Katie Barrer

Feb 26, 2024 | rdhmag.com | Lisa Curbow |Amy Lemons |Katie Barrer |Alyssa Aberle

Kratom, a botanical product from the Mitragyna speciosa tree of Southeast Asia, has become popular recently as an herbal supplement pain reliever. While supporters believe its benefits include pain relief and mood enhancement, there are potential dangers associated with Kratom use. Kratom is marketed as a natural and legal alternative to opioids.1 Dental clinicians should be aware of these dangers and be on the lookout for Kratom abuse by patients.

Feb 22, 2024 | rdhmag.com | Amy Lemons |Katie Barrer |Alyssa Aberle |Samantha Farrar

I vaguely remember learning about periodontal files along with hoe and chisel scalers from my Wilkins’ textbook in dental hygiene school. I assumed these were archaic tools used in the past for periodontal instrumentation.

Feb 22, 2024 | rdhmag.com | Annie Walters |Katie Barrer |Alyssa Aberle |Samantha Farrar

Read Annie’s first article about patients with SHCNs Patients with specialized health-care needs (SHCNs) face numerous barriers in their lives, and access to adequate oral health care is one of them.1,2 These individuals rely on family members or caregivers to assist them with their primary care and establish them with health-care providers who understand their specialized needs and offer supportive modifications.3,4 Patients with SHCNs present with complex oral health-care needs that vary in...

Feb 14, 2024 | rdhmag.com | Katie Barrer |Samantha Farrar |Caitlin Parsons |Sherry Basham

Kansas was the first state to pass legislation allowing registered dental hygienists to administer neurotoxin, commonly known as Botox, in 2022. Neighboring state Oklahoma followed soon after. Since these changes, hygienists in these states are able to treat everything from lips to crow’s feet and more.

Feb 14, 2024 | rdhmag.com | Annie Walters |Katie Barrer |Samantha Farrar |Alyssa Aberle

Colorado has always been a leader in dental hygiene. The Colorado Dental Hygienists’ Association (CODHA), founded in 1919, was a group of trailblazers and changemakers that set out to inspire minds. Colorado was one of the first states in the country to allow local anesthesia administration by dental hygienists, and in 1986 became the first state to allow unsupervised dental hygiene practice.