Elsevier

Dental Abstracts

Volume 62, Issue 2, March–April 2017, Pages 65-66
Dental Abstracts

The Front Office
Incorporating technology into hygiene

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.denabs.2016.12.009Get rights and content

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Background

Dental hygienists use various technologic aids to help with patient assessment and monitoring, early disease detection, and other activities. Some of the more common technologies being employed were profiled.

Technologic Aids

Halimeters can be used chairside to help hygienists measure halitosis in patients. Understanding the level of halitosis and how the patient is responding to products and treatments will help in managing this common problem.

Self-monitoring devices for patients can provide information that is of use to dental hygienists. These include home glucose testing with glucometers and A1C kits for patients with diabetes. Automated devices are available to read blood samples obtained through a finger stick

Discussion

Various existing and emerging technological advances may significantly affect dental hygiene practices. These devices improve systemic and oral health status, help in decision-making, and provide enhanced monitoring of the efficacy of clinical interventions and responses to treatment.

Clinical Significance

Many of the aspects of dental hygiene benefit from technologic enhancements. As dental hygienists incorporate new technology into their clinical provision of care, patient commitment tends to

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Spolarich AE: High-tech hygiene: Technologies making a difference in oral care. Inside Dent Hyg 12:4-13, 2016 (Special issue 1)

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