Staging and Grading Perio Classification

Change can be difficult. Especially when you have been doing something the same way for 32 years.

By now, you may already know about the improvements made by the AAP (American Academy or Periodontology) last year.

As I work in private practice, I am finding that not everyone is on board with the new classification process yet.

As I work in the college setting, we try to make sure that the hygiene students are ready with what they need to successfully pass their boards and go on to become great hygienists.

It is also a challenge to be sure that all faculty are on the same page with respect to this topic.

It is with this understanding that I find the new guidelines even more interesting. How can we make sure that we are all classifying perio correctly?

We have all been schooled on AAP type I, II, III, etc. But now we have even better tools for classifying perio.

The process of staging and grading takes an in depth look at the patient as an individual. It allows us to answer questions such as; How at risk is this patient for further bone loss? It even looks at a patient’s lifestyle and overall health as it relates to their oral health.

I’m excited about these improvements. So excited in fact, that I am creating a course around this topic. Simple steps to staging and grading perio course will be available soon.

Feel free to share this information with the hygienists and dentists at your office.

Thank you for stopping by, Cathy

Passing the CDA exam-Testimonial

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A year ago, I registered to take the CDA exam. I had not attended school for dental assisting; I was trained on the job. However, I tried to study for the exam on my own but found that I was struggling with understanding and retaining the study material. I began to reach out for help with exam preparation and Cathy M., a dental instructor, was recommended.

 

I began studying with Cathy. She provided a variety of PowerPoint presentations, videos, vocabulary material, study guides, verbal review material, and practice tests. Her constant review of all the material helped me the most. She recognized the areas I had difficulty with and always found a way to explain it using “understandable” language and she presented it with a different perspective. Her real life/metaphoric examples helped me dissect, understand and retain the information, not just memorize it.  She was always available and willing to answer any of my questions.

 

I took the state board exam and passed it on my first attempt. There were not any competencies or areas on the exam that Cathy had not covered and prepared me for. She gave me the support and confidence to succeed. I owe much of my exam success to Cathy’s encouragement and commitment to my achievement.

Jordan T., CDA

(Congratulations, Jordan- You’ve been a fantastic student- Cathy)

©2017, DENTALTUTOR4ME.COM, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Certified Dental Assistant Salary

Are you considering a career in dental assisting? If so, there are things to think about.

Do you enjoy helping others?

Many of our patients would rather be anywhere else than in our chair. They may have dental fears from childhood. We need to meet them where they are and help them through the experience. Showing kindness to our patients can help them feel more at ease. If this is something you can see yourself doing, continue reading.

Tasks for the dental assistant

There is no way to list every task that the dental assistant does everyday. He or she is involved in almost every aspect of dental business. Some of them are:

  • Taking vital signs and health history
  • Taking, mounting and processing radiographs (certification required in OHIO)
  • Knowing dental terminology and charting
  • Performing administrative tasks
  • Ordering dental supplies
  • Calling for repairs on equipment
  • Taking impressions and preparing study models
  • Assisting dentist or other members of the dental team in all aspects of dentistry
  • Completing insurance claims
  • Coronal Polishing (certification required in OHIO)
  • Working together as a team

No wonder the dentist relies on the assistant so much. The assistant keeps the dentist on schedule by letting them know where they are needed next.

What can a dental assistant expect in the way of a salary?

There are many things to think about when we ask this question. First, we must look at location. Some areas simply pay more than others. Offices just 15 minutes apart will often have a variation in salaries.

How busy is the office? What is the demand for fine dentistry as opposed to emergency dental treatment? Are there other offices nearby? Some offices do full mouth reconstruction which depends on the ability of patients to pay for treatment.

A full time certified dental assistant can usually start in a range of $28,000 to $35,000 a year. A seasoned assistant that has been working for 20 years can usually see an additional $5,000 to $8,000 per year, but again, this has to do with location and the type of office. Moving to a large city like Columbus could change the numbers even more.

Try to put yourself in the shoes of the dentist. Are you the best employee that you can be? Are you punctual and a good manager of time? Do you work well with other members of the team? If not, it will be difficult to get a raise. We must add value to our position in order to be paid the salary of a really great certified dental assistant.

Later, we will probably offer a course on resume improvement. Stay tuned and feel free to leave a comment below. Cathy, MA, RDH, EFDA

©2017, DENTALTUTOR4ME.COM, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Salary ranges were researched from several resources and compiled for this post (based on a 40 hour week) and are not to be used for salary improvement.

 

Becoming A Dental Assistant

Dental Assistant

Becoming a dental assistant can be rewarding if you:

  • Enjoy helping people
  • Have a gentle touch
  • Work well with team members
  • Are detail oriented
  • Are trustworthy
  • Never stop learning

As you sit in the dental chair, are you nervous or calm? When a patient is in pain, they are usually a bit nervous.

Think about the dental assistant that YOU would want….

Patients like to feel heard when they explain their discomfort. They hope that you are knowledgeable and they need you to be kind and caring. Sometimes they will confide in you so they need to be able to trust you.

This is a place to learn more about how to become the best dental assistant you can be. We are always learning.

How can we help you? Comment below. Cathy M. MA, RDH EFDA

© 2016, DENTALTUTOR4ME.COM, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Dental Hygiene and Oral Health

A dental hygienist is knowledgeable in many areas of dentistry. The following is a list of some, but definitely not all of the tasks they perform. (Some require extra certification and depend on the laws of the state where you live.)

  1. Review a patient’s health history and medications
  2. Take vital signs
  3. Perform dental and perio charting
  4. Perform oral cancer screening
  5. Expose radiographs
  6. Remove plaque, calculus (tartar) and stain
  7. Apply sealants and fluoride
  8. Administer local anesthetic and nitrous oxide
  9. Educate patients on oral hygiene, nutrition and smoking cessation

There will be tutoring for RDH in 2017. If you need to review before the boards in the spring, please leave your comment below. Cathy M. MA, RDH, EFDA

© 2016, DENTALTUTOR4ME.COM, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

“Too Busy to Study”

Have you ever said this?

“I need to pick up the kids after work so can you pick up some milk on your way home? Here is a list of a few other things we need. I have class tonight and we have a quiz. I haven’t had a chance to even look at my notes. I will try to do that on my lunch hour. No wait… I have a ‘lunch and learn’ today. I guess I will try to get to class a few minutes early to go over my chapter notes.”

We hear this all the time. This site was created with the busy student in mind.  As this site grows with information, it will become a resource for the busy student that wants to improve their life by going back to school.

What do you need help with? Comment below. Cathy M. MA, RDH, EFDA

© 2016, DENTALTUTOR4ME.COM, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED