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Dec 3, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Kathy Forbes |Jackie Sanders
Dental assistants now have the opportunity to perform a prophylaxis in some states. So, how do offices code for this for insurance purposes? What is the procedure code if an assistant is scaling supragingivally? Since Kathy doesn’t know exactly what assistants are doing, her opinion is that there is no procedure code for assistants. This is a hot topic right now, and Kathy discusses some of what’s going on in the industry, and how to move toward solving this complicated dilemma.
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Aug 21, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Kathy Forbes |Connie Simmons
Picture this: Medieval England and the English guards find Humpty Dumpty has fallen off the wall and is lying in a mess of egg yolk, staring up at them from among his broken shells. The guards calmly look at each other, look down at Humpty, and matter-of-factly say, "It's not that we can't put you back together...
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Jul 8, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Kathy Forbes |Connie Simmons
The ADA’s Code Maintenance Committee (CMC) meets in March at the ADA headquarters in Chicago to review and discuss code action requests submitted by dental professionals. Each submission is then voted on by the CMC representatives and, if passed, is in the CDT Manual the following year.
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Jun 6, 2024 | 
showsightmagazine.com | Kathy Forbes
This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, November 2012 issue. Judging the BeagleThe General Appearance portion of the AKC Standard gives great insight into the essence of the Beagle. A miniature Foxhound, solid and big for his inches, with the wear-and-tear look of the hound that can last in the chase and follow his quarry to the death. One side note, it is referring to an English Foxhound and the quarry is rabbit and/or hare. Beagles are a moderate breed.
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May 2, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Kirsten Brancheau |Katrina M. Sanders |Kathy Forbes |Michele White
Kate Machado, MEd, BS, RDH, FADHA: Educator and lifelong learnerWhen asked what she enjoys about clinical hygiene, Kate Machado goes right to the basics: “I love using my favorite instruments and getting that black subgingival calculus removed in a difficult area.” She also enjoys patient education and product recommendations. “When a patient finally gets that ‘light-bulb’ moment and praises my hard work, it truly makes me feel good, especially on a hard day.” Kate is also an educator.
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Apr 30, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Jackie Sanders |Kathy Forbes |Michele White
Because dental hygienists serve as the frontline caregivers in most patients' periodontal care, the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) has created a new program to build relationships betweem dental hygienists and periodontologists: the Dental Hygiene Engagement Initiative. I had the chance to sit down with Dr. James G. Wilson, past president of the AAP, to talk about this new initiative.
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Apr 29, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Kirsten Brancheau |Kathy Forbes |Michele White |Brittny Murphy
Kate Machado, MEd, BS, RDH, FADHA: Educator and lifelong learnerWhen asked what she enjoys about clinical hygiene, Kate Machado goes right to the basics: “I love using my favorite instruments and getting that black subgingival calculus removed in a difficult area.” She also enjoys patient education and product recommendations. “When a patient finally gets that ‘light-bulb’ moment and praises my hard work, it truly makes me feel good, especially on a hard day.” Kate is also an educator.
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Apr 29, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Amanda Hale |Susie Keepper |Kirsten Brancheau |Kathy Forbes
There is a lot of misinformation out there about coconut oil pulling, largely fueled by social media or the misuse of coconut oil by patients or friends. Let's start by clarifying what coconut oil pulling is and is not. No replacement for brushingCoconut oil pulling is not equivalent to and should never replace brushing and flossing. Mechanical disruption of the bacterial biofilm is essential for optimal oral health.
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Apr 23, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Carol Jahn |Elizabeth S. Leaver |Kirsten Brancheau |Kathy Forbes
Being a dental hygienist is not easy. It takes a toll on the body, mental health, and spirit. Because of this, many hygienists reach a crossroads in their career. They may ask, do I stay at this practice or go somewhere else? Do I try a different type of practice like a DSO or Federally Qualified Health Center (FHQC)? Do I explore other options such as teaching, sales, marketing, or research? Figuring this out takes time and it’s easy to become discouraged.
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Apr 22, 2024 | 
rdhmag.com | Kathy Forbes |Connie Simmons |Crystal Spring |RDHConnie Simmons
Question: Why does our office insurance coordinator change the code D1110 (adult prophy) to D1120 (child prophy) when the patient has all permanent teeth? Per the ADA procedure codes, I was taught that the correct code to use is based on the dentition type (primary, transitional, or permanent). What do I do?
