Our Hygienists

All of us are Registered Dental Hygienists, with expanded functions - a technical term that means we have special training in performing therapy such as scalings and root plaining - that "deep cleaning" you sometimes hear about. And we can also administer local anesthetic, again a function that requires additional training and certification. Moreover, all three of us have worked here for quite some time - one of us has been here for over twenty years continuously, and one of us has been here with a break of service for well over twenty years. Why is that important? One big reason is that we have the opportunity to evaluate our hard work over many years, to see how well we are able to maintain the oral health of some of our patients with difficult areas to manage.

Registered Dental Hygienists are required to renew their licenses every two years, and in order to renew our licenses, we must take continuing education courses to update and increase our skills. It's this emphasis on continuing to learn that makes the difference between having a job, and having a profession. One of the areas in which we can take continuing education courses is in Oral Medicine - recognizing and identifying conditions in the mouth that can indicate problems in your overall physical health. That oral cancer screen we do? It's very important - but it's not the only thing we are looking for.

We might meet you in the first part of your treatment with us to perform root planing and scaling; but when we really get to know you is when we see you for "Maintenance Therapy." Periodontal disease can and does recur - which is why the doctor will recommend a specific interval for you to return for scaling so that your disease keeps under good control. We might see you once a year, or several times a year; but each time, we have the opportunity to see how well each area of your mouth is maintaining. That's why we have those "pocket chartings" and older radiographs. Comparing older readings with what we are seeing now gives us important clues on how well your dental health is maintaining.

We take great pride in helping you keep your teeth in health and comfort - but we couldn't do it without the help of the Maintenance Scaling Coordinator. She helps us with charting, and when we are finished, she helps keep you "on schedule" for your maintenance visits, whether in our office or in that of your referring dentist. If you ever have any questions about how well you are doing, please ask us - we will always be happy to help in any way we can.

Our Assistants

All of our assistants are Registered Dental Assistants, trained in many functions in the dental office, including taking radiographs, taking impressions, and giving instruction in maintaining oral health and monitoring healing after surgical treatment. 

Being a dental assistant in a specialty office is a bit different than being a dental assistant in a general practice. We get to work with you one-on-one, and because of that, we have the privilege of getting to know you. If, during the course of your treatment with us, you have ANY questions, we are always happy to help.

The first time we will meet you, will probably be at the Initial Consultation. By that time, we usually know quite a bit about you from your referring health professional, and we probably have radiographs and other supporting material, along with your completed Health History form. But the most important part of this appointment is to listen to you. We take notes on what you have to say, what you are concerned about, and what you would like to see as the end result of your treatment with us. That way, we can make sure that your referring dentist is kept up-to-date on your treatment progress, and that all of us - you, your periodontist, and your referring health professional - are all on the same page. And, if you have any questions or concerns, your chart will show what has been discussed and what decisions have been made.

You may see the same assistant throughout your treatment, or you may see more of us. Be sure that the "new" assistant has your chart notes to quickly get her up to speed - and, at our morning meeting, the doctors go over each and every patient to make sure we are prepared to see you. While we assistants will see you primarily through your active therapy with us, you may see us around the office if you continue to come in for periodontal maintenance therapy. If so, please say "hi," and let us know how you are getting along.  

Our Administrative Staff

The doctors call us "the front office," because that's where you mostly see us. Do you have a question? We're the ones who answer the phones, open the mail, type the letters and file the charts. We schedule your appointments and handle your insurance. We greet you when you come in the door, and say goodby as you leave. We try very hard to make sure the day goes very smoothly for the doctors, and that each appointment goes smoothly for you, too. If you have a question we can't answer, we know how to find the right person to get you that answer. It's a big job - but we love what we do, and we enjoy having the opportunity to meet you, too. We may not be directly involved in your care, but we take great pride in making sure that all the details of coordinating your care are taken care of. It's what makes working on a team so much fun.