day as a learning and volunteering opportunity. It was these volunteer experiences that planted the seed in her heart that maybe, someday, she might have the opportunity to serve in a similar way in a public health setting.

The longer Sarah worked in private practice, and the more experience she gained, the more her confidence increased to follow her dream of practicing independently. Throughout her years of clinical practice, she found that the elderly and disabled were a population that she loved working with. Sarah wanted to do something different that challenged her in a different clinical way. The tug on her heart grew stronger with each beat. With courage in her heart and determination to make her dream come true, Sarah picked up the phone and contacted a practicing WA community dental hygienist for more information on how to get started.

Sarah researched RDHs who were currently practicing and got ahold of Anita Rodriguez. Anita took the time to encourage Sarah and invited her to attend a training about how to navigate community practice. After attending the class, Sarah wasn’t sure that she would be able to do it. Managing a community practice’s business plan is a whole new skill set. Her husband, who was and still is, her number one supporter, offered his encouragement in following this path. Sarah looked around for an already existing dental hygiene community practice to purchase. One of the reasons she wanted to go that route and not just start from scratch was because, in her opinion, it can be difficult to enroll new patients without the credibility of an existing patient base. The other option is for a community practicing hygienist to partner with a hygienist that is already working in this setting.

Sarah will tell you that she is a better person because she followed her dream. Although, she has had her share of bad days, with her husband by her side, she will tell you that they work pretty well together. He helps her with the business development, billing, and information systems.

In Sarah’s experience, she found that purchasing an existing practice from another RDH was helpful in getting her own practice, Sound Dental Care, off the ground. Sound Dental Care meets the needs of the elderly and those in nursing homes who would not otherwise receive dental care.

Sarah still works 2 days a week in private practice while being a community practicing hygienist on the alternate days. One of the greatest challenges for Sarah is that the end result is not always ideal. For many perfectionist dental hygienists or the OCD hygienists, accepting the day for what it is can be the hardest part of community hygiene. We want the optimum result from our collective efforts. At the end of the day, when Sarah comes home to her own family, occasionally feeling discouraged, her husband will often ask her, “Did you make a difference in a person’s life today?”

And Sarah always says, “I made a difference for every patient I saw today.” As it turns out, that’s more than enough for Sarah whose only goal and dream has been to make a difference.

If you have been feeling that little tug on your heart, or if you have any questions, or are curious about exploring community hygiene, contact WDHA (wsdha@comcast.net).

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IOH In Motion 5K Run-Walk-Fun

In collaboration with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, the ADHA Institute for Oral Health (IOH) provides thousands of dollars each year, to advance the profession of Dental Hygiene through scholarship, research and service.

These monies have been awarded to dental hygiene students for educational needs (Scholarships), to those expanding the field of dental hygiene (Research Grants) and to dental hygienists to provide oral health care and education to those in their communities (Community Service Grants).

The Institute For Oral Health can be found on the ADHA website by logging in with your member number. It promotes scholarships, research, and professional advocacy for all dental hygienists in our great nation. The ADHA generally chooses several dental hygiene students to receive scholarship money while they are in school learning or forwarding their careers.

WDHA is offering three raffle prizes to be given away in a drawing at the 2018 Symposium in April. This is also a great opportunity to promote attendance at our #1 educational event and fundraiser. The three prizes available are an Oral B electric toothbrush with Blue Tooth technology , A Waterpik and a $50.00 Amazon gift card.

Flat Matt is Back!

Flat Matt was created to help raise money for the IOH by Matt Crespin, our ADHA Vice President from Wisconsin.

He was in Seattle speaking at Acora in January. Flat Matt will be running in the In Motion: 5K Run-Walk-Fun in Columbus, OH. He can be found on FB and Instagram and you can purchase your own Flat Matt on FB through his Flat Matt for IOH site. Help Washington win by raising the most money for IOH through purchases of Flat Matt and then posting your pictures on FB and Instagram and tagging Flat Matt. Join the fun today!

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2018 Educator of the Year Award Vicki Ferguson, RDH, BSDH

by Courtney Houser, RDH, BSDH

Congratulations to Vickie Ferguson, RDH, BSDH, dental hygiene professor at Pima for being selected as the 2018 Educator of the Year.

Vickie graduated from the University of Washington in 1981 and began teaching in restorative clinic February of 2014 at Pima. The following year, she became the lead restorative instructor and also teaches biomaterials, clinical anesthesia, dental anatomy, embryology, and is a first-year clinical instructor.

The Pima Class of 2018 SADHA group nominated Vickie and said of her, “She is one of the most patient people we have ever met, and she has spent countless hours, even on her days off, and into the evenings working with her students to ensure that they understand what is being taught, even going so far as to create individualized assignments for students having trouble understanding a concept. She shows so much passion in her teaching every single day and there is no doubt that she is fully invested in our success for our future career.”

Humbled and honored, Vickie credits this award to her dedicated students. Additionally, without her husband, Olin, Vickie admits she could not accomplish what she does as an instructor. Vickie’s favorite part about teaching is watching the students learn and learning from them, too. For students who may have an interest in teaching, Vickie’s advice is to start part time and learn from other instructors. The investment in other people’s lives and our profession is why Vickie encourages hygienists to become part or full-time instructors.

Congratulations, Vickie! Thank you for the impact you’re making on student’s lives and the impact you will continue to make on the future leaders of our profession.

Vickie Ferguson

Beverly Frye, WDHA President & Vickie Ferguson

Beverly Frye, Melisa McCannel (2017 Educator of the Year) & Vickie Ferguson (2018 Educator of the Year)

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Spring Component News Eastern Washington DHC Barbi Lynch, Trustee

Greater Seattle DHC Georgene McCarty, Trustee Spring is here! We’ve had great attendance at our meetings this year. You are invited to join us for evenings of education and professional connection.

Hello from Eastern Washington!

At the time of writing this article, Eastern Washington is still experiencing winter weather! I can honestly say that the snow accumulation in my yard will probably be there till April!

April 13-14 -The dates for the 2018 Symposium for Oral Healthcare Professionals.

GSDHC doesn’t have a meeting in April to encourage you to attend this 2-day event that is packed with motivating speakers on a variety of topical subjects while enjoying the camaraderie of your peers. See you there!

Earlier this year we were fortunate to have the dental hygiene educators from EWU along with several students make the journey over to participate and represent us in Olympia for our Lobby Day. For those of us that were unable to attend we really appreciate them taking the time to be a part of this informative and exciting day mingling with other hygienists and students (and our representatives) from around the state.

May 8-Dan Keusal, MS, MLFT

“The Power of Stories: From Stress Management to Finding Meaning In Our Daily Lives”

We are excited to announce that Kaylene Elam will be our CCC representative for the component. Sarah Jackson and Lorie Speer will be attending ADHA CLL/Annual Session in June as speakers at CLL. We are excited and proud.

Jamie Woods and myself will be representing Washington State as delegates along with Sarah Jackson as a first time alternate delegate.

This meeting will be held in Room 204, Pacific Tower, Health Education Center, 1200 12th Ave S in Beacon Hill at 7 P.M. June 2, Saturday-Special Olympics, Washington at PLU in Tacoma

Join us for this annual volunteer opportunity. Watch our website or email us for details.

We are so looking forward to Spring and our annual dinner/celebration for the 2018 graduating dental hygiene students from EWU. This year it will be held at David’s Pizza in Spokane. There will be more information on our Facebook page for anyone wanting to join in the fun.

This is the highlight of our component year for we get to meet and embrace the new hygienists that will be entering into our profession. We love answering any questions that come up about our association, what it is like out in the real world of dental hygiene and what to look for when applying for jobs. We want to assist them as much as we can, because thinking back, that is what many of our mentors did for us.

The 2018 graduates from PIMA, Seattle Central and Shoreline were the honored guests of our annual student dinner meeting in February. We enjoyed hearing VicePresident, Lori Burke, and surprise guest, President Beverly Frye, speak on the significance of professional membership. Liz Klaniecki gave a moving presentation on the value of volunteering. We express a big thank you to Snohomish County DHC, South King County DHC and the GSDHC committee for all their contributions in making this a welcoming and fun evening.

We are planning our 2018-19 program. If you are curious about a topic or if you would enjoy sharing your knowledge of special interest, contact us at greaterseattledentalhygienists@gmail.com. Check out our website: www.gsdhs.org. Please visit our Facebook page and remember it is a public professional forum. Present your professionalism with pride.

After our April meeting the component will be taking a rest till September. We do hold a meeting in the summer where we go over our upcoming year, confirming speakers and venues, selecting delegates for October’s HOD and any other events that may be happening in the future.

Any questions or moving to our side of the state, please email me at smile4babs@yahoo.com.

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Mt. Rainier DHC Keriann Brady, Trustee

SW Washington DHC Sheryl Armstrong, Trustee

Greetings from MRDHC!

Hello to everyone from Greater Southwest Washington!

We have been planning C. E. for our area and scheduled a meeting at The Main Event (East) Restaurant in Vancouver, Wa. Pam Ditzhazy presented “You and Me and HPV,” March 19th at 6:30 pm. Attendees were able to order dinner off the menu and eat during the presentation. It’s been a while since we’ve met in a restaurant venue and we’re hoping to expand our topics as well as our membership.

Hoping everyone had a good Winter and that you are all ready for the Spring time ahead of us! I know I am definitely ready for longer daylight hours and maybe even some sun!

Mt Rainier wants to thank all the hygienists that were able and available to participate in Lobby day on January 29th. Hygienists and students met to help our lobbyist, Melissa Johnson, rally for our profession and the dental needs of our state. The bills being discussed were in relation to the Dental Therapist again this year. Hygienists and students were able to meet with their local representatives to share the word in attempts to have better access to care across Washington State. With the Dental Therapist now having education standards and CODA accreditation we hope that our efforts were heard by our legislators!

Our students from Clark College Dental Hygiene presented their Table Clinics on Monday, March 5th at 6:30pm upstairs in Gaiser Hall. This is always a fun event and we were excited to see what the students prepared for us.

We are looking forward to Symposium and some Spring weather. Personally, I’ve had it with the cold season and am ready for something a bit more temperate.

We’ll schedule another planning meeting following the WDHA BOT meeting. If anyone has a particular topic they would like to learn more about, please send it to one of the officers listed below. We are always looking for new suggestions for C.E.

Upcoming meetings include: April 17th: CE and meeting

The Genesis Project is a Seattle-based organization attempting to reduce the number of women forced into prostitution and human trafficking. A member from their organization will be coming to discuss with us how we can help women in our community seek rehabilitation and help.

Please contact any of the component leaders listed below for more information.

Leaders are:

Michelle Vincent, Chair: kevinmichellevincent@

May 15th: CE and meeting

hotmail.com

Pam Ditzhazy from FIDA labs will be presenting on HPV Testing & Oral Pharyngeal Cancer screening.

Kristi Taylor, Vice Chair: bktaylor@comcast.net Kelly Pfeifer, Treasurer: kcsmile@juno.com

Both meetings will be held at The Social Bar & Grill in Tacoma on Dock St. We meet there around 6 PM and CE starts around 6:30PM. CE credits are usually 1-1.5! We look forward to seeing you there!

Sheryl Armstrong, Trustee: sherylrdh@hotmail.com

ALSO: Don’t forget to register for Symposium held in Bellevue on April 13-14th for the chance to get all 15 CE in one weekend!

For more information about MRDHC please email us at wdha.mountrainier@comcast.net or join our Facebook Group ‘Mt. Rainier Dental Hygienists’ Society’.

SW Washington DHC 9

Mt. Baker DHC Nona Groesbeck, Trustee

Snohomish County DHC Kara Lea Tupling, Trustee

Happy Spring! It is lovely to see color popping up all around us! It was great to see a huge turnout for our MBDHC January symposium on substance abuse. Thanks to our outstanding CE Co-chairs Cheyanne Wileman, and Traci Martinson and our leadership team for making this event such a success! March first was our CE presented

by Dr. Laurie Brion DDS “Treating Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy”. In April, we encourage our area hygienists to attend the WDHA Symposium. Meet up with friends and old classmates from across the state to hear fabulous speakers present cutting-edge information. Funds raised from this event support ongoing expenses and efforts of WDHA on our behalf.

Our meetings are held at the WDHA office located at 19721 Scriber Lake Road, Suite B, in Lynnwood. We provide an hour of CE credit followed by a short business meeting. Don’t forget that if you are not currently a member of the ADHA, that you can stop by and try out a meeting, and get an hour of CE for $10. What a bargain! Spread the word!

Mark your calendar! Upcoming component meetings are: May 9th: TBA

June 14th: TBA

Mark your calendar for our next MBDH component meeting!

We are working on setting up some great speakers for the upcoming meetings. So stay tuned to our Facebook page and look for our emails for details!

May 17, Thursday, 6-8:30 PM – “Periodontal Updates”.

Speaker: Dr. Bennett, DDS, MSD, Periodontist. 2 CE Credits

Make sure to attend Symposium (April 13-14th) to get your continuing education requirements met for the year.

If you missed Dawn Ipsen from Kusler’s Compounding Pharmacy earlier this year, she will be presenting at this event on April 14th in the afternoon. Her courses were outstanding and rated highly by those who attended. Make sure to register early to get your top choices. See you all there.

Location – 3333 Squalicum Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98225 at St. Luke’s Community Health Education Center. $25 ADHA members $30 Non-ADHA members includes a light meal. RSVP: mtbakerrdh@gmail.com RSVP to mtbakerrdh@gmail.com or through our Facebook events

The Oral Cancer Walk is back for 2018! Set a reminder for September 22, 2018 on your calendars. It will be held at Juanita Beach Park in Kirkland, Washington again. We will be sponsoring a team from our component and would love for you to join in and support this great cause. Our component team name will be announced in next newsletter.

Mt. Baker Component Contacts

Mt. Baker Dental Hygienists’ Component Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MBDHS/

Chair: Carol Johnston mtbakerrdh@gmail.com (360) 320-1530 Vice Chair: Gillian McKenzie

As the component is growing, your officers are looking at relocating the meeting location to be able to accommodate more attendees. If you have any recommendations or comments on where you would like this to be, please drop us an email. We are also looking at whether or not to keep our rotating schedule or to switch to a set day. If you have a preference of what day of the week you prefer, please let us know your thoughts and feelings. Please look for future surveys that may be on Facebook or sent by email as this decision is made.

Secretary/Treasurer: Sandra Carlson (360) 820-5227 thecarlson4andmore@gmail.com Continuing Education: Traci Martinson moschatel@ gmail.com (907) 315-2591 Cheyenne Wileman cheyannewileman@gmail.com (253)-221-2667

Hospitality: Amber DeVries (360) 201-0446 ambermdevries@gmail.com

If you have any questions, comments, or CE suggestions, please send us an email at scdhs7@gmail.com. Remember to stop by the component Facebook page and become a “Friend”. It’s a great place to connect with your fellow hygienists. (www.facebook.com/snohomishcountydentalhygienesociety)

PR/Website/Facebook: Austen Hilleary (360) 8208920 austen.hilleary@live.com Community Outreach: Nina Karhinen nina.e.karhinen@ gmail.com (360) 510-1655

Trustee: Nona Groesbeck (360)739-1938 flossyrdh@ gmail.com

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Columbia Basin DHC Connie Distefano, Trustee

Kitsap DHC Kate Garcia, Trustee

Next component meeting is April 10th at 6:30. Our speaker will be Dr. Phil Horner DDS. He will speak on Nutrition and Ketosis diet. We hold our meetings at 512 N Young St. Kennewick, WA 99336.

We continue to have a very busy year on the Kitsap Peninsula. We have implemented leadership meetings every other month during the months opposite our regular component meetings. This allows us more time to strategize for future meetings and events, plan exciting and creative ideas for HOD 2018, and update our members on state and national level business.

Please check out our Facebook page for job postings or upcoming events. You can also contact Connie Distefano at nymolar7@msn.com or 509-528-1510

In February, Charlene Meagher organized a phenomenal annual Primrose CE event in Silverdale, WA. There were 48 guests from Kitsap and the Olympic Component in attendance. We were thankful to have Burkhart and Young Dental providing generous sponsorship. Jan Goodenow volunteered to sell raffle tickets benefiting the Institute of Oral Health. Kristin Reisnor presented her three hour CE, “Chronic Inflammation: The Fire Within!”. Her presentation was jammed packed with information on the relationship between inflammatory conditions of the body and periodontal disease, and the associated risks in the body. This included periodontal disease, and the associated risks of cardiovascular disease, specifically heart attack and stroke.

Alliance of Dental Hygiene Practicioners (ADHP) Spring Forum Saturday, April 14th Featuring: Morning Professional Development Session Mega Issues Forum Afternoon Clinical Session

Upcoming Kitsap Peninsula Events:

For more info: www. alliance-rdhpractitioners.org

April 19th - KPDHC meeting and CE May 17th - Leadership meeting

June 21st - KPDHC meeting and CE

These meetings and CE courses are held at Harrison Hospital ‘Garden Room’ - 1800 NW Myhre Rd., Silverdale, WA 98383. To learn more information about our CE events contact Charlene Meagher at cameagher@yahoo.com.

Check our Facebook page or join Charlene’s email list.

Proud Supporter of The Washington Dental Hygienists’ Association

If you need more on KPDHC meetings, job postings, or upcoming events, join our Facebook Page - Washington Dental Hygienists’ Association: Kitsap Peninsula component or contact: Trustee: Kate Garcia at katesgarcia@gmail or (360) 908- 7110 Membership: Crystal Mohoric cmohoricrdh@gmail. com

PARADISE DENTAL TECHNOLOGIES PDT, Inc.  8275 Highway 10 W  Missoula, MT 59808 Phone: 800-240-9895  pdtdental.com

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Capitol DHC Charolette Brown, Trustee

South King County DHC Paula Kingsley, Trustee

Hello all! Spring is upon us! As the weather warms up, so do activities around the capitol component. We recently had some amazing guest speakers talk about implant maintenance, our genes verse our choices, and HPV information. Coming up the next few months we will be hosting guest speakers with topics that involve solving white spots after ortho and a hands on instrument maintenance.

We meet at Mercato’s downtown Olympia every second Wednesday of the month, come join us!

January 2018 started out with a POP! We had our largest attendance for our “ Ozone in Dentistry” topic presented by Dr. Jim Coleman. He presented didactic and clinical applications. Thank you Dr. Jim!

February 2018 we had a social at Vino at the Landing.

Attendance was small but company and “shop talk” were great!! Though no CE is awarded, these meetings are more than valuable to our professional growth. Laura RyanHeck did a phenomenal job arranging the location [in a corner of our component we don’t often get to-The Landing in Renton] and contacting membership-new grads and old! Thank you Laura!! I am officially inviting you to be MEMBERSHIP CHAIR for our component-what do you say?

Are you a member of the Capitol component and would like to become more involved? It’s the perfect time! We will be holding elections at the April 11th meeting. Come and be part of something great! Planning for the summer social will also be happing during the next few months.

On March 18th, 2018 we enjoyed the “Oral Myofunctional Therapy” presentation by Barbara Tritz [blog: Queen of Dental Hygiene which is a wonderful resource for all]. Oral Myofunctional therapy is only one of several specialties in her toolbox. The meeting will be at Angelos Restaurant in Burien. Dinner at 6 and Presentation at 7 pm. CE will be earned.

Big shout out to all the volunteers that helped out at Legislative day, especially for the members of the Capitol component who did such an amazing job hosting the event. Also a big thank you to Costco and Starbucks for donating some of the food and coffee.

There are a few volunteer opportunities around Olympia. One is at the Union Gospel Mission. They are in need of hygienists for four hour shifts Monday through Friday.

Call Shelly Case at 360-943-6400 if interested. Also the Smile Mobile has several dates through April and March, Call Karri at 206-276-1620 if interested.

April 2018 See you all at the Symposium! I am so excited for this meeting; Kriston will be presenting the material and the book is “Beat the Heart Attack Gene” and I strongly recommend it for all! I have had the immense good fortune to hear Drs. Bale and Doneen speak on a number of occasions at AAOSH’s and most recently in February in a more intimate group in Sisters, OR where we shared their day program and lunch!

Have a great couple of months!

May 2018 Topic will be Phase Contrast Microscope with presenters: Paula Kingsley and Barb Tritz.

Greater Seattle, Snohomish County and South King County Component Student Dinner February 20, 2018 Shoreline Community College

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Children are not Getting Dental Check-ups Early Enough by FDI World Dental Federation

Lake Washington DHA Jo Moore, Trustee

On the occasion of World Oral Health Day, FDI World Dental Federation asked parents around the world how they cared for their children’s oral health growing up and the responses suggest room for improvement. Maintaining a healthy mouth is crucial to keeping it functioning correctly and for maintaining general health and well-being.

Wow we are off to an exciting year filled with so many new adventures. Welcome to the maiden voyage of our Online Newsletter. We have gone Green. I am so proud of our Association for making this wise decision. As I write this we are gearing up for our yearly CE with our friend Barb Bancorf.

A survey carried out in 10 countries found that only 13% of parents with children aged 18 and under took their child to the dentist before their first birthday – the recommended age for a first dental visit. Most parents first took their child to the dentist when they were between one and three years old (24%) or between four and six years old (22%), while 20% of parents reported never having taken their child for a dental check-up.

I hope many of you came and learned much. Spring is so close and we are enjoying new members.

Our members have brought such enthusiasm and knowledge that has sparked much fun.

We laugh and learn at our meetings. It is a GREAT group of dental hygienists. Please know you are all welcome any time.

“It’s worrying to learn that most children are not getting a dental check-up at the recommended age,” said Dr Kathryn Kell, FDI President. “Good oral health habits start early. Parents should visit the dentist after their child’s first tooth starts erupting as a preventive measure to avoid risk of developing early childhood caries. Oral diseases can impact every aspect of life and are associated with many general health conditions. This World Oral Health Day, we want people to make the connection between their oral health and general health and understand the impact that one has on the other. Knowing how to protect your mouth and body at all ages contributes to a better quality of life.”

2018 Officers:

President Lori Matsumura

Past President Angela Copely

President Elect Miho Kawamura Nominations Collette Sharer Treasurer Linda Konishi

Secretary Elizabeth Klaas

Member Services Meghan Brown

Half (50%) of the parents who had taken their child to the dentist identified the reason as being a regular dental check-up. However, while this was the most frequent answer in the United Kingdom (82%), Sweden (77%), Argentina (65%), France (63%), the United States (63%), Australia (56%), and China (34%); the most reported response for going to the dentist in Egypt, the Philippines, and Morocco was pain or discomfort in their child’s mouth (56%, 43% and 38% respectively).

Component meetings

Please join us! All meetings begin at 6:30 for a quick social time. We begin at 7:00 for our CE speakers, Then finish with our monthly meeting.

April 19, 2018 7:00-9:00 Dental Fears Dr. Lisa Heaton

More than two-fifths (43%) of parents with children aged 18 and under said that they personally ensured their child’s teeth were brushed before bed time to avoid oral diseases – a key message promoted by FDI. The survey also showed that 40% of parents supervised their child’s toothbrushing twice a day, and 38% of them said they limited sugary foods and drinks in their child’s diet to avoid oral diseases. Only 26% reported to have personally cleaned their child’s teeth from as soon as the first tooth pushed out, and merely 8% mentioned having encouraged their child to wear a mouthguard when playing sports.

May 17, 2018 Hygienist Happy Hour and Installation at Angelo’s Italian Restaurant We have enjoyed great speakers this year. Thank you Dr. Dophine Oda for your wonderful talk on Early Detection of Oral Cancer in February.

Collette Sharer is our Nominations Committee Chair and is looking for anyone who would like to run for an officer position. Please come to our meetings and let us get to know you.

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FDI recommends practicing good oral care, avoiding risk factors such as an unhealthy diet – particularly one high in sugar, and having regular dental check-ups to protect oral health and general health at all ages. Parents should start cleaning their child’s teeth before bed time when the first tooth starts pushing through, supervise children’s toothbrushing twice a day with a small amount of fluoride toothpaste, and schedule regular dental checkups starting no later than the first birthday.

Welcome MEMBERS to WDHA! Adrienne C.

Ashley C.

Colleen B.

Erika C.

Jacqueline H.

Judith M.

Kimberly S.

Marissa M.

Natasha E.

Sarah B.

Valerie M.

Alyssa M.

Austen H.

Courtney H.

Erin O.

Janine J.

Julie W.

Krista S.

Marta C.

Nicole F.

Sarah P.

Vanessa C.

Amber J.

Camille L.

Daryl S.

Erin P.

Jessica M.

Kaitlin B.

Lacey A.

Mi Hyun H.

Richard G.

Sarah S.

Virginia C.

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Amy V.

Aneliz A.

Deborah, M.

Debra B.

Christallyn J. Christine H.

Farrah A.

JoAnn N.

Karissa F.

Lisa, W.

Michelle, V

Robin B.

Shaunta S.

Virginia H.

Hallie H.

Joanna S.

Katherine S.

Mara G.

Mistie M.

Santiago V.

Susan N.

Wendy J.

Ann O.

Ciera R.

Emily T.

Holly G.

Jonathan B.

Kathleen C.

Marianne B.

Miwa I.

Sarah B.

Tracy C.

We often forget to thank those who work so hard on our behalf. This little spot is for just that purpose – submit a blurb on someone you appreciate who has worked hard for the Association and the profession!

WDHA is immensely grateful to Gene Patterson for stepping out of her comfortable retirement and on short notice, picking up the reigns of Central Office once again to help get our association on track for an awesome House of Delegates last October in Spokane. We were incredibly fortunate to have Gene’s organizational knowledge of WDHA to call on to get Central Office in order and to begin the search for a new Executive Director. Gene’s dedication continued through the selection and training of our wonderful new Executive Director. We can’t thank Gene enough for all her service to WDHA over the years and wish her all - Marilynn Rothen the best in her return to retirement!

2018 Dental Therapist Project Conference and Partner Convening Albuquerque, NM

Cathy Sovereign (NMDHA High Desert Trustee & Admin Chair), Barbara Posler (NMDHA Reg & Prac Chair), Elmer Gonzalez (NMDHA President) & Beverly Frye, WDHA President NMDHA = New Mexico Dental Hygienists’ Association

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Mary Otto, Author of Teeth & Beverly Frye, WDHA President

2018 Symposium for Oral Healthcare Professionals April 13-14, 2018 Embassy Suites in Bellevue, WA Our program is designed to provide you with the latest information, tools and technologies in oral healthcare, delivered by some of the best speakers in the field.

Attendees can earn up to 15+ CE units over the 2-day event.

Topics Include:

Seniors & Boomers: How to Treat the Most Medically Complex Generation Chronic Inflammation

Opportunities Beyond the Operatory Tobacco Trends and e-Cigaretters Oral Cancer

Restorative Dental Hygienists Team Synergy

Dental Therapy HPV

Compounded Medications Periodontal Medicine Women’s Health

Register Online at www.wsdha.com

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