A Letter From our President… 

Those of you who know me well, know that I am a fierce advocate for preventive dentistry, education and public health.  I stand poised to take on the challenge of leadership in an effort to encourage and support the open lines of communication that have been created by those who have come before me. My leadership style is collaborative, and I believe strongly in innovation through collective collaboration.  My vision for this upcoming year is to “Keep the Momentum Going”.  I am encouraged by the efforts of leaders in our great state who have recognized the contributions that dental hygienists make to the dental profession and to healthcare as a whole.

As I draft this message the dental hygienists of North Carolina are preparing to join forty-five other states in their ability to provide pain control for their patients through local and block anesthesia, which was a part of legislation that became law on October 1st, 2021.  This is an expanded function we have anticipated and worked towards for many years!   Additionally, through this same legislation the scope of dental hygiene practice has been expanded to include general supervision of dental hygienists employed by public health dentists or designated Healthcare Shortage Areas (HRSA). Hygienists and dentists can also work collaboratively now through the use of tele-dentistry, which allows hygienists to deliver care prior to examination, with a standing order. This means that essential preventative and therapeutic care can now be provided with less restriction in long term care facilities and schools to name a few.

I am inspired by the collaboration that took place to make this vision a reality for the dental hygienists in our state over the past year, and most importantly for the citizens of North Carolina who will now have access to services in non-traditional practice settings. I look forward to continued conversations about how we can continue to make dental care more accessible in our great state. Far too many citizens still visit the emergency room for dental pain, without viable solutions for treatment and for many, the cost of dental treatment is still simply too high!  I believe that there are viable solutions to these issues and that through continued collaboration we will create innovative solutions.

In closing, I quote John Welch, who states– “ A LEADERS JOB is to look into the future and see the organization, not as it is, but as it SHOULD BE”.  When I look into the future, I see a strong organization of Dental Hygienists in North Carolina who advocate for their profession through membership, believing that they play an important role in making decisions about the direction of their profession.  If you are not a member, I hope I have inspired you to join today and to “Keep the Momentum Going!