Dentin hypersensitivity is a common condition affecting up to 85% of people. Learn about in-office and at-home sensitivity solutions you can offer your patients.

Motivational interviewing is an effective technique that hygienists can use to inspire behavior change in patients. Here’s how it works and how to use it in your practice.

This article addresses how dental hygienists can foster optimism in the office and take a lead in improving a positive attitude and morale for team members.

Dietary choices are one of the primary causes of dental erosion. Here’s how to start the conversation with your patient to understand and manage their dietary erosion risk factors.

Pre-procedural rinsing has been part of our routine and now it still is!

Identifying the changes on our patients oral health due to the pandemic and how to improve it will help your patient have a great start back to a healthier oral health!

Most patients throw the little bag in the back of the car. Skipping the bag is a great way to reduce waste and still give your patient the product you are recommending.

Getting patients to comply with recommended home care shouldn’t be about making them do what you want by scare tactics and force. Good communication, including listening, will help you to make the best recommendations for your patient to be healthy!

Many patients may be embarrassed to ask about bad breath. Honest and professional conversations can build trust and may help them get additional help they need.

Investing in good oral health aids should be part of orthodontic therapy. Learning to speak to parents about how they go hand in hand will help them and their child be happier with the end result of orthodontic treatment.

Fluoride application should be an ongoing conversation. It's important to talk with parents about the benefits of fluoride and how it's more important than ever with the change of schedules and routines.

Digital resources make product recommendation easier for dental hygienists, and access and follow-through easier for patients!

Many at-home aligner treatments have entered the market. With home delivery becoming more common and people choosing not to leave their house, patients need to be properly informed about orthodontic treatment and the differences between at-home and professional orthodontic treatment.

Having a social media presence is important for practice building no matter what platform your dental office opts to use, e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or a website. Be sure to have someone who is actively monitoring your platform so that content stays up to date and any questions or reviews that are posted can be addressed.

Helping our patients who have cancer includes being supportive as we help them take care of their oral health while they transition through cancer therapy.

Patients with special needs want the same things as other patients. It is our responsibility to provide resources to assist them in having good oral hygiene and more effective daily routines.

Dental professionals can be proud to recommend Colgate, a company known for both its researched products and its community outreach.

Education on home care is an important part of the dental hygiene appointment. Helping patients choose the appropriate toothbrush is a great starting place to encourage patients to adapt and improve their home care regimens. Educating patients about the different toothbrush options available will help them make an informed decision about which brush would be best for their oral health needs.

Tooth whitening is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to improve smiles and self-esteem. Here's how dental hygienists can start the conversation.

At a time when we are all facing change in our lives, many dental hygienists have found themselves wanting or needing to find a new position. If you have found yourself searching for a new RDH position here are 5 questions you can ask your potential employer to ace the interview.

Dental enamel erosion can be caused or worsened by lifestyle factors like diet. Here's how dental hygienists can educate patients on preventing erosion.

The "new normal" in clinical practice can be challenging for dental professionals. It can also be rewarding, and an opportunity for professional growth, to identify what part of the new routine is most challenging and find healthy ways to adapt.

In addition to the changing medical concerns, the habits of older adults has an affect their oral health. Resources such as prescription strength fluoride can provide benefits to reduce the caries rate.

Technology is always advancing, and there are many new power toothbrushes available to patients. Staying familiar with those advances will allow dental professionals to make the best recommendation for patients.

Recommending products has never been easier than with Colgate Professional Direct. Using this easy app allows dental professionals the opportunity to make specific personal recommendations for patients, convenient to receive and easy to follow through!

Can your patients benefit from in-office or at-home fluoride therapy? Here's how dental hygienists can start a conversation about the benefits of fluoride.

Fluoride is a proven mainstay in caries prevention as part of oral care.

Many patients assume that it is normal for their teeth to hurt when they eat or drink something hot or cold. However, as dental professionals we know that dentinal hypersensitivity is a common condition that can interfere with our patients’ quality of life. It is important to identify patients who are silently suffering from dentinal hypersensitivity and provide solutions for relief.

As dental offices start to re-open, appropriate PPE will be essential for helping dental hygienists to safely transition back to patient care.

Negotiating a pay raise is often a difficult task. Find an appropriate time for both you and your employer to discuss a raise. Dental hygienists are invaluable members of the dental team and you deserve to be compensated fairly for your contributions to the office.

As dental teams return to work after COVID-19 closures, here's how dental hygienists can take a leadership role to help ensure a safe, informed workplace.

This article addresses both in-office and at-home (take-home) tooth whitening options. It discusses how to identify which of these two options would be the best solution for your patient – consider, for example, speed – how quickly does the patient need/want whitening (e.g., likes almost instant gratification or has a special event coming up fast?), ability to choose when to whiten, ability to follow instructions at home, preference to have whitening done for you in the office with no effort on the part of the patient. You should also include the fact that patients today desire whiter teeth during teenage years and at all ages/stages during adulthood, and that while we may have typically thought of this as a desire for the young, many patients are choosing whitening later in life as they embark on new phases in their life such as retirement.

This article should provide an overview of e-scripting – what it is, why it came into existence, advantages (and potential disadvantages). After exploring this, provide some hints and tips on what the dental office should do when using e-scripts and provide a couple of examples. Hints and tips should include at least the following: 1. Making sure to save the information on the products you prescribe in the system 2. Making sure you have the correct variants for what you want 3. Making sure to fill in that the branded product is required. 4. Additional tips as applicable.

Find tools and resources on a wide variety of topics to help dental professionals inform patients of better oral care practices.

This article should describe how to motivate patients and how to help them by recognizing and communicating improvements in home care.

This article should discuss how changes in the seasons can affect dry mouth. For example, dehydration in the summer when it is hot caused by sweating and not drinking enough (non-alcoholic) liquids. Another example is dehydration in the winter in dry climates when outside exercising and not realizing you need to drink more even if you are not sweating. The article can also discuss seasonal changes that can result in seasonal allergies and a need for anti-histamines (dry mouth side effect). Also, for winter mention potential for Seasonal Affective Disorder for which one of the treatments is anti-depressants. After this, discuss options for managing dry mouth and increased caries risk.

At this year's IADR General Session and Exhibition, Colgate presented the findings of 16 scientific studies. Here, we highlight our key research findings.

Being familiar with the many mouthwashes & homemade rinses patients are using will help you to discuss the best recommendations to replace their unwise choices.

At-home whitening is a safe, easy and effective option for a brighter smile. Here's how the new Colgate Optic White Professional Take-Home Kit is making it even better.

Periodontal probing is essential for detecting and managing periodontal disease. We discuss how dental hygienists can use this tool to maximum effect.

New Years resolutions tend to be focused on making ourselves better, it should be about how to move forward together! 2022 is the year to join together and move in a positive way to help each other be better physically, mentally and emotionally.

There's no better time than the holidays to give your patients the gift of a bright, white smile! Find out how to get your patients' smiles holiday-ready now.

World Cavity Free Day is a great way to make patients aware of the sobering statistics on dental caries. Continuing the conversation will help our patient not be part of the these.

Stress is inevitable. Having resources on how to reduce it is important! We are happier when we can be our best selves!

With dental hygienists well-placed to spot the early signs of oral cancer, we discuss why pro-active oral screening is vital for every single adult patient.

Maintaining good oral health remains a challenge for orthodontic patients, but smart app-powered toothbrushes like the Colgate hum can help.

How dental hygienists can optimize communication and build positive relationships with patients of all cultural backgrounds.

Are your patients whitening too much or too often? We discuss how dental hygienists can guide patients towards safe and effective esthetic choices.

Colgate is committed to leaving a positive footprint on our world, to encourage not only healthier resources, but a way of life that benefits us all!

Leaving home doesn't mean our patients have to leave behind the products they have always used. Resources such as Colgate Professional Direct help patients continue to get the products recommended by their dental professional.

Parents have their children's best interest at heart, but may not be educated on proper oral care for them. It is your job to make parents feel comfortable.

Here are some of the facts about this unfortunate crime and what you can do as a dental hygienist to help your patients feel safe at home.

Social media is fast becoming a great way to draw eyes to your dental office, and you might be looking for social media tips.

Volunteering individually, as a practice or with a group of dental hygiene friends can be an extremely rewarding experience, and a valuable team bonding experience.

Managing nervous patients can be very challenging for dental hygienists. Incorporating relaxation techniques into your practice may allow you to provide better care for these patients.

Planning a dental hygiene maternity leave doesn't have to be stressful if you stay organized and develop a plan that works for you.

As a dental hygienist, your patients look to you for guidance about their dry mouth symptoms and for suggestions on how to get relief from dry mouth.

Trending Topics

A discovery made by the University of Nottingham and the Wyss Institute at Harvard University has uncovered the capabilities of regenerative dental fillings.

The potential of squid ink in dental hygiene is part of the newest research in the dental community. Learn more here.

Dental hygienists play an important role in teaching patients that proper plaque removal is critical for protecting their oral and systemic health.

This new classification system has two key components: identifying a stage and a grade of periodontal disease involvement for the patient.

Career Development

Numerous applications for 3D printing technology are being researched, including in dentistry. Read more about these exciting updates at Colgate® Professional.

Fluoride therapy was thought of as a measure to help prevent caries in children. Your patients may be unaware that fluoride therapies are not only for children.

Dentists are usually viewed as leaders of a dental practice. This includes being able to make difficult decisions & communicating those choices to all team members.

Have you felt pain in your shoulders, hands or knees after a long day? Learn how to distinguish between types of arthritis and joint inflammation.

Completing dental coding correctly based on diagnosis & treatment is critical. If performing localized delivery of antimicrobial agents, D4381 may be useful.

Like many others, you may not be saving as much as you should be. But here's the good news: you can start building your savings today, and it doesn't have to hurt.

If you are suffering from daily discomfort at work, try out these sneaky in-office stretches to help you relieve your pain. Your body will thank you.

Here are some networking tips to stay updated on the latest advancements in the dental hygiene field and also to meet new people along the way.

Working with chronic pain is a very real possibility in the clinical career of a dental hygienist; however, pain does not have to mean the end of your career.

The long-term effects of poor smartphone ergonomics may cause neck, back, wrist & hand strain. Luckily, proper smartphone posture may help to prevent injuries.

Dental hygienists should invest in physical health through yoga, Pilates & other physical activities; a healthy body is essential to longevity in the operatory.

Dental hygienists can help patients by understanding the model and knowing what information would help at each stage necessary for positive habit changes.

Talking to patients with eating disorders can be a difficult part of a dental hygienist's job. It is crucial to reach out to in a non-offensive manner.

Dentistry is doing its part in fighting the opioid epidemic. The American Dental Association (ADA)'s new policy on opioids may help this national crisis.

Here are some tips to help you through your 'not-your-average' day and provide your coworker's patients with the best care possible.

Depending on where you work, your compensation as a dental hygienist may be flexible too, so it's important to understand how each works.

Stress can be unavoidable, especially when you deal with individual patient factors, ergonomic demands and even personal conflicts within your clinical team.

Writing the perfect resume can keep a potential employer interested and inspire questions that will keep the conversation flowing during the interview process.

Saving for retirement may not be a top priority right now, but maybe it should be. Everyone wants to have a dream retirement free of financial worries.

As a dental hygienist, you can inform about HPV and oral cancer. Talking to your patients about this does not have to be awkward if you know where to begin.

Dental hygienists know the difference between recall appointments, aka a "cleaning," and periodontal appointments. But do you know if your patients?

Dentistry itself is full of disposables, in part due to concerns about keeping patients and staff safe but there are many opportunities to reduce waste.

Geriatric dental care has become more important than ever as the dental field can expect to see an influx of geriatric patients over the coming decades.

Are you wondering what the difference is between a working interview and a standard interview? Read on to learn more tips for acing your test.

Dental hygienists who have good time management skills can increase productivity and encourage a positive work environment. An organized office will often have more efficient workdays.

Dental hygienist professionals are an important part of educating patients who are currently under, or are considering, orthodontic care.

We owe it to our patients to ensure that our dental hygienist continuing education units (CEUs) are updated annually. Here are tips to elevate your career.

Read on to learn more about why DHPs are so valuable to patients and dental offices alike, and why some professionals are apprehensive about the new position.

Sharpening manual scalers and curettes, and keeping their cutting edges in top condition, are essential for effective instrumentation and to help avoid hand strain.

Dental recycling may seem like a big job to tackle, there are many simple steps you can take to help eliminate waste and go green in the dental office.

Chronic pain is common among dental hygienists, the good news is there are steps you can take to prevent and manage dental hygienist pain throughout the body.

If you're ready to purchase a pair of loupes, a guide to the types available and important specifications can help you choose the best pair for your work.

If you follow these seven steps, you will be well on your way to creating long-lasting patient relationships that go beyond clinical care.

There are many challenges that a dental hygienist may face when caring for the elderly patient population. Read on for some suggestions for overcoming issues.

Learn more about periodontal & cardiovascular diseases, how to communicate the connection, and educate patients to take charge of their oral & systemic health.

Although first introduced in the 1970s, you still may want to use an air polisher (without retiring your prophy cup completely) depending a patient's needs.

Rather than trying to tough out pain from your dental hygiene career, you should identify exactly what causes pain during your workday.

You may wonder just what ergonomic chairs can do for you. You may also be overwhelmed by the variety of seating options & how to decide which is best for you.

Many patients recognize your work & leave their appointments feeling great; but, there is always one patient who gives the impression they just don't like you.

Keeping in touch with classmates from dental hygiene school takes some effort. Here are some tips for networking events you can employ to advance your career.

Dental radiographs are part of thorough dental care and can provide you with information related to caries, bone loss & other pathologies.

You probably have a wish list of dental hygiene equipment. Products such as loupes or an ultrasonic insert with LED lighting make our jobs easier, but they come with a hefty price tag.

When it's time to take a vacation — or to make plans for when your children are out of school, getting that time off can become a logistical nightmare.

While dental hygiene is a growing field with real financial benefits, coming right out of school with debt can be a daunting financial dilemma.

To accommodate curve balls that come with being a dental hygienist, be strategic in setting goals to make sure you're planning for whatever comes your way.

Preventing and managing carpal tunnel is essential for a long career as a dental hygienist, so here are some things you need to know to help protect yourself.

As a dental hygienist, you can help improve patient compliance with their oral health care regimen with these five tips available at Colgate® Professional.

Technology has had an amazing impact on dentistry & many offices still offer conventional impressions alongside digital ones. Which is best for your patients?

Here are some ways you can use online resources to help you provide your patients with the high-quality care they deserve.

Consider what recommendations you should be giving to your patients who are using do-it-yourself clear aligners. Is this is a safe and effective option?

Deciding when to use the code D4910 can often be confusing. Patients don't always understand the necessity of this treatment and only want what their insurance covers. As a provider, you want to use the code that matches the treatment provided. Read on for clarification on this topic.

What can you do as a dental professional to stay on schedule? Here are some easy-to-implement tips to take advantage of on a daily basis.

Everyone needs to find balance in their life, and the dental hygienist is no exception. These five daily organization tips can help you do right by you.