Valerie Yates has been a registered dental hygienist since 2001. She has been practicing in Hays, Kansas, since that time. Valerie enjoys learning and bringing value to her patients. She has taken a special interest in myofunctional disorders and has enjoyed bringing a new avenue of health to her patients. Valerie has always had a love for reading and writing. While she enjoys reading a good mystery novel, she finds her writing passion in freelancing. When Valerie has leisure time, you can find her with her husband, two daughters, and their menagerie of animals. Her nature for helping others does not stop with humans and she is sucker for four-legged friends.
5 tips for becoming a dental hygienist
Deciding on a career path is no small feat. It can be a very confusing and exciting time in your life. Dental hygiene is a rewarding and in-demand career and may be the right fit for you. Here are five tips for becoming a dental hygienist.
Chronically Enlarged Tonsils, What Does It Mean?
By: Jeffrey W. Horowitz, DMD, FAGD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA Chronically enlarged tonsils are a common condition, more likely to happen in children. Chronically enlarged tonsils are associated with: Frequent sore throat, ear, and throat infection. Enlarged adenoids, and poor nasal breathing. Poor nasal breathing leads to mouth breathing. Mouth breathing changes tongue posture. Poor tongue posture…
The Link Between Periodontal Disease and Heart Failure
By: Kevin Henry A new study has given dental professionals yet another reason to talk to their patients about the importance of maintaining their oral health in order to maintain and even improve their overall health. This study was released at the start of July in one of the Journals of the American College of…
Scalloped Tongue, What Does it Mean?
By: Jeffrey W. Horowitz, DMD, FAGD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA A scalloped tongue is characterized by wavy or rippled edges along its sides. Scalloped tongues are usually not a cause of concern, but if left untreated, they can cause additional complications and symptoms that can harm your dental health. Identifying bad oral habits and diagnosing certain medical…
Professional Identity Formation
By: Savannah Craig Professional Identity Formation is a term I was unfamiliar with until it was brought up last week during my PGY-1 Orientation for my General Practice Residency program. Many of us have a variety of identities (daughter, sister, aunt, son, brother, uncle, etc.), and becoming a dentist requires you to add a new…
Why Aren’t Dentists Screening & Treating Sleep Apnea Patients?
By: Teresa Power DeNike, BS Sleep is a severely overlooked area in dentistry. In 2017, the ADA recommended all dentists screen for sleep apnea (and treat or refer out). Yet only 70% of dentists screen for sleep apnea, and most lack confidence in performing accurate routine screenings. In 2015, the AASM and AADSM recommended oral…
How Dental Assistants Can Deal with Workplace Bullying
By: Dianne Auger, RDH, BS Have you ever loved your position on the dental team, and then it starts to all go downhill? Have you ever thought that being in a profession such as this one that there are no conflicts or acts of workplace bullying? Well, there is! I was just as surprised as you are,…
How and Why to get Oral Appliance Therapy
By: Teresa DeNike If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, there’s a 90% chance your doctor recommended CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). There’s a reason for that — CPAP is incredibly effective — but it might not be right for you, and the hose can be cumbersome to sleep in. If you can’t use CPAP,…
Five People You Want on Your Side as a New Dentist
By: Tara Abouhmahboub When you become a dentist, navigating the job market can be a challenge, and you certainlydon’t want to do it on your own. Top 5 People To Know When Starting Your Dental Career Here are the five people you want on your side as a new dentist: 1. Accountant This one is…
Sign-On or Stay-On Bonus?
By: Dr. David Rice The great resignation, team-turnover, call it what you will, is dentistry’s single greatest problem today and will continue to be for the next 1 to 1.5 years. With that, many practices have turned to sign-on bonuses in an attempt to attract top talent. The problem is, that it’s not helping retain…
Top 5 Mistakes New Dentists Make
By: Dr. David Rice Read them. Digest them. Ask igniteDDS how to avoid them! 5 Mistakes I Made As A New Dentist Here are five common mistakes new dentists make (including me): Paying Off Student Debt Too Fast Not Building Board of Directors Soon Enough Buying a House before a Practice Not Asking Enough Questions…